title: Predicting substance-abuse treatment providers' communication with clients about medication assisted treatment: a test of the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior.
abstract: The purpose of this investigation is to determine if the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and theory of planned behavior (TPB) can retrospectively predict whether substance-abuse treatment providers encourage their clients to use medicated-assisted treatment (MAT) as part of their treatment plan. Two-hundred and ten substance-abuse treatment providers completed a survey measuring attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions, and behavior. Results indicate that substance-abuse treatment providers have very positive attitudes, neutral subjective norms, somewhat positive perceived behavioral control, somewhat positive intentions toward recommending MAT as part of their clients' treatment plan, and were somewhat likely to engage in the actual behavior. Further, the data fit both the TRA and TPB, but with the TPB model having better fit and predictive power for this target audience and behavior. The theoretical and practical implications for the developing messages for substance-abuse treatment providers and other health-care professionals who provide treatment to patients with substance use disorders are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University. Electronic address: anthony.roberto@asu.edu.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Roberto
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work and Center for Applied Behavioral Health Policy at Arizona State University.
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shafer
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Arizona State University.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marmo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011582:Psychological Theory; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
keywords: Medicated assisted treatment (MAT); Substance-abuse treatment providers; Theory of planned behavior; Theory of reasoned action