title: Acceptability of non-abstinence goals among students enrolled in addiction studies programs across the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies of acceptability of non-abstinence recruited older, experienced addiction professionals; it's possible that younger, emerging addiction professionals may be more accepting of non-abstinence, perhaps due to training in harm reduction.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred seventy graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in college/university-based programs offering training in addiction studies across the United States were recruited to complete a Web-based questionnaire assessing whether acceptability of non-abstinence outcome goals varied depending on the specific substance a client consumes, severity of diagnosis, and finality of outcome goal.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More respondents rated non-abstinence an acceptable Intermediate goal for clients diagnosed with a Moderate cannabis use disorder (57%) or Moderate alcohol use disorder (45%) than for clients diagnosed with any other listed Moderate substance use disorder (32% to 36%). Similarly, larger proportions of respondents rated non-abstinence an acceptable Final goal for clients diagnosed with a Moderate cannabis use disorder (37%) or Moderate alcohol use disorder (31%) than for clients diagnosed with any other listed Moderate substance use disorder (19% to 23%). Only 14% to 26% of respondents rated non-abstinence an acceptable Final goal for clients diagnosed with a Severe substance use disorder, but 28% to 42% rated non-abstinence acceptable for clients diagnosed with a Severe substance use disorder when non-abstinence was an Intermediate goal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with previous research examining the acceptability of non-abstinence, these results suggest that students enrolled in addiction studies training programs may be more accepting of clients who decide to pursue non-abstinence either as an intermediate step on the way to abstinence or as a final goal.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Bowling Green State University , Bowling Green , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: Alan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Bowling Green State University , Bowling Green , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: Kirstin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lauritsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Controlled drinking; controlled drug use; harm reduction; non-abstinence