Attentional difficulties and the effectiveness of a visual representation strategy for counseling drug-addicted clients

Abstract

Three hundred thirty-one opioid-addicted clients in methadone treatment were randomly assigned to counselors who used either mapping-enhanced or standard counseling. Those counseled with mapping had lower percentages of during-treatment urine specimens that were positive for either cocaine or opiates, and they were rated by their counselors as having higher rapport, motivation, and self-confidence. Clients were further classified into those exhibiting either good or poor attention during an intake interview. The results suggest that clients with poor attention are more likely to have positive urines, but that this tendency appears to be reduced under mapping-enhanced counseling.