Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 36, Issue 2 , Pages 174-182, March 2009

Constructive conflict and staff consensus in substance abuse treatment

  • Gerald Melnick, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Center for the Integration of Research and Practice (CIRP), National Development and Research Institutes, Inc. (NDRI, 71 W 23 Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA. Tel.: +1 212 845 4400; fax: +1 212 845 4650.
    • ,
  • Harry K. Wexler, Ph.D.
    • ,
  • Michael Chaple, M.A.
    • ,
  • Charles M. Cleland, Ph.D.

Center for the Integration of Research and Practice (CIRP), National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., (NDRI), New York, NY 10010, USA

Received 20 December 2007; received in revised form 9 April 2008; accepted 5 May 2008. published online 28 July 2008.

Abstract 

Previous studies demonstrated the relationship between consensus among both staff and clients with client engagement in treatment and between client consensus and 1-year treatment outcomes. The present article explores the correlates of staff consensus, defined as the level of agreement among staff as to the importance of treatment activities in their program, using a national sample of 80 residential substance abuse treatment programs. Constructive conflict resolution had the largest effect on consensus. Low client-to-staff ratios, staff education, and staff experience in substance abuse treatment were also significantly related to consensus. Frequency of training, an expected correlate of consensus, was negatively associated with consensus, whereas frequency of supervision was not a significant correlate. The implications of the findings for future research and program improvement are discussed.

Keywords: Constructive conflict, Staff consensus, Organizational culture

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PII: S0740-5472(08)00091-3

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2008.05.002

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume 36, Issue 2 , Pages 174-182, March 2009

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