Therapist adherence to a motivational-interviewing intervention improves treatment entry for substance-misusing adolescents with low problem perception

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated whether adherence to the Strengths-Oriented Referral for Teens (SORT) model, a motivational interviewing (MI)-consistent intervention addressing ambivalence about attending treatment, positively predicted adolescents' initial-session attendance. METHOD: Therapist adherence was rated in 54 audiotaped SORT sessions by coders who were blind to treatment-entry status. Higher adherence scores reflected greater use of MI and solution focused language, discussion of client strengths, and dialogue with families on treatment need and options. RESULTS: Therapist adherence during adolescent segments interacted with adolescent problem perception. Predicted probabilities of attending initial sessions increased for low-problem-perception adolescents at increasingly higher therapist adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Although replication studies are needed, the SORT model of providing MI-consistent debriefing following initial assessments appears to be a promising approach for increasing treatment entry. Initial support for the treatment-matching hypothesis was found for substance-misusing adolescents contemplating treatment entry.