Relating substance abuse counselor background to the provision of clinical tasks

This study examines the diverse academic and professional background characteristics of substance abuse treatment counselors, relating these characteristics to the work counselors are doing. Results indicate that while academic and professional background characteristics differentiate whether counselors perform certain clinical tasks or not, they do not differentiate the amount of time they spend doing them. In fact, regression analyses indicate that academic and professional background characteristics currently account for less than 10% of the total variability associated with how counselors spend their time. While meager, the best predictors of individual work tasks appear to be more contextual in nature. The fact that academic and professional background characteristics do not differentiate counselors in terms of time spent on specific clinical responsibilities raises some questions regarding the quality of client care. Results also indicate that the knowledge and skill sets needed for counselors to be effective may vary according to the treatment setting.