Evaluating and Training Substance Abuse Counselors: A Pilot Study Assessing Standardized Patients as Authentic Clients

ABSTRACT

Clinician training and supervision are needed to transfer evidence-based practices to community-based treatment organizations. Standardized patients (SPs) are used for clinician training and evaluating. However, to be effective for substance abuse counselors, SPs must realistically portray substance abuse treatment clients. The current study assessed authenticity of SPs as substance abuse treatment clients. Twenty-one substance abuse counselors interviewed SP(s) with differing profiles. Counselors provided quantitative and qualitative ratings of SP authenticity. Counselor responses to the study procedures were analyzed as well. Quantitative results include high-authenticity ratings for the SPs but counselors' subjective responses varied. Counselor's rated the experience of participating in the study positively and provided constructive comments for future applications of this methodology. Results support future work on SPs as teaching and evaluation tools in substance abuse counseling. Findings also illustrate the need to refine definitions of authenticity for SPs as substance abuse clients.

KEYWORDS:

• Evidence-based practice
• quality of care
• simulated patients
• standardized patients
• substance abuse clients
• substance abuse treatment

View correction statement:

Erratum

This research was supported by NIDA grant R03 DA 016958 entitled “Standardized Patients as Drug Abuse Treatment Clients.” The authors thank Brad Anderson, Kaiser Permanente, Tim Hartnett, CODA, and Glenn Maynard, Oregon Health and Science University, for their support of this project, including access to participating practitioners. The authors also thank Eldon Edmundson, Oregon Health and Science University, for support in referring members of a focus group implemented in the development of the SP cases. Finally, the authors thank the standardized patients and the study's participants.

Notes

^a Reverse coded to conform to other items.

^b Item “Standardized patient appeared to withhold information unnecessarily” removed.

∗Higher scores indicate lower authenticity.

∗Reverse coded to conform to other items.

∗Reverse coded to conform to other items.