Most women in substance abuse treatment have experienced significant losses. This preliminary study examined the effectiveness of a therapy group addressing grief and loss among women enrolled in a gender-specific residential substance abuse treatment program. The intervention group consisted of 24 grief group participants and the comparison group consisted of 31 nonparticipants. Qualitative analysis revealed a pattern: participants identified traumatic loss, moved to emotional loss and abandonment by their own mothers, then focused on their own children. Data obtained at induction and at exit or follow-up were used for quantitative analysis. Length of stay, self-esteem, depression, mood, and parenting attitudes were assessed using standardized instruments. Women who participated in the grief group remained in treatment longer. While both groups were depressed and had low self-esteem at induction, the self-esteem of nonparticipants was significantly lower than that of participants. Both groups improved over time on mood, depression, and parenting. At exit or follow-up, participants had higher self-esteem. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that higher self-esteem at induction made it possible for women to participate in and benefit from the grief group, thus contributing to length of stay. To test this hypothesis we conducted regression analyses which found that, individually, group status (participation) and self-esteem explained 11% of the variance in length of stay. However, since the number of women with available data varied for group status and self-esteem, group status was a significant predictor of length of stay and self-esteem showed only a trend toward significance. These findings support our hypothesis. The women's pattern of disclosure and the hypotheses drawn from the results of this preliminary analysis will be examined further in an evaluation of a series of groups focused on loss and grief.
To evaluate a telephone counseling intervention that was designed to help sedentary women begin and maintain a walking program.Females (N = 197) were randomly assigned to either an intervention, attention control, or no-attention control group. Assessments were made at baseline and 6 months.Women in the intervention group reported more time walked each day than did control women (P < .05). The intervention worked equally for African American and European American women as well as for different income groups.Overall, a counseling intervention via telephone appears to be a good way to help women begin a walking program.
Retaining women in substance abuse treatment is difficult. Increased length of stay (LOS) has been found to be predictive of positive treatment outcomes, including lower drug use, criminal behavior, and unemployment among adults, and improved growth and development for children. This study used survival analysis statistical methods to examine LOS in a residential treatment program for women and children as the program shifted from a traditional therapeutic community, to gender-specific programming, to interdisciplinary, family-focused treatment. Results suggest that with implementation of family-focused treatment, LOS increases more than with gender-specific programming alone.
Abstract The need to change the sedentary habits of many American adults is well recognized. Middle‐aged women are an important target group for increased physical activity because of certain health risks such as osteoporosis. In the current study, 31 women between the ages of 30 and 60 from high‐ and low‐income groups (high‐income >$50,000; low‐income <$50,000 per year) took part in a physical activity intervention. The goal was to increase walking activity to a minimum of 90 min per week. Each woman received 16 telephone calls over a 6‐month period in which she was asked to reflect upon the benefits of walking, goal setting, restructuring plans, social support, exercise efficacy, relapse prevention, and maintenance. Content analysis revealed a number of themes emerging from intervention conversations. There were differences between races in walking location and walking partners. Furthermore, there were differences between income groups in beliefs about the benefits of walking and social support. Overall, the intervention appeared to provide a basis for women to develop a walking routine. The women were able to reflect upon their walking routine and attempts to begin a walking routine and to identify how each component of the intervention affected their individual daily routine.
