EACH CHAPTER OF THE MANUAL WAS WRITTEN BY A SET OF AUTHORS, BUT THE CONTENTS IN THE CHAPTERS RECEIVED THE CONSENSUS OF THE LARGER COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MANUAL, WHOSE MEMBERSHIP INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE, AND THE TREATMENT COMMUNITY. A GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND OUTLINE OF THE GOALS WHICH CAN AND CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WTIH FOLLOWUP STUDIES ARE PROVIDED, FOLLOWED BY A REVIEW OF THE ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN PLANNING FOR SUCH A STUDY, INCLUDING PERSONNEL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES. AN OVERVIEW IS PROVIDED OF THE VARIOUS STAGES OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS, STAGES WHICH ARE DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL IN SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS. THE MAJOR TYPES AND USES OF ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS ARE DISCUSSED, AND TECHNIQUES AND CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED IN DRAWING A SAMPLE OF CLIENTS FOR FOLLOWUP ARE EXAMINED. DETAILED GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTING EACH OF THE RESEARCH STAGES IS THEN PROVIDED. THE PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING THE CONTACT FOR THE CONTENT FOR THE INTERVIEW OR QUESTIONNAIRE IS DESCRIBED, AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND EXAMPLES ARE PROVIDED. SUGGESTIONS FOR LOCATING RESPONDENTS AND SOME DIFFICULTIES USUALLY ENCOUNTERED IN THE PROCESS ARE INDICATED, AND GUIDANCE IS GIVEN FOR THE SELECTION, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISION OF INTERVIEWERS. PROCEDURES FOR PROTECTING RESPONDENT CONFIDENTIALS ARE DESCRIBED. ALTERNATIVES TO GATHERING DATA DIRECTLY FROM CLIENTS ARE DISCUSSED--PRIMARILY INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS, AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE TYPES OF INSTITUTIONAL RECORDS AVAILABLE AND PROCEDURES FOR ACESSING EACH ARE CONSIDERED. GUIDELINES ARE PROVIDED ON HOW TO PREPARE THE DATA FOR ANALYSIS AND HOW TO CONDUCT THE ANALYSES. SUGGESTIONS ARE INCLUDED ON HOW A FINAL REPORT MIGHT BE ORGANIZED, AND SOME SUGGESTIONS AND CAVEATS ABOUT INTERPRETATION ARE PRESENTED. FINALLY, SOME WAYS IN WHICH RESULTS MIGHT BE USED BY THE TREATMENT PROGRAM ARE REVIEWED. THE APPENDIXES PROVIDE SAMPLES OF FORMS USED IN THE PROCEDURES DESCRIBED IN THE BODY OF THE MANUAL, AND FURTHER DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON TECHNIQUES RECOMMENDED. (RCB) OF FORMS USED IN THE PROCEDURES DESCRIBED IN THE BODY OF THE MANUAL, AND FURTHER DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON TECHNIQUES RECOMMENDED. (RCB)