Patient retention in therapeutic communities for substance abuse treatment: An organizational-environmental-professional perspective

Abstract

This study examined various organizational, environmental, and professional components of therapeutic communities in Israel and their relationship with patient retention rates. Key elements included the juxtaposition between objective and subjective components of social environments, as reflected in the perceptions of staff (mostly social workers) and patients. The current study's findings suggest that retention rates are predicted to be higher when staff receive more hours of supervision and identify less with their peers, and when their assessments of the organizational climate within facilities is closer to their patients' assessments of this aspect of organizational milieu. These findings are discussed using various organizational and professional perspectives, guided by a field theory framework.