The Impact of Substance Use Disorder Training on the Knowledge-Base of Paraprofessional Substance Use Disorder...

There is a dearth of literature examining the paraprofessional substance use disorder counselors (SUDCs) and their responsiveness to evidence-based substance use disorder (SUD) training. This study examined pre- and post-training knowledge related to three established SUD interventions - Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), Mindfulness Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Undergraduate students enrolled in a SUDC training program (N = 63) participated in brief, evidence-based workshops and completed structured pre- and posttest surveys evaluating knowledge related to workshop content. Paired sample t-tests were estimated with 1000 bootstrapped samples to examine changes in knowledge from pre- to posttest and Hedges' g and common language (CL) effect sizes were calculated.

Results showed a statistically significant increase from pre- to posttest in participants' overall knowledge scores across all three evidence-based interventions. The largest effects on knowledge were noted for the DBT workshop.

The results of this study suggest that brief workshops on evidence-based SUD interventions such as SBIRT, MORE, and DBT present a promising avenue for undergraduate students in a SUDC training program to acquire knowledge essential for practicing as paraprofessional SUDCs.

There is currently an insufficient number of SUDCs to meet SUD treatment needs across the United States. Substantial growth in SUDC workforce needs is also projected by 2030. Well-trained paraprofessional SUDCs can provide one approach to expanding access to SUD treatment in coming years.