Addiction Counselor Continuing Education by Distance Learning

October 10, 2000

Guy C. Lamunyon RN, CARN, CADC, ICADC, NