Assessing the Attitudes Substance Abuse Professionals Have Toward 12-Step Culture: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Despite the wide incorporation of 12-step programs into substance abuse treatment, many clients fail to engage them. The lack of engagement might arise for multiple reasons, but the attitudes referring substance abuse professionals have toward 12-step culture might be a contributive factor. Although several available instruments measure client participation, none focus on substance abuse professionals' attitudes toward the culture of 12-step programs. This study reports on the initial development of an instrument designed to measure this construct. Factor analysis of relevant items suggests multiple potential components of attitude toward 12-step culture, laying a foundation for subsequent work.