Conceptual and Moral Development of Substance Abuse Counselors: Implications for Training

Abstract

The relationship among substance abuse counselors' education, experience, recovery status, and cognitive development (conceptual complexity and moral reasoning levels) was examined in a simultaneous multiple regression. Significant relationships were found between counselors' level of conceptual complexity and moral reasoning and their education. Implications for counselor training are presented.

Substance Abuse Counselors and Moral Reasoning: Hypothetical and Authentic Dilemmas

“…SACs (N = 227) with an associate degree/high school diploma scored higher than those with a bachelor/graduate degree, suggesting respondents with less education were more sensitive to ethical dilemmas. These findings contradict previous research (e.g., Rest & Narvaez, 1994;Sias, Lambie, & Foster, 2006), and Toriello and Benshoff (2003) suggested the disparity may have resulted from respondents' differing interpretations of the question, "How difficult would it be for you to choose between the two conflicting actions?" (p. 93).…”

Social‐Cognitive Development, Ethical and Legal Knowledge, and Ethical Decision Making of Counselor Education Students

“…Additionally, because both ethical decision making and social-cognitive maturity are developmental constructs, these findings suggest that the promotion of developmental growth may be more difficult in a short period of time than the acquisition of specific content knowledge. Specifically, based on the tenets of Deliberate Psychological Education Model (Mosher & Sprinthall, 1971) and research (e.g., Sias, Lambie, & Foster, 2006), interventions designed to promote developmental constructs such as social-cognitive development and moral reasoning (ethical decision making) should be a minimum of 6 months to 1 year in length. Within counselor education programs, it is suggested that developmental interventions be facilitated for at least three consecutive semesters (Lambie & Sias, 2009).…”

An Integrative Social-Cognitive Developmental Model of Supervision for Substance Abuse Counselors-in-Training

“…In the substance abuse counseling field, staff members come from a variety of backgrounds and educational experiences (Sias, Lambie, & Foster, 2006). They may come from the fields of counseling, rehabilitation, psychiatric nursing, or medicine.…”

“…Many staff members in substance abuse treatment programs are recovering from the same disorder as their clients (Sias et al, 2006). Recovering counselors bring a personal perspective to the treatment environment that can benefit clients.…”

“…DPE programs incorporate Hunt's (1971) conceptual level matching model, moral problem-solving and roletaking experiences, and the core conditions for social-cognitive growth (Sprinthall, 1994). These core conditions for growth include (a) roletaking experiences, (b) guided reflection, (c) a balance between action and reflection, (d) support and challenge, and (e) continuity (i.e., being in an educational or supervision situation that incorporates the conditions of growth for 6 months to 1 year; Sias et al, 2006). (For further elaboration of the integration of the DPE model in counselor supervision, see Kaiser andAncellotti, 2003, andMcAdams, 1998).…”