Coercion, motivation and retention

1
Coercion, motivation and retention

• Early findings from the QCT Europe Study
• Alex Stevens, EISS, University of Kent

2
Early findings on

• The link between legal coercion and perceived
  pressure
• Do QCT clients feel pressured into treatment?
• The link between coercion, perceived pressure and
  motivation
• Are QCT clients less motivated?
• Effect on retention
• Are QCT clients more likely to stay in treatment?

3
Our data

• 845 people
• Half in QCT, half in comparable voluntary
  treatment
• In five countries
• England, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany

4
Country sample sizes

• UK 157

Austria 150
Switzerland 85
Germany 153
Italy 300
5
Our data

• 845 people
• Half in QCT, half in comparable voluntary
  treatment
• In five countries
• England, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany
• Standardised questionnaire at treatment entry and
  then 6, 12 and 18 months later.
• Based on EuropASI, with additional sections on
  crime, perceived pressure, readiness to change,
  self-efficacy and treatment perceptions.

6
The people we interviewed

• Average age 31
• Gender 18 female
• 22 in voluntary group
• 93 white
• 90 in QCT group
• Typically had long histories of multiple drug
  use, including dependence on heroin and/or
  cocaine.

7
Do QCT clients feel pressured into treatment?
8
But perceived pressure is not determined by legal
status

• 65 of volunteers reported feeling some
  external pressure
• 22 of the QCT group reported feeling no external
  pressure.
• 29 of the QCT group said they did not feel under
  pressure from legal authorities to be in
  treatment.

9
Are QCT clients less motivated?
10
Are pressured clients less motivated?
11
Are QCT clients more (or less) likely to stay in
treatment?
12
Early conclusions

• QCT clients tend to experience more pressure to
  be in treatment, although many do not.
• QCT clients are not generally less motivated than
  others.
• QCT clients tend to stay in treatment about the
  same time as other clients.

13
For more information...

• www.kent.ac.uk/eiss/projects/qct-europe/
• Or search for QCT Europe on Google
• Or email a.w.stevens_at_kent.ac.uk