The Effect of MSW Education on Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Substance Abusing Clients.

ANALYSIS of variance; EMPLOYEES; ETHNIC groups; EXPERIENCE; FAMILIES; HEALTH occupations students; INTERNSHIP programs; MEDICAL cooperation; MOTIVATION (Psychology); MULTIVARIATE analysis; QUESTIONNAIRES; REGRESSION analysis; RESEARCH; SCALES (Weighing instruments); SEX distribution; SOCIAL work education; STATISTICS; STUDENT attitudes; TIME; GRADUATES; OCCUPATIONAL roles; QUANTITATIVE research; DRUG abusers; EDUCATIONAL outcomes; MASTERS programs (Higher education); DESCRIPTIVE statistics

Entering (n = 475) and graduating (n = 454) students at 3 master's of social work programs in the northeast were compared regarding their knowledge and attitudes concerning working with substance abusing clients. In comparison to entering students, graduating students demonstrated modestly higher levels of knowledge, role adequacy, and role legitimacy, but less desire to work with this population. A multivariate analysis revealed numerous factors that affected students' knowledge and attitudes: gender; ethnicity; exposure to substance abuse through family, friends, or self; taking a substance abuse course in an academic setting; having an internship in a substance abuse setting; substance abuse training outside of an academic setting; and exposure to substance abusers through employment. Implications of these findings for social work education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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