New patients versus revolving door patients.

The therapeutic expectation regarding the outcome of drug abusers entering a program for the first time as opposed to patients who have made previous rehabilitation attempts is controversial. Do new patients respond more positively to a therapeutic community than patients with previous treatment experience and is there an interaction between previous treatment/no treatment and heroin/non-heroin drug use? Data were collected from 89 male drug abusers as they entered treatment and also at discharge. Patients entering treatment for the first time were found to be more socially adjusted, but no differences were found between the two groups on attitudes, mood, or symptoms. Non-heroin patients with previous treatment scored significantly lower on the cheerfulness factor of the mood scale. At discharge, no differences were found between previously treated patients and new patients.