This study examines the relationship among 4 treatmentstages (i.e., engagement, persuasion, active treatment, relapseprevention) and the composition, social support, and structuralcharacteristics of personal networks. The study sample includes 242women diagnosed with substance dependence who were interviewed withintheir first month of intensive outpatient treatment. Using EgoNetsoftware, the women reported on their 25 alter personal networks and thecharacteristics of each alter. With one exception, few differences werefound in the network compositions at different stages of substanceabuse treatment. The exception was the network composition of women inthe active treatment stage, which included more network members fromtreatment programs or 12-Step meetings. Although neither the type noramount of social support differed across treatment stages, reciprocitydiffered between women in active treatment and those in the engagementstage. Networks of women in active treatment were less connected, asindicated by a higher number of components, whereas networks of women inthe persuasion stage had a higher degree of centralization, asindicated by networks dominated by people with the most ties. Overall,we find social network structural variables to relate to the stage oftreatment, whereas network composition, type of social support, andsociodemographic variables (with a few exceptions) do not relate totreatment stage. Results suggest that social context, particularly howsocial contacts are arranged around clients, should be incorporated intotreatment programs, regardless of demographic background. (Authors)