Client and counselor attitudes toward the use of medications for treatment of opioid dependence

• Published in: Journal of substance abuse treatment Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 207 - 215
• Main Authors: Rieckmann, Traci, Ph.D, Daley, Marilyn, Ph.D, Fuller, Bret E., Ph.D, Thomas, Cindy P., Ph.D, McCarty, Dennis, Ph.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.03.2007; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Ambulatory Care; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; Buprenorphine - therapeutic use; Clonidine - therapeutic use; Counseling; Culture; Desintoxication. Drug withdrawal; Drug abuse; Drug addiction; Drug replacement therapy; Female; Focus Groups; Heroin Dependence - psychology; Heroin Dependence - rehabilitation; Humans; Ibogaine - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Methadone - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Narcotics; Narcotics - therapeutic use; Norms; Opioid dependence; Opioid-Related Disorders - psychology; Opioid-Related Disorders - rehabilitation; Opioids; Patient Admission; Patient Satisfaction; Peer Group; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotropic Drugs - therapeutic use; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Social norms; Substance abuse treatment; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - psychology; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - rehabilitation; Treatment methods; Treatment Outcome; Treatments; Opioid dependence; Attitudes; Social norms; Social norm; Drug addiction; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Attitude; Psychological counseling; Dependence; Opiates; Public health
• ISSN: 0740-5472; 1873-6483
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2006.09.002

Abstract Attitudes, perceived social norms, and intentions were assessed for 376 counselors and 1,083 clients from outpatient, methadone, and residential drug treatment programs regarding four medications used to treat opiate dependence: methadone, buprenorphine, clonidine, and ibogaine. Attitudes, social norms, and intentions to use varied by treatment modality. Methadone clients and counselors had more positive attitudes toward the use of methadone, whereas their counterparts in residential and outpatient settings had neutral or negative assessments. Across modalities, attitudes, perceived social norms, and intentions toward the use of buprenorphine were relatively neutral. Assessments of clonidine and ibogaine were negative for clients and counselors in all settings. Social normative influences were dominant across settings and medications in determining counselor and client intentions to use medications, suggesting that perceptions about beliefs of peers may play a critical role in use of medications to treat opiate dependence.