Treatment Providers’ Beliefs and Knowledge About Evidence-Based Practices

Treatment providers working with adults in substance use treatment have been slow to implement evidence based practices (EBPs) into their treatment approaches. For treatment providers there are barriers to implement EBPs such as lack of resources, knowledge, and beliefs about EBPs as well as their beliefs about addiction. The consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR) is investigating tools to decrease provider’s barriers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether online training from addiction technology transfer center (ATTC) affected knowledge or beliefs about EBPs while controlling for beliefs about addiction. The dependent variables of knowledge and beliefs about EBPs were derived from the individual characteristics category in the (CFIR) model. A 2-group, pretest/posttest, experimental design was used to investigate the the research questions on the effect the ATTC online training had on knowledge and beliefs about EBPs. A convenience sample of 43 licensed or certified treatment providers were randomly assigned to an experimental group who took the online training, followed by the posttests and a control group who waited the length of the online training to complete the posttests. ANCOVAs using beliefs about addiction and the pretests as covariates, did not reveal differences between the experimental and control groups on the posttest scores, suggesting the online training from the ATTC was not an effective tool to influence knowledge or beliefs about EBPs, even when controlling for beliefs about addiction. The positive social impact this study provided was information for future researchers investigating tools for the CFIR model or providers implementing EBPs into their treatment facility