Neuroscience exposure and perceptions of client responsibility among addictions counselors

Steenbergh, Timothy A.; Runyan, Jason D.; Daugherty, Douglas A.; Winger, Joseph G.

doi:10.1016/j.jsat.2011.09.015

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Moreover, neurobiological knowledge strongly informs the experts' subjective perception of addiction: since the discovery of the neurobiological and genetic substratum of addiction, it has been much easier to transcend a moralising grasp of the disorder. The better the practising therapists are acquainted with addiction neurobiology, the less they consider their clients/patients as being responsible for having formed the addiction -and the more they are seen as being responsible for their own rehabilitation (Steenbergh et al, 2012).…”

Section: Page 5 Of 33mentioning

confidence: 99%

Experts on comparative literature and addiction specialists in cooperation: A bibliotherapy session in aftercare group therapy for alcohol dependence

Rus-Makovec¹,

M²,

Smolej³

2015

The Arts in Psychotherapy

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Section: Page 5 Of 33mentioning

confidence: 99%

Experts on comparative literature and addiction specialists in cooperation: A bibliotherapy session in aftercare group therapy for alcohol dependence

Rus-Makovec¹,

M²,

Smolej³

2015

The Arts in Psychotherapy

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“…Later studies of U.S. addiction counselors have investigated contributors to these attitudes. Counselors with higher rates of exposure to neuroscience and who identify as someone personally recovering from addiction hold a person significantly less responsible for addiction’s onset [ 4 , 5 ] . In contrast, counselors who identify cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as their theoretical orientation hold a person significantly more responsible for addiction’s onset, a finding the authors link to the responsibility-focused orientation of CBT [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Counselors with higher rates of exposure to neuroscience and who identify as someone personally recovering from addiction hold a person significantly less responsible for addiction’s onset [ 4 , 5 ] . In contrast, counselors who identify cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as their theoretical orientation hold a person significantly more responsible for addiction’s onset, a finding the authors link to the responsibility-focused orientation of CBT [ 4 ]. Meanwhile, the only factor identified in the literature that significantly predicted assignments of responsibility for recovery from addiction is a counselor’s neuroscience exposure, with more exposure associated with assigning significantly more responsibility [ 4 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, counselors who identify cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as their theoretical orientation hold a person significantly more responsible for addiction’s onset, a finding the authors link to the responsibility-focused orientation of CBT [ 4 ]. Meanwhile, the only factor identified in the literature that significantly predicted assignments of responsibility for recovery from addiction is a counselor’s neuroscience exposure, with more exposure associated with assigning significantly more responsibility [ 4 ]. While these studies analyzed attitudes from U.S.-based addiction counselors, Palm’s study of a Swedish sample of addiction counselors found that counselors aligned with their U.S. counterparts in believing that persons are not highly responsible for the onset of their addiction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Views about responsibility for alcohol addiction and negative evaluations of naltrexone

Johnson

Lukens

Kole

et al. 2015

Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy

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BackgroundMoral philosophers have debated the extent to which persons are individually responsible for the onset of and recovery from addiction. Empirical investigators have begun to explore counselors’ attitudes on these questions. Meanwhile, a separate literature has investigated counselors’ negative attitudes towards naltrexone, an important element of medication-assisted treatment for alcohol addiction. The present study bridges the literature on counselor views about responsibility for addiction with the literature on attitudes towards naltrexone. It investigates the extent to which a counselor’s views of individual responsibility for alcohol addiction are related to that counselor’s views of naltrexone.MethodsUsing a vignette-based survey of 117 addiction treatment professionals, the study analyzes the relationship between an addiction counselor’s views about individual responsibility for alcohol addiction and using naltrexone to treat it.ResultsWe find a significant difference in counselors who assign greater responsibility to a person for the onset of alcohol addiction. They agreed more strongly with several objections to naltrexone, including worries about compliance, naltrexone’s side effects outweighing its benefits, naltrexone treating symptoms but not underlying causes, and the idea that medication may undermine a person’s motivation to recover. Combined views of greater responsibility for addiction’s onset and recovery also significantly predicted stronger agreement with objections.ConclusionsWe conclude that there is a strong relationship between a counselor assigning higher individual responsibility for addiction and holding more negative views about naltrexone. The study also sheds light on one reason why the model of addiction as a brain disease has had limited impact on clinical practice.

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“…Another study examined how US addiction counsellors attributed responsibility for the development of addiction and recovery in light of their exposure to addiction neuroscience (Steenbergh, Runyan, Daugherty, & Winger, 2012). The study found that addiction counsellors were more likely to agree that biological factors caused addiction than social factors, spiritual factors and individual choices.…”

Section: The Place Of Neurobiology In Public Understandings Of Addictionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

Morphett¹

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Biomedical models of addiction are becoming increasingly prevalent in public discourse about cigarette smoking, however there is some concern that smoking is becoming overly medicalised. Neuroscience research has revealed that nicotine use is associated with longlasting changes in the brain, and these findings are being presented in the media and in advertising campaigns for smoking cessation pharmacotherapies. The "brain disease model of addiction", which posits that chronic drug use leads to long-term changes in brain networks that make it very difficult to quit, is increasingly being applied to tobacco dependence. This is controversial in the tobacco control field, where population-based strategies have been successful in reducing the prevalence of smoking. Proponents of a biomedical model of tobacco dependence believe that it will lead to increased treatment seeking, more efficacious treatments, and a reduction in stigma. Critics of a biomedical model of nicotine addiction have expressed concerns that it will reduce individual responsibility for smoking, increase stigma, and undermine individuals' beliefs in their ability to quit. While these competing views on the impacts of biomedical models of addiction have been debated in the academic literature, it is unknown to what extent members of the public endorse a biomedical model of tobacco dependence, and have incorporated it into their everyday understandings of smoking.This research examined the influence of biomedical discourses of smoking on lay beliefs of Australian smokers and non-smokers about tobacco dependence and its treatment. It also explored daily smokers' attitudes to the labelling of nicotine addiction as a "brain disease." A mixed methods approach was used to ascertain the extent to which biomedical understandings of smoking have been incorporated into lay discourse on smoking and quitting; how Australian smokers understand nicotine addiction and the role of the brain; and how endorsement of the brain disease model of addiction may be related to smokers' attitudes towards smoking cessation and preferences for quitting methods.The thesis is comprised of three studies. Firstly, a secondary analysis of data from interviews with 55 members of the general public, including never smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers. The data was analysed to ascertain public attitudes on the best methods for quitting smoking. Results revealed that while cessation medications were frequently described as a helpful means to quit, the role of willpower, choice, and motivation were seen as central.iii Medications were often described as a "second line of defence", or as aids to be used alongside counselling or behavioural strategies.A second qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with 29 daily smokers about their views on smoking cessation and their understanding of the role of the brain in smoking. The results revealed positive attitudes to quitting without assistance. Cessation medications were not perceived as magic bullets, and willpower and perso...

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Neuroscience exposure and perceptions of client responsibility among addictions counselors

Cited by 8 publications

References 36 publications

Experts on comparative literature and addiction specialists in cooperation: A bibliotherapy session in aftercare group therapy for alcohol dependence

Experts on comparative literature and addiction specialists in cooperation: A bibliotherapy session in aftercare group therapy for alcohol dependence

Views about responsibility for alcohol addiction and negative evaluations of naltrexone

The biomedicalisation of smoking cessation: a mixed methods study of lay perspectives on nicotine addiction

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