EVALUATING MANUAL-GUIDED TRAINING IN CLINICAL SETTINGS

Applied Behavioral Research, Llc, New Haven CT

Investigators

Abstract

There is a critical need for effective methods of technology transfer, and particularly strategies for disseminating treatments found to be effective in clinical trials of drug abusers to clinical practice. Twelve-step Facilitation treatment (TSF) has been found to be effective for the treatment of cocaine dependence. However, the most effective strategies for teaching clinicians to use these techniques and to implement them in clinical practice have not been evaluated. With a long-term commercial objective of developing a Technology Transfer and Training Institute for promoting the effective use of empirically-validated treatments for substance use disorders, we propose to develop a comprehensive training package to accompany the TSF manual, including a detailed videotape, that is geared to the needs of clinicians delivering substance abuse treatment. The training package will then be used in a randomized trial evaluating three methods of training clinicians in 'real-world' clinical settings to use TSF. Ninety clinicians will be randomly assigned to (l) receive the manual alone, (2) manual plus a three-day training seminar, or (3) manual plus training plus ongoing individual supervision in implementation of TSF. We will evaluate the relative efficacy of these procedures in clinicians ability to demonstrate effective implementation of TSF techniques, knowledge of TSF principles and techniques, and implementation of TSF in clinical practice. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The goal is to develop a comprehensive training package to accompany the TSF manual that can be used with a range of clinicians and settings. To develop a Technology Transfer and Training Institute to promote the effective use of empirically-validated treatments for substance use disorders.