Understanding perceptions of substance use education in social work: an analysis of survey responses from MSW program leaders

ABSTRACT

This article details the findings of a series of analyses regarding how the institutional leaders of Master of Social Work Programs (MSW) in the United States form their perceptions on the role and implementation of substance use concepts in social work education. Five statistical tests were performed on data collected from a 2017 substance use education (SUE) survey of MSW program leaders, and the analyses were used to explore how program leaders form their perceptions on: the importance of SUE to social work, the need for regulatory measures for SUE in social work, the SUE needs of individual MSW programs, the implementation of substance use course content, and graduating students’ substance use intervention capacities. Significant findings from the analyses showed that: the amount of foundational course emphasis on clinical SUE within individual programs is a significant predictor of program leader perceptions on students’ clinical substance use intervention capacities; different categories of substance use intervention preparedness have interconnected effects among domains of preparedness; and perceptions on the importance of SUE to social work have a significant impact on program leaders’ opinions regarding regulatory measures for SUE in social work.

KEYWORDS:

• Competency
• curriculum development
• higher education
• skills teaching
• addictions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [HHSS283201200059I/HHSS28342001T].

Notes on contributors

Dane Minnick

Dane Minnick is an assistant professor in the social work department at Ball State University.  He specializes in illegal drug policy, addictions, and social work education.

Ashley Hudson-Stabin

Ashley Hudson-Stabin is a certified prevention specialist with a masters degree in public administration from Auburn University.

Sean Hardrick

Sean Hardrick is a certified prevention specialist who is in the process of completing a masters degree in public health at the University of Oklahoma.