PROFESSIONAL AND PARAPROFESSIONAL DRUG ABUSE COUNSELORS - FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES (FROM PROFESSIONAL AND PARAPROFESSIONAL DRUG ABUSE COUNSELORS - THREE REPORTS, 1979, BY L A LOSCIUTO ET AL - SEE NCJ-60988)

• NCJ Number: 60989
• Author(s): L A LOSCIUTO; L S AIKEN; M A AUSETTS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 86 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Temple University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY WAS FUNDED BY THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE TO EXAMINE FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF PROFESSIONAL AND PARAPROFESSIONAL COUSELORS IN DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE WAS SELECTED FROM NINE METHADONE MAINTENANCE AND SIX DRUG-FREE PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK CITY, WASHINGTON, D.C., CHICAGO, ILL. LOS ANGELES, CALIF., AND SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. ONE ADDITIONAL PROGRAM HAD BOTH A METHADONE AND A DRUG-FREE UNIT. INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 82 COUNSELORS, 302 OF THEIR CLIENTS, AND WITH 29 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS, FINDING THAT WHITE FEMALES WERE MOST PREVALENT AMONG PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS (PROS), BLACK MALES WERE MOST PREVALENT AMONG EXADDICT COUNSELORS (EAS), AND NON EXADDICT COUNSELORS (NEAS) MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLED EAS THAN PROS. EAS REPORTED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DRUG USE THAN OTHER GROUPS IN VIRTUALLY EVERY AREA, HALLUCINOGENS BEING THE ONLY EXCEPTION. WITH REGARD TO FUNCTIONS, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE AMONG COUNSELORS GROUPS WAS THE GREATER ACTIVITY OF EAS OVER PROS OUTSIDE THE TREATMENT PROGRAM. THIS DIFFERENCE WAS FOUND IN THREE AREAS OF COUNSELOR FUNCTIONING (COMMUNITY EDUCATION, SOCIALIZING WITH CLIENTS, AND COUNSELING IN THE COMMUNITY). IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL COUNSELOR GROUPS SHOULD BE EQUALLY INVOLVED IN PUBLIC SOCIALIZING WITH CLIENTS. SUPPORTING DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)