While there is a growing number of ways to prevent and treat substance use issues, it can take a long time for these approaches to make their way into agencies. In particular, there is a need to develop more effective ways to implement evidence-based practices (EBPs). A key part of this consists of getting people in the field to engage in professional development on EBP initiatives. To find out what affects people’s decision to participate in professional development related to disseminating EBPs, Researchers in Ontario surveyed service providers and administrators at addiction agencies. Based on their responses, participants were categorized according to what they were most influenced by:
- The EBP’s outcome;
- The process of implementing the EBP; or
- The demand on their time.
When deciding whether or not to participate in EBPs initiatives:
- People tended to be influenced to different degrees by the EBP’s outcome, the process of implementing the EBP, and by the demand on their time/ workload;
- All staff and administrators were more likely to participate if the EBP would affect a significant percentage of clients.
People were more likely to participate if:
- The EBP was feasible and promised to be effective; and
- Co-workers and administrative staff were on board.
The researchers also found that endorsements by government funders may reduce participation in EBP initiatives.
You can read this Research Snapshot at the EENet website.
This Research Snapshot is based on their article “Preferences for evidence-based practice dissemination in addiction agencies serving women: a discrete-choice conjoint experiment,” by Charles E. Cunningham and colleagues, published in Addiction, 107 (2012): 1512-1524.
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