An Exploratory Investigation of the Association between Clinicians' Attitudes toward Twelve-step Groups and Referral Rates.
Affiliation with 12-step groups has been consistently linked to the achievement of abstinence among persons experiencing alcohol and other drug problems. Clinicians play a critical role in fostering clients' engagement in 12-step, yet, little is known about clinicians' attitudes and beliefs about 12-step groups, or about the association between such beliefs and referral practices. This exploratory study investigates this association to gain a greater understanding of determinants of referral practices. Participants were 100 clinicians working within outpatient treatment programs in New York City. Participants held highly positive views of 12-step groups in terms of helpfulness to recovery, but a large percentage endorsed items describing potential points of resistance to 12-step groups, in particular the emphasis such groups place on spirituality and powerlessness. More positive attitudes were associated with greater rates of referral, while resistance to the concepts of spirituality/powerlessness was associated with lower rates of referral. Implications of findings for clinical settings are discussed as well as a research agenda designed to more fully elucidate determinants of clinicians' 12-step referrals.
Alexandre Laudet is with the Center for the Study of Addictions and Recovery (C-STAR) at the National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., (NDRI), 71 West 23 Street, 8 floor, NYC, NY, 10010, USA. T. (212)845-4520, e-mail: laudet@ndri.org . William L. White is with the Chestnut Health Systems/Lighthouse Institute, 720 West Chestnut St., Bloomington, IL 61701, USA.
Alexandre B
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Laudet
William L
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White