What do systematic reviews say?

Pharmacologic intervention vs another pharmacologic intervention

Pharmacologic intervention showed no clear difference in retention compared with another pharmacologic intervention (low certainty).

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.95 [0.76, 1.19]
  2 studies · 190 participants
  Low
• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.96, 1.08]
  2 studies · 200 participants
  Low

Other psychosocial intervention vs usual care, brief intervention, or wait list

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  9 studies · 1664 participants
  Very low

Brief intervention vs brief advice, information, or assessment only

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  12 studies · 5380 participants
  Very low

Any Psychosocial intervention plus pharm vs psychosocial interventions

Pharmacologic intervention along with psychosocial intervention showed no clear difference in retention compared with psychosocial intervention alone (moderate certainty).

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.15 [0.95, 1.4]
  3 studies · 363 participants
  Moderate

Brief intervention vs treatment

Brief intervention (BI) showed no clear difference in retention compared with treatment (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.78, 1.13]
  3 studies · 190 participants
  Low

Pharmacologic intervention vs placebo

Pharmacologic intervention showed no clear difference in retention compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.13 [0.89, 1.44]
  3 studies · 247 participants
  Low

Any Psychosocial intervention plus pharm vs pharm standard

Any Psychosocial intervention plus pharm showed no clear difference in retention in treatment Objective compared with pharm standard (high certainty).

• Psychosocial combined with agonist maintenance treatments versus agonist maintenance treatments alone for treatment of… 2011 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.97, 1.07]
  26 studies · 2582 participants
  High

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in retention at treatment completion (MIB interventions vs. control) (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions for pregnant women in outpatient illicit drug treatment programs compared to other… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.97 [0.89, 1.06]
  3 studies · 355 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in short term treatment retention (Any psychosocial intervention vs.… (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions for pregnant women in outpatient illicit drug treatment programs compared to other… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.9, 1.1]
  6 studies · 514 participants
  Low

Intervention not reported

The intervention showed no clear difference in retention at treatment completion (Any psychosocial intervention vs.… (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions for pregnant women in outpatient illicit drug treatment programs compared to other… 2015 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.99 [0.93, 1.06]
  9 studies · 743 participants
  Low

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT‐D) vs Other Psychological Interventions

It is very uncertain whether interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT‐D) changes treatment retention compared with other Psychological Interventions (very low certainty).

• Psychological interventions for co‐occurring depression and substance use disorders 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.81, 1.23]
  2 studies · 64 participants
  Very low

Motivational interviewing vs treatment

Motivational interviewing (MI) showed no clear difference in retention ‐ end of treatment compared with treatment (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.96 [0.87, 1.06]
  1 study · 256 participants
  Low
• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.93 [0.6, 1.43]
  2 studies · 160 participants
  Low

Music intervention plus standard care vs active intervention plus standard care

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Music therapy for people with substance use disorders 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Motivational interviewing vs no intervention

• Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  2 studies · 427 participants
  Very low

Motivational interviewing vs other active intervention

• Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  12 studies · 1945 participants
  Moderate

Integrated CBT vs Twelve Step Facilitation

It is very uncertain whether integrated CBT changes treatment retention compared with twelve Step Facilitation (very low certainty).

• Psychological interventions for co‐occurring depression and substance use disorders 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.95 [0.72, 1.25]
  2 studies · 296 participants
  Very low

Intervention not reported

• Psychosocial interventions for cannabis use disorder 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  11 studies · 1424 participants
  Moderate

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) vs assessment‐only to reduce alcohol consumption

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) showed no clear difference in retention ‐ end of treatment compared with assessment‐only to reduce alcohol consumption (moderate certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.98 [0.94, 1.02]
  1 study · 190 participants
  Moderate

Motivational interviewing intensive (MII) vs motivational interviewing (MI) to reduce alcohol consumption

Motivational interviewing intensive (MII) may leads to higher retention ‐ end of treatment compared with motivational interviewing (MI) to reduce alcohol consumption (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 17.63 [1.03, 300.48]
  1 study · 163 participants
  Low

Cognitive‐behavioural coping skills training (CBCST) vs Twelve Step Facilitation

It is very uncertain whether cognitive‐behavioural coping skills training (CBCST) changes retention ‐ end of treatment compared with twelve‐step facilitation (TSF) programme to reduce alcohol consumption (very low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.89 [0.62, 1.29]
  1 study · 41 participants
  Very low