An NIU researcher is looking at the aftercare and characteristics of clients recovering from substance abuse.

Sherilynn Spear, coordinator of NIU’s community health program in the School of Allied Health Professions, has been engaged in drug treatment research for several years.

The research project is a joint-effort with Rockford’s Rosecrance Center, which is licensed for treating chemically dependent adolescents.

The study is being funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

“The idea of a university treatment center and a non-university center working together is a really unique approach,” Spear said.

The four-year study with Rosecrance evaluates approaches to the aftercare of teen substance abusers. Aftercare lasts about four months, but Spear said officials follow the cases for a year.

The aftercare study involves interviewing the patients and their parents four times during the year.

Spear explained there are two basic approaches to aftercare.

The first of these approaches is more traditional and deals with talk therapy. The issues are brought up by the client, Spear said.

The second of these approaches deals with setting up a non-using lifestyle. This is more counselor-directed, although the patient still has some freedom, Spear said.

From the four-year study with Rosecrance, Spear began another research project. This project is funded by the NIU Graduate School summer research grant.

It involves studying the characteristics of the clients in aftercare and their families.

“Maybe short-term treatment isn’t effective,” Spear said. “Their problems are perhaps more complex.” Part of the clients’ problems may be related to their living situations.

The second study looks for patterns in teens for relapse and recovery. “There is no relapse curve for adolescents,” she said.

The treatment for teens might be different from that of adults. “We need to rethink how to approach adolescents,” she said.