Mutual aid processes in treatment groups for people with substance use disorders: A survey of group practitioners
Item
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Title
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Mutual aid processes in treatment groups for people with substance use disorders: A survey of group practitioners
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Identifier
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d_2009_2013:1b11b63944be:09978
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identifier
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10031
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Creator
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Cicchetti, Andrew,
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Contributor
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Michael Smith
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Date
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2009
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Social work | Clinical psychology | Group Process Measurement | Group Work | Mutual Aid Processes | Social Group Work | Social Work with Groups | Substance Use Disorders
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Abstract
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There is scant empirical evidence demonstrating the presence and importance of mutual aid processes in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment groups (Crits-Christoph et al, 1999; Sandahl & Ronnberg, 1990). Consequently this exploratory, internet-delivered survey was conducted to further examine the presence of mutual aid processes in abstinence-based SUD treatment groups in the field and the variables that are associated with higher amounts of mutual aid. The sample for this study comprised members of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (n=484). In order to obtain information about group treatment in the field a trigger question was asked allowing the identification of respondents that had led a treatment group in an abstinent-based setting within the previous two years (n=369). The study utilized an author-created scale, the Mutual Aid Processes Scale (MAPS) comprised of 30 mutual aid processes. Reliability testing of the MAPS indicated high reliability, with a Chronbach's Alpha of .96. Factor analysis suggested that all 30 items related as a unitary construct.;Univariate findings suggested that more than two-thirds of the possible mutual aid processes occurred with frequency. Of a range of 0 to 6, the overall score on the MAPS for this study was 3.89, with 4 equaling "frequently", reinforcing the finding that mutual aid processes occur frequently in the groups about which were reported. The amount of education and training received by the group leader was positively associated with the scores on the MAPS. Further bivariate analyses and stepwise multiple regression analyses suggested that the group leader's level of facilitation, frequency of meeting, and heterogeneous composition of membership with regard to mandated status were all positively associated with higher levels of mutual aid as measured on the MAPS, accounting for almost 23% of the variance on the mean scores of the MAPS (adjusted R2 = .218). The findings of this study have implications for counselor training, social work education, and group treatment research.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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2009_2013.csv
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Social Welfare
