Initial Validation of a Brief Individual Readiness for Change Scale (BIRCS) for Use With Addiction Program Staff Practitioners

Abstract

The Brief Individual Readiness for Change Scale is a rapid assessment tool for use with addiction program staff practitioners and social workers. Technology transfer and research-to-practice readiness are essential to programs and practitioners faced with implementing evidence-based practice techniques and showing positive outcomes. The focus of scale development to date has been global assessment of organizational readiness for change. A crucial, although frequently overlooked, element of technology transfer success is readiness for change of individual practitioners who are relied on to implement the new techniques. The ability to identify and ameliorate points of practitioner resistance prior to implementation of these techniques is a key to avoiding frustration, low staff morale, and poor outcomes. This study attempts to establish initial psychometrics of a brief scale to screen for practitioner's readiness for change. It is based on a sample of 594 addiction practitioners in 2 Southern states.

KEYWORDS:

• addiction practitioners
• psychometric study
• readiness for change
• research-to-practice
• technology transfer

The author wishes to acknowledge Wendy P. Crook, PhD, and Neil Abell, PhD, from Florida State University, for their invaluable assistance with conceptualization and scale development; Pamela Waters, from Southern Coast Addiction Technology Transfer Center, for including my scale in the ATTC's workforce survey; and Eric F. Wagner, PhD, from Florida International University, for the data.