The Impact of a Post-Master's Program in Substance Abuse on Social Work and Other Health Professionals.
TL;DR: The results of this study indicate that completion of a comprehensive, long-term substance abuse training program not only increases clinicians' knowledge about substance abuse issues, but also impacts positively on their attitudes and behavior.
Abstract: Substance abuse is a major problem encountered by social workers in all settings. This study investigated the impact of a postmaster's program in the treatment of substance-abusing clients on the domains of “Attitudes and Values,” “Knowledge and Skills,” and “Behaviors” of its graduates. Overall, 91 percent of respondents found the program to be professionally beneficial to them. Significant increases were shown on all items in the Knowledge and Skills Scale and the Behavior Scale. Among the greatest changes reflected in the Attitudes and Values Scale were increases in respondents' desire to add substance-abusing clients to their caseloads, their belief for good recovery prognosis, and their comfort level in being considered a substance abuse specialist. The results of this study indicate that completion of a comprehensive, long-term substance abuse training program not only increases clinicians' knowledge about substance abuse issues, but also impacts positively on their attitudes and behavior t...
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TL;DR: This national study of MSW programs examines prevalence of addiction courses and specializations and concludes that social work education has not met addiction workforce development needs and there is no evidence this pattern will change.
Abstract: Social workers are needed to implement science-based treatments for alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems. Changes in insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act will increase the demand for licensed Master of Social Work (MSW) clinicians. This national study of MSW programs (N = 210) examines prevalence of addiction courses and specializations. Web-based analyses showed that only 14.3% of accredited schools offered specialization; only 4.7% of accredited schools had one or more required courses. Social work education has not met addiction workforce development needs; there is no evidence this pattern will change.
56 citations
Cites background from "The Impact of a Post-Master's Progr..."
...Straussner and Vairo (2007) found that a postmaster’s AOD course for social workers increased participants’ perceptions of their competence, willingness to treat substance-abusing clients, and comfort in being seen as substance abuse specialists....
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01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: The authors reviewed the available evidence on social work's contribution to supporting recovery for those with problem drug and/or alcohol use, and collated the evidence on workforce development in this area as well as reviewing what is known about social work roles and training.
Abstract: This research reviewed the available evidence on social work's contribution to supporting recovery for those with problem drug and/or alcohol use. The review also collated the available evidence on workforce development in this area as well as reviewing what is known about social work roles and training.
22 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a multivariate analysis revealed numerous factors that affected students' knowledge and attitudes: gender, ethnicity, exposure to substance abuse through family, friends, or self, taking a substance abuse course in an academic setting, having an internship in a substance-abuse setting, substance abuse training outside of an academic setup, and exposure to substances through employment.
Abstract: Entering (n = 475) and graduating (n = 454) students at 3 master's of social work programs in the northeast were compared regarding their knowledge and attitudes concerning working with substance abusing clients. In comparison to entering students, graduating students demonstrated modestly higher levels of knowledge, role adequacy, and role legitimacy, but less desire to work with this population. A multivariate analysis revealed numerous factors that affected students' knowledge and attitudes: gender; ethnicity; exposure to substance abuse through family, friends, or self; taking a substance abuse course in an academic setting; having an internship in a substance abuse setting; substance abuse training outside of an academic setting; and exposure to substance abusers through employment. Implications of these findings for social work education are discussed.
21 citations
Cites background from "The Impact of a Post-Master's Progr..."
...In the second study (Straussner & Vairo, 2007), students who completed a year-long post-MSW substance abuse training program reported that they had made many positive changes in their attitudes and values, their knowledge and skills, and in their behaviors in regard to working with substance…...
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...Strozier (1995) surveyed a national sample of NASW members and found that female social workers had more moralistic and less permissive attitudes toward substance abusers than male social workers, but had higher levels of treatment optimism toward this population....
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TL;DR: Differences between recent MSW graduates who had received and not received advanced standing status regarding their perceived preparedness and perceived knowledge to work with substance abuse issues are examined.
