Client and counselor attitudes toward the use of medications for treatment of opioid dependence.
Journal of substance abuse treatment – March 01, 2007
Source: PubMed
Summary
Peer influence profoundly shapes attitudes toward medications for opioid dependence. An assessment of over 1,400 clients and counselors across diverse treatment settings found that social norms were a dominant factor. Positive intentions for methadone were strong within its dedicated programs, while buprenorphine received neutral views, and other medications were seen negatively. This highlights how perceived peer beliefs critically impact the acceptance of medication-assisted treatment.
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.