title: Counselor training as a treatment method for alcohol and drug abuse.
abstract: Based on the "helper-therapy" principle, a group of predominantly chronic alcohol- and drug-dependent individuals were trained for new careers in alcohol-drug counseling. A 2-month preinternship in alcohol or drug treatment centers served as a screening procedure for motivation and sobriety. Prior to training, measures of personality and self-concept were taken as well as demographic information. A 4-month training course covered broad educational and technical areas, including counseling procedures with participation, and physical conditioning. The 13% who dropped out were compared to the completers and found to differ only in extent of past antisocial history and less certainty about social drinking and abstinence. The pre-post measures of the completers indicated significant improvement in all areas of self-concept and on most of the MMPI scales. A 1-year post follow-up self-report questionnaire revealed that 74% of the respondents were employed, 59% in counseling or related areas. Less than 10% reported moderate regular use of drugs of alcohol, less than 2% heavy usage or addiction. Overall the program appears to have had sustained positive effects.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003376:Counseling; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D011330:Prisons; D012649:Self Concept; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*