Seminal and thought-provoking studies from the training research archive

These new additions to the Effectiveness Bank were part of a project identify seminal and key workforce development studies for the UK Substance Misuse Skills Consortium. Still challenging and thought-provoking, they have stood the test of time and remain major landmarks in the relatively scarce substance use treatment training literature.

Getting the right people from the start is key to effective training and therapy
Turning the spotlight on the neglected issue of therapist recruitment, this US study suggests that choosing the 'right' people who have not been trained in motivational interviewing would be better than choosing the 'wrong' people who have been trained; the former not only start at a higher level, but are more able to benefit from and retain training.

The client is walking towards a hole; do you shout 'Stop' or suggest they consider the pros and cons?
Analysis of post-training session tapes from an unusually diverse set of US motivational interviewing trainees leads to the intriguing suggestion that drilling in 'tricks' and in unnaturally withholding normal caring responses undermines the important therapeutic quality of seeming genuine; when socially skilled therapists break motivational interviewing's 'rules', they actually deepen the engagement of their clients.

Methadone doctors have to learn to be patient-centred and relinquish control
Seminal Australian study of how to train out socially derived attitudes to methadone maintenance as a policy solution to a social problem and train in attitudes which place it within mainstream medical practice as a treatment of individuals which does not 'fix' their problems but offers the opportunity for positive change.

Overcoming staff bias against maintenance and harm reduction
In Sydney in Australia an official campaign and educational efforts had the desired effect of shifting staff attitudes in methadone maintenance clinics away from achieving abstinence and withdrawal and towards long-term treatment aimed at reducing harm.


Sent by the Drug and Alcohol Findings Effectiveness Bank to alert you to site updates and UK-relevant evaluations and reviews of drug/alcohol interventions. Managed by DrugScope, Alcohol Concern and the National Addiction Centre. Supported by Alcohol Research UK and the J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust.