Probation officers' beliefs about the effectiveness of alcohol treatment

Research has shown that a large number of individuals on probation have alcohol problems but only a fraction of them receive treatment. This study surveyed 145 probation officers about their views on alcohol problems among probationers. A previous analysis of the data found that two beliefs predicted probation officers' use of coercion to mandate probationers to alcohol treatment: the belief that treatment was effective and the belief that one's peers were using coercion to mandate treatment. The analysis reported here examined factors associated with probation officers' belief that treatment works. Multiple regression found that several factors predicted the belief that treatment is effective. Officers who had a family member with a drinking problem (current or family of origin), those who had a strong belief about their self-efficacy in handling alcohol problems, and those who were more likely to make coerced referrals had stronger beliefs that treatment was effective. Strategies for facilitating accurate beliefs about the effectiveness of treatment and increasing self-efficacy among probation officers are reviewed.