Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Meta-Analysis of Race and Substance Use Outcomes

• Published in: Cultural diversity & ethnic minority psychology Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 300 - 313
• Main Authors: Windsor, Liliane C., Jemal, Alexis, Alessi, Edward J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Educational Publishing Foundation 01-04-2015
• Subjects: Adult; Black or African American; Black People; Cognitive Behavior Therapy; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - methods; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Cultural Competence; Cultural Competency - psychology; Culturally Competent Care - methods; Culturally Competent Care - statistics & numerical data; Drug Abuse; Female; Hispanic or Latino; Human; Humans; Latinos/Latinas; Male; Middle Aged; Racial and Ethnic Groups; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Substance-Related Disorders - ethnology; Substance-Related Disorders - prevention & control; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Substance-Related Disorders - therapy; Treatment Effectiveness Evaluation; White People; cognitive behavioral therapy; substance abuse treatment; Blacks; cultural competence; Hispanics
• ISSN: 1099-9809; 1939-0106
• DOI: 10.1037/a0037929

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective intervention for reducing substance use. However, because CBT trials have included predominantly White samples caution must be used when generalizing these effects to Blacks and Hispanics. This meta-analysis compared the impact of CBT in reducing substance use between studies with a predominantly non-Hispanic White sample (hereafter NHW studies) and studies with a predominantly Black and/or Hispanic sample (hereafter BH studies). From 322 manuscripts identified in the literature, 16 met criteria for inclusion. Effect sizes between CBT and comparison group at posttest had similar effects on substance abuse across NHW and BH studies. However, when comparing pre-posttest effect sizes from groups receiving CBT between NHW and BH studies, CBT's impact was significantly stronger in NHW studies. T-test comparisons indicated reduced retention/engagement in BH studies, albeit failing to reach statistical significance. Results highlight the need for further research testing CBT's impact on substance use among Blacks and Hispanics.