Volume_7_Issue_1_Digest

12 TPC Digest Read full article and references: Wahesh, E., Likis-Werle, S. E., & Moro, R. R. (2017). Addictions content published in counseling journals: A 10-year content analysis to inform research and practice. The Professional Counselor , 7, 89–103. doi : 10.15241/ew.7.1.89 12 Edward Wahesh, S. Elizabeth Likis-Werle, Regina R. Moro Addictions Content Published in Counseling Journals A 10-Year Content Analysis to Inform Research and Practice A ccording to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health , approximately 20 million adults in 2014 had a substance use disorder in the past year. Given this prevalence, it is likely that professional counselors, regardless of their setting or specialty, will come into contact with individuals who have experienced negative consequences associated with substance use or other addictive behaviors. Prevention, assessment and treatment are some of the ways that professional counselors may be called upon to serve these individuals. Effectively engaging in these efforts necessitates continued professional development in order to remain current on scientific information and best practices in addictive behaviors and addictions counseling. Reading scholarly journals published by the major counseling professional and certification bodies, including the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), American Counseling Association (ACA), and Chi Sigma Iota (CSI), is one way that professional counselors can develop their knowledge and skills on how to best work with these clients. To assess the availability of literature on addictive behaviors and addictions counseling, we conducted a content analysis to examine the extent to which addictions topics were covered in scholarly journals published by NBCC, ACA and CSI during a 10-year period (2005–2014). Two hundred and ten articles (4.5% of all articles published) were identified that addressed addictions topics across 23 journals published by NBCC, CSI, ACA and ACA member-divisions. Most articles examined addictions-related issues among non-clinical populations (27%). Other articles focused on approaches to counseling (20%), professional practice issues (19%), clients in treatment (10%), and measurement issues (9%). About 8% of articles evaluated the effectiveness of a counseling or prevention program and 7% of articles examined the counselor’s role in addictions counseling. Most articles did not focus on a specific type of addictive behavior (68%). The most common type of addictive behavior addressed was alcohol use (22%). Approximately 60% of the articles represented original research. The top three groups studied were adults (40%), undergraduates (29%) and addictions professionals (21%). Our findings revealed a modest yet diverse body of literature that professional counselors can access in their efforts to maintain an awareness of recent advances in the study of addictive behaviors and addictions counseling. A number of limitations were apparent as well. For example, whereas the most common topic addressed was approaches to counseling, very few articles included actual outcome data or evidence of effectiveness. Further, in comparison to the large number of articles that focused on individuals in non- clinical populations, fewer articles examined client experiences in treatment. In our discussion, we include a number of implications for professional counselors and counseling researchers on how to address these limitations of the literature identified in our study. Edward Wahesh, NCC, is an Assistant Professor at Villanova University. S. Elizabeth Likis-Werle is an Assistant Professor at East Tennessee State University. Regina R. Moro, NCC, is an Assistant Professor at Boise State University. Correspondence can be addressed to Edward Wahesh, Villanova University, Education and Counseling (SAC 302), 800 E. Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, edward.wahesh@villanova.edu .