Abstract
A repeated measures design was used to evaluate a 12 month on-site counsellor internship programme aimed at training staff to support the recovery needs of people with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Fifty-four interns completed measures of recovery knowledge, attitudes, confidence/competence, as well as identifying significant learning events. Statistically significant improvements were found in terms of attitudes and confidence/competence, and only one recovery knowledge factor, ‘roles of self-definition and peers in recovery’. Recovery knowledge at the end of the internship was positively associated with increases in interns’ confidence/competence but was not associated with changes in the interns’ attitudes. The mentoring, training/feedback and observational elements of the internship programme were highly valued by interns. Competency based learning events were most frequently identified as significant. Strategies to increase self-directed and interpersonally focused learning, and specific personal recovery knowledge in training are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Andresen, R., Oades, L. G., & Caputi, P. (2003). The experience of recovery from schizophrenia: towards an empirically validated stage model. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 37, 586–594.
Bedregal, L. E., O’Connell, M., & Davidson, L. (2006). The recovery knowledge inventory: assessment of mental health staff knowledge and attitudes about recovery. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 30(2), 96–103.
Brunette, M. F., Mueser, K. T., & Drake, R. E. (2004). A review of research on residential programs for people with severe mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders. Drug and Alcohol Review, 23, 471–481.
Bryan, R. L., Kreuter, M. W., & Brownson, R. C. (2009). Integrating adult learning principles into training for public health practice. Health Promotion Practice, 10, 557–563.
Cross, J. (2005). Adult learning: removing barriers, not creating them. Fine Print, 28(4), 3–6. 21.
Crowe, T. P., Deane, F. P., Oades, L. G., Caputi, P., & Morland, K. G. (2006). Effectiveness of a collaborative recovery training program in Australia in promoting positive views about recovery. Psychiatric Services, 57(10), 1497–1500.
Crowe, T. P., Oades, L. G., Deane, F. P., Ciarrochi, J., & Williams, V. (2011). Parallel processes in clinical supervision: implications for coaching mental health practitioners. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 9(2), 56–66.
Davidson, L., & White, W. L. (2007). The concept of recovery as an organizing principle for integrating mental health and addiction services [Electronic Edition]. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 34(2), 109–120.
Davidson, L., O’Connell, M., Tondora, J., Lawless, M., & Evans, A. C. (2005). Recovery in serious mental illness: a new wine or just a new bottle? Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(5), 480–487.
Deane, F. P., Crowe, T. P., King, R., Kavanagh, D., & Oades, L. G. (2006). Challenges in implementing evidence-based practice into mental health services. Australian Health Review, 30, 305–309.
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227–268.
Drake, R. E., Mercer-McFadden, C., Mueser, K. T., McHugo, G. J., & Bond, G. R. (1998). Review of integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment for patients with dual disorders. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 24(4), 589–608.
Elliott, R. (1989). Comprehensive process analysis: understanding the change process in significant therapy events. In M. J. Packer & R. B. Addison (Eds.), Entering the circle: Heremeneutic investigation in psychology. Albany: State University of New York Press.
Elliott, R., Shapiro, D. A., Firth-Cozens, J. A., Stiles, W. B., Hardy, G., Llewelyn, S. P., et al. (1994). Comprehensive process analysis of insight events is cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic-interpersonal psychotherapies. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 41, 449–463.
Eriksen, K., & McAuliffe, G. (2003). A measure of counselor competency. Counselor Education and Supervision, 43(2), 120–133.
Ferry-Gibson, J. (2002). Linking learning styles to communication. Training and Development in Australia, 29(2), 14–16.
Gil-Rivas, V., & Grella, C. E. (2005). Addictions services: treatment services and service delivery models for dually diagnosed clients: variations across mental health and substance abuse providers. Community Mental Health Journal, 41(3), 251–266.
Holloway, E., & Roehlke, H. J. (1987). Internship: the applied training of a counseling psychologist. The Counseling Psychologist, 15(2), 205–260.
Martin, G. (2002). Learning styles: the trainers torment? Training and Development in Australia, 29(2), 7–9.
Miller, S. D., Duncan, B. L., & Hubble, M. A. (2002). Client-directed, outcome-informed clinical work. In F. W. Kaslow & J. Lebow (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychotherapy: Integrative/eclectic (Vol. 4, pp. 185–212). New York: Wiley.
Mortlock, K. S., Deane, F. P., & Crowe, T. P. (2011). Screening for mental disorder comorbidity in Australian alcohol and other drug residential treatment settings. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 40, 397–404.
Mueser, K. T., Noordsy, D. L., Drake, R. E., & Fox, L. (2003). Integrated treatment for dual disorders: A guide to effective practice. NY: The Guildford Press.
National Training Information Service (2007). Australian competency standards for alcohol, other drug and mental health workers. Retrieved March 24th, 2007, from http://www.ntis.gov.au
Oades, L. G., Crowe, T. P., & Nguyen, M. (2009). Leadership coaching transforming mental health systems from the inside out: the collaborative recovery model as person-centred strengths based coaching psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 4(1), 25–36.
Onken, S., Dumont, J., Ridgway, P., Dornan, D., & Ralph, R. O. (2002). Mental health recovery: What helps what hinders? a national research project for the Development of Recovery Facilitating System Performance Indicators. Alexandria: National Technical Assistance Center for State Mental Health Planning and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.
Pidd, K., Freeman, T., Skinner, N., Addy, D., Shoobridge, J., & Roche, A. M. (2004). From training to work practice change: An examination of factors influencing training transfer in the alcohol and other drug field. Canberra: Department of Health and Ageing.
Primm, A. B., Tzolova-Iontchev, I., & Taylor, C. M. (2000). An integrated approach for dually diagnosed patients in a substance abuse treatment program: case presentation. Substance Abuse, 21(2), 121–126.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78.
Siegfried, N., Ferguson, J., Cleary, M., Walter, G., & Rey, J. M. (2007). Experience, knowledge and attitudes of mental health staff regarding patients’ problematic drug and alcohol use. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 33(2), 267–273.
Slade, M., Amering, M., & Oades, L. (2008). Recovery: an international perspective. Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale, 17(2), 128–137.
Sundgaard, T. (2006). Substance misuse treatment staff attitudes regarding working with clients who have complex mental health and substance misuse problems. Unpublished thesis, University of Wollongong, Australia.
Turner, T. (2005). Encouraging self-directed learning by spiraling through a course. Paper presented at the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia Conference, Sydney.
Watson, H. E., Maclaren, W., Shaw, F., & Nolan, A. (2003). Measuring staff attitudes to people with drug problems: The development of a tool. Edinburgh: Effective Interventions Unit, Scottish Executive Drug Misuse Research Programme.
Watson, H. E., Maclaren, W., & Kerr, S. (2006). Staff attitudes towards working with drug users: development of the drug problems perceptions questionnaire. Addiction, 102, 206–215.
Xie, H., McHugo, G. J., Helmstetter, B. S., & Drake, R. E. (2005). Three-year recovery outcomes for long-term patients with co-occurring schizophrenic and substance use disorders. Schizophrenia Research, 75(2–3), 337–348.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix I
Appendix I
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Crowe, T.P., Kelly, P., Pepper, J. et al. Service Based Internship Training to Prepare Workers to Support the Recovery of People with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders. Int J Ment Health Addiction 11, 269–280 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-012-9419-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-012-9419-9