Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Counselors’ Stigma Toward Clients with Substance Use Disorders: Predictors of Stigma and Implications for Clinicians and Educators

ABSTRACT

This study explored the degree to which counselors stigmatize individuals being treated for a SUD, and if specific characteristics predict stigma. Participants included 146 mental health counselors and chemical dependency counselors. A range of 15% to 26% of participants in both professions were found to hold stigma toward clients with SUDs, and all of the characteristics were found to have a proportion of variance ranging from .025 to .04 (or 2.5% to 4.0%). The results from this study warrant a need to explore predictors of stigma. Implications and recommendations to decrease stigma and improve the quality addiction treatment are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• stigma
• substance use disorders
• addiction
• counselors
• predictors of stigma

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.