Attitudes About Addiction: A National Study of Addiction Educators

• NCJ Number: 233690
• Journal: Journal of Drug Education Volume: 40 Issue: 3 Dated: 2010 Pages: 281-298
• Author(s): Angela D. Broadus; Joyce A. Hartje; Nancy A. Roget; Kristy L. Cahoon; Samantha S. Clinkinbeard
• Date Published: 2010
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1 R25 DA 020472-01A1
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined attitudes about addiction among addiction educators.

Abstract

The following study, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), utilized the Addiction Belief Inventory (ABI; Luke, Ribisl, Walton, and Davidson, 2002) to examine addiction attitudes in a national sample of United States college/university faculty teaching addiction-specific courses (n = 215). Results suggest that addiction educators view substance abuse as a coping mechanism rather than a moral failure, and are ambivalent about calling substance abuse or addiction a disease. Most do not support individual efficacy toward recovery, the ability to control use, or social use after treatment. Modifiers of addiction educator attitudes include level of college education; teaching experience; licensure/certification, and whether the educator is an addiction researcher. Study implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. (Published Abstract) Tables, appendix, glossary, and references