Efficacy of the Therapeutic Game "Trisquel" in the Treatment of Patients With Substance-Related Disorders Randomized Clinical Study.

Substance-related disorders (SRD) have been consistently associated with alterations both in cognitive and executive functions, which affect to patients' quality of life. The main objective of this work was to test the beneficial cognitive effects on patients with SRD after the implementation of "Trisquel," an intervention program in board game format. To check the effectiveness of Trisquel program, a group of people diagnosed with SRD was randomly assigned either to the experimental group or to the control group. The experimental group performed Trisquel structured sessions twice a week during 3 months, while the control group performed routinely conventional therapeutic activities with the same frequency and duration. Neuropsychological tests were done to both groups before and after the intervention. After the 3 months of intervention the experimental group showed the following statistically significant improvements for WAIS-III subtests: number key, symbol search, arithmetic, direct digits, inverse digits, total digits, letters-numbers in the processing speed index and in the working memory index. Regarding STROOP tests, statistically significant progress was observed in the phonetic fluency letter P, phonetic fluency letter M, phonetic fluency letter R subtests, word-reading and word-color subtests. The control group only obtained improvements for WAIS-III subtests of arithmetic, letters-numbers and in the working memory index. The results of this study confirm that "Trisquel" is an effective intervention program for people diagnosed with SRD, getting improvements in processing speed (psychomotor and reading), attentional subprocesses (focused and sustained) and executive functions (updating and inhibition).

[Evolution of treatment and consumption in persons with cocaine dependence, at 12-months, in respect of the associated psychopathology and daily functioning]. / Evolución del tratamiento y consumo en personas con dependencia de la cocaína, a los doce meses, en función de la psicopatología asociada y el funcionamiento cotidiano.

The aim of the present study is to analyse the evolution, at 12-months, of patients with cocaine dependence undergoing treatment in drug abuse centres. We examined the relationship between sociodemographic variables, drug use characteristics, and psychopathological characteristics with maintenance of drug abstinence and the evolution of daily functioning evaluated by the therapist at 3-, 6- and 12-months. The most outstanding results are that subjects with a dependent personality pattern, according to the MCMI-II, are more likely to maintain cocaine abstinence during the 12-months following the preliminary assessment. Moreover, the variables more related with a worse daily functioning at 12-months are injected or smoked cocaine use, previous treatments for drug use and having used heroin on some occasion. Therefore, drug related aspects and not psychopathological characteristics are more important when analysing the 12-months evolution in these subjects.

¿Cómo evolucionan las personas con dependencias de la cocaína que está en tratamiento? Estudio a los tres y seis meses / The evolution of people on treatment for cocaine dependence. Follow up at three and six months

Las demandas de tratamiento en los Centro de Drogodependencias por problemas con el consumo de cocaína se están incrementando en España. El objetivo del presente estudio es en primer lugar, analizar la evolución (a partir de las evaluaciones realizadas por su psicólgo) en las áreas de psicopatología, funcionamiento familiar, laboral y judicial; en segundo lugar, la abstinencia en el consumo de cocaína y en tercer lugar, la permanencia en tratamiento a los tres y seis meses de personas con dependencia a la cocaína en tratamiento en Centro de Drogodependencias de Galicia. En la evalución inicial disponemos de las evaluaciones realizadas por los psicólogos de 113 sujetos, alos tres meses tenemos datos de 105 sujetos y a los seis de 89 sujetos. A los tres meses, el 58.5% de los sujetos de los que tenemos datos permanecen abstinentes; a los seis meses siguen sin consumir el 38%. La evolución en todas las áreas a partir de la evaluación que hace el psicólogo es positiva, encontrándose diferencias significativas en las áreas psicopatológica y familiar. Estos resultados son positivos tanto a nivel de abstinencia como de retención en tratamiento y mejora en las áreas evaluadas

The treatment demands in the Centres of Drug Abuse due to problems with cocaine consumption are increasing in Spain. The objective of the present study is to analyze, firstly the evolution (starting from the evaluations carried out by therapist) in the psychopathological, familiar, labour and judicial areas, secondly, the abstinence in terms of cocaine dependence in Galicia (Spain) after three and six months. With regard to initial evolution, we have to our disposal the evaluations carried out by therapists of 113 subjects. After a period of three months, we have data of 105 subjects and after six months period we have data of 98 subjects. After the three-months period, the 58.5% of those previously mensured subjects remain abstinent, and after six months a 38% continues without consuming cocaine. The therapist, is positive and there are even significative difference in the psychopathological and familiar areas. These results are good in terms of abstinence, and retention in treatment and they improve in the evaluated areas

Guías de tratameinto y guías para la práctica clínica psicológica: una visión desde la clínica / No disponible

En los últimos años se han dado pasos consistentes para establecer una psicología basada en la evidencia a partir de guías clínicas (o de tratamiento) y de guías para la práctica clínica. Su objetivo es conocer qué tratamiento o tratamientos psicológicos son eficaces para los distintos trastornos clínicos o cómo implantar el mejor tratamiento a partir de las mismas. Junto a la descripción de estas guías, sus características, cómo inciden en la práctica de la psicología, sus implicaciones, polémicas, etc., se analizan cuáles son las ventajas y problemas de las mismas en la práctica clínica. Se revisan cuestiones como el enfoque clínico vs. el científico, la diferencia de la psicología clínica en el campo público y privado, ventajas y limitaciones que tienen las mismas con los pacientes/clientes, la necesidad de formación, cómo pasar las recomendaciones de las guías a la práctica clínica, la adecuación de las mismas a los pacientes/clientes, su nivel de conocimiento y aceptación entre los psicólogos clínicos, etc. Se concluye que es necesario prestar cada vez más atención a las guías de tratamiento y a las guías para la práctica clínica y que, como ocurre en las otras áreas de la salud, tenemos que ir cada vez más hacia una psicología clínica basada en la evidencia (AU)

In the last years consistent steps have been taken to establish a psychology based on evidence starting from clinical (or treatment) guidelines and of practice guidelines for the clinical practice. Their objective is to know what psychological treatment or treatments are effective for the different clinical disorders or how to implant the best treatment starting from the same ones. Next to the description of this guidelines, their characteristics, how they impact in the practice of the clinical psychology, their implications, polemic, etc., are analyzed the advantages and problems of the same in the clinical practice. We reviewed the clinical vs. scientific interventions, the difference of the practice of clinical psychology in the public and private field, advantages and limitations that have the same ones with the patients/clients, the need of reciclying, how to pass the recommendations from the guidelines to the clinical practice, the adaptation of the same ones to the patients/clients, their level of knowledge and acceptance among the clinical psychologists, their knowledge, etc. We concludes that it is necessary to lend more attention to the guidelines of treatment and guidelines to clinical practice and that, like it happens in the other areas of the health, we have to go more and more toward a clinical psychology based on evidenc (AU)