A survey of clinical practices and readiness to adopt evidence-based practices: Dissemination research in an addiction treatment system

Received 18 October 2003; received in revised form 18 February 2004; accepted 11 March 2004.

Abstract

Addiction research is challenged to disseminate evidence-based practices into routine clinical settings. The successful adoption of innovation must consider issues of fit, such as the characteristics, readiness, and attitudes of clinicians in the community. We constructed a survey to assess clinical practices and readiness to adopt certain evidence-based practices in addiction treatment programs. The instrument was administered to directors (n = 21) and clinicians (n = 89) from 24 public addiction treatment programs in New Hampshire (USA). Clinicians are more motivated to adopt some evidence-based practices (twelve-step facilitation, cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviewing, relapse prevention therapy) than others (contingency management, behavioral couples therapy, pharmacotherapies). Translational strategies for treatment development and research dissemination are discussed.

Keywords: Addiction treatment services, Research dissemination, Substance abuse clinicians

a New Hampshire-Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH, USA

b Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention and Recovery, State of New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Concord, NH, USA

c New Hampshire-Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Community & Family Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH, USA;

Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-603-646-9215; fax: +1-603-646-9151

PII: S0740-5472(04)00026-1

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2004.03.003

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