Abstract: The granting of advanced standing status to bachelor of social work (BSW) students, exempting them from foundation study in master of social work (MSW) programs, has been controversial. The authors examined differences between recent MSW graduates who had received (n = 87) and not received (n = 124) advanced standing status regarding their perceived preparedness and perceived knowledge to work with substance abuse issues. No statistically significant differences in mean scores were found. However, mean scores for both groups were moderate to low. Implications for substance abuse education and advanced standing in social work education are discussed.
19 citations
TL;DR: This review will fill a knowledge gap in social work education and training in mental health, addictions and suicide through dissemination in publications and relevant conferences, and may guide future research and education in socialWork.
Abstract: Social workers have an important role in the field of mental health, and social work programs have a responsibility to prepare students for practice in the field. This scoping review mapped and syn...
16 citations
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TL;DR: Two attitudinal scales measuring commitment to abstinence-oriented treatment policies and disapproval of illicit drug use were derived from a survey of 90 staff working in public methadone maintenance clinics in Sydney, Australia and were shown to be valid constructs by confirmatory factor analysis and to be internally reliable and to have high test-retest reliability.
Abstract: Two attitudinal scales measuring commitment to abstinence-oriented treatment policies and disapproval of illicit drug use were derived from a survey of 90 staff working in 10 public methadone maint...
53 citations
TL;DR: It is found that social workers trained in substance abuse had more substance abuse cases, with and without additional diagnoses, and rated themselves higher on two of six competency measures: in intervening with clients when all diagnoses were combined and in intervening when substance abuse only diagnoses were Combined.
Abstract: Past research and reports from the field have described social workers as having a host of negative responses to alcohol- and drug-abusing clients. Some found that substance abuse training increased social workers' sense of security and legitimacy in the therapeutic role with such clients. We report on 23 master's level social workers (MSWs) who completed an intensive 9-month substance abuse training program (trainees) and 22 MSW comparison subjects (comparisons). Both trainees and comparisons completed caseload forms identifying their clients by diagnosis and self-rated their competence to assess and treat each client. We predicted that workers trained in substance abuse, when compared with workers who lacked such intensive training, would (a) assess and treat more substance-abusing clients, (b) work with more complex substance-abusing clients (i.e., dually diagnosed clients), and (c) perceive themselves to be more competent to assess and treat substance-abusing clients. No significant differences were f...
37 citations
TL;DR: Older women are at risk for self-medicating with prescription drugs and alcohol and have more risk for drug-drug and drug-alcohol interactions and are at greater risk for prescription drug abuse by a physician or physicians than other age groups.
30 citations
27 citations
TL;DR: The qualifying training of social workers, doctors, and nurses has, it is argued, failed to prepare students to work with the large number of problem drinkers that they will encounter in their caseloads.
Abstract: Alcohol misuse is a major component in many social and health prob lems. It should therefore form a major component in the professional practice of social workers and other primary care workers who take the lead in identifying and responding to social and health problems. Yet primary care workers in general and social workers in particular con sistently fail to identify the alcohol component of social problems and when they do, they seem to be unwilling or unable to intervene (Shaw et al., 1978; Cotter and Callaghan, 1987; Kagle, 1987; Thornton and Hold ing, 1990). The Social Service Inspectorate and the Government Health Depart ments all agree that professional education and training is a major factor in the neglect of the alcohol component in social and health problems (Department of Health and Social Security and the Welsh Office, 1979; Thornton and Holding, 1990). The qualifying training of social workers, doctors, and nurses has, it is argued, failed to prepare students to work with the large number of problem drinkers that they will encounter in their caseloads (Thornton and Holding, 1990). In the first section of this literature review, we shall examine the social and health problems associated with alcohol misuse and the ways in which social workers and other primary care workers respond to these problems. In the second section, we shall examine the nature of pro fessional training and consider the ways in which it does and does not * The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and not necessarily those of CCETSW.
26 citations