Working It Out: Development and Testing of a Multimedia, Vocational Education Program

Abstract

A self-administered, CD-ROM-based, interactive multimedia psychoeducational intervention, called Working It Out, was developed to improve employment functioning for clients in substance dependency treatment. The computer-based program's effectiveness was tested in comparison with printed material. During 2000–2001 194 clients with employment concerns in six treatment programs were randomly assigned to a CD-ROM or print material condition and evaluated at baseline and 6 months later. A main effect for improvement was observed on employment indices, but there was no condition-by-time interaction. Results suggest that clients are willing and able to use vocational rehabilitation information presented in any format, although the CD-ROM-based program received significantly better satisfaction ratings than did the print material.

• Chemical dependency
• Employment
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Substance user treatment
• Occupational therapy
• Skill training

Notes

^aFor further information on Welfare reform in the U.S., see www.welfareinfo.org. For information about the impact of welfare reform on those dealing with problems associated with substance misuse, see Anderson et al. (2002) or Pollack et al. (2002).

^bNote that change in employment status correlates moderately (r = 0.40) with change on the ASI composite score. It stands to reason that these values, while positively related, probably measure different things. For example, it is possible that a client who is employed at baseline and remains employed at follow-up (no change) improves greatly on the ASI composite score.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Stephen F. Butler

Stephen F. Butler, Ph.D., is Senior Vice President and Chief Science Officer of Inflexxion, Inc. He earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Emory University and completed his internship through Yale Medical School. A National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Fellow in psychotherapy and psychotherapy research at Vanderbilt University's Center for Psychotherapy Research, he worked under Hans H. Strupp, one of the found-ing fathers of modern psychotherapy research. Dr. Butler has held clinical and research management positions at Vanderbilt University and the Medical College of Virginia, and most recently Director of Psychology at Northeast Psychiatric Associates/Brookside Hospital in Nashua, New Hampshire. He has coauthored more than 50 articles, book chapters, and reviews. Dr. Butler lives and works in the woods of New Hampshire.

Emil Chiauzzi

Emil Chiauzzi, Ph.D., is Vice President of Product Development at Inflexxion, Inc. He earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from the State University of New York at Albany. His clinical and research interests focus on substance user treatment, including prevention with young people, relapse prevention, and college binge drinking. Dr. Chiauzzi is the author of Preventing Relapse in the Addictions: A Biopsychosocial Approach and The Relapse Risk Survey. He is also the coauthor of Staying Straight: A Relapse Prevention Workbook for Young People and The Time-Effective Treatment Series-Substance Abuse: Strategies and Protocols Designed for the Innovative Clinician.

C. Christina Thum

C. Christina Thum, M.A., is Senior Project Manager at Inflexxion, Inc. Ms. Thum received her Masters from Boston University with a specialization in neuropsychology. At Inflexxion, she is engaged in research and development of web-based and other multimedia, behavioral health care interventions. Ms. Thum is currently directing several studies on college health education as well as serving as the Chairperson of the Institutional Review Board for the protection of human subject safety.

Simon H. Budman

Simon H. Budman, Ph.D., is President and CEO of Inflexxion, Inc. He is an internationally known writer, trainer, consultant, and pioneer in behavioral health care. Trained as a clinical psychologist, he previously served as the Director of Mental Health Research and Mental Health Training at Harvard Community Health Plan and the Associate Director of the Institute for Health Research at the Harvard School of Public Health. He has published over 100 articles, chapters, and reviews. In 1989, Dr. Budman founded Inflexxion, Inc. (at that time Innovative Training Systems) as a behavioral health care consulting and training firm. In 1995, he moved the company focus to product development in behavioral medicine. Since that time, Dr. Budman's focus has been on interactive health communications. He has led and worked on computer-mediated products in substance abuse, behavioral oncology, smoking cessation, college student health, eating disorders, and a variety of other areas. In 2000, Dr. Budman was the recipient of the American Psychological Association's Distinguished Professional Contributions to Knowledge Award. He also received the Psyche Award from the Nicholas and Dorothy Cummings Foundation in 2000, which is awarded yearly for major contributions to 20th and 21st century behavioral health care.