中華心理衛生協會

 Purpose: The Matrix Model is a structured, intensive treatment protocol that has been widely used in the treatment of substance use disorders, especially for cocaine or methamphetamine use disorders. The model has also been combined with numerous psychological treatment approaches. This study has 3 primary purposes. The first is to abstract the therapeutic factors and limitations of the Matrix Model by exploring the developmental context and theoretical framework presented in the literature. The second purpose is to summarize the potential factors that affect treatment results, which we achieve by reviewing the relevant literature on the effectiveness of the Matrix Model with people of different cultural backgrounds. Our third purpose is to suggest precautions for applying the Matrix Model in Taiwan. Methods: We first searched international medical empirical databases and domestic Chinese databases to identify 377 potential articles for analysis. Two reviewers, who were psychiatrists, independently selected 9 focal studies for the literature review that conformed to the Matrix Model design and included outcome measurements such as addiction severity, urine toxicology results, retention rates, and the length of abstinence. Results: The literature review confirmed that the Matrix Model has a structured curriculum design with specific operation manuals and a routine monitoring system that can be used in different clinical settings. Therapeutic effectiveness corresponded to the retention rate and the degree of participant engagement. Clients needed to engage constantly in intensive interventions to achieve positive outcomes. According to the literature review, the amount of time a patient spent on interventions may be affected by income and social status. As compared to the patient populations in the review articles, Taiwan has a relatively high proportion of clients who were judicially referred for treatment as part of a deferred prosecution program. These clients do not necessarily have enthusiasm for participating in mandatory treatment. How to enhance their willingness to participate is an open question. Conclusions: The Matrix Model appears to have a dose-response relationship with positive outcomes. Achieving a balance between treatment frequency and therapeutic effects is the key to culturally adapting the Matrix Model in Taiwan. Additionally, it will be important to integrate the judicial and social welfare systems into the health care system in order to maximize results in mandatory treatment programs.