Confidence to Quit: The Impact of Self-Efficacy on Substance Abusers' Motivation to Change
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Authors
Hives, Frederick
Issue Date
2014
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
"drug abuse prevention","drug usage attitudes","self-efficacy","motivation","multicultural counseling"
Alternative Title
Abstract
Substance abuse remains a growing concern, as studies have conservatively identified approximately 22 million individuals with substance use disorders (SAMSHA, 2013). Only 11% of these individuals are estimated to receive treatment, however, reflecting disparities between rates of substance use and utilization or availability of treatment programs to provide services. This gap can be especially concerning for traditionally oppressed groups such as ethnic minorities, women, the mentally ill, and older adults. Research has shown that individuals who identify with these historically marginalized groups experience greater negative effects of substance use compared to their traditionally privileged counterparts, such as worse health and social consequences. The present study aimed to identify how recovery from substance abuse may differ for individuals according to demographic characteristics and substance use tendencies. Adults receiving services from an urban substance abuse treatment center in the northern San Francisco Bay Area were administered self-report measures to rate their levels of self-efficacy and motivation for treatment. Self-efficacy was described as the confidence in one's ability to avoid drug use in sobriety-threatening situations, while motivation to treatment focused on insight into one's substance use disorder and recognition of a need for services. These concepts were correlated with ethnicity, number of substances used, and type of substances used. Results indicated that people of color tend to experience significantly lower levels of self-efficacy as compared to Caucasians. The findings from this study highlight the need for cultural competence in the assessment and treatment of substance use disorders . Many individuals may face similar issues and circumstances in their recovery processes, yet this data suggests that people of color may feel less capable in their abilities to handle these situations. The results also suggest potential misapplications of concepts and treatment methods to individuals of color. Treatment programs may need to adjust their approaches with people of color in order to provide services addressing those individuals' cultural experiences. Further research should address the reasons ethnicity may play a significant role in substance users' levels of self-efficacy as well as how treatment programs can effectively tailor their services for individuals from various cultural backgrounds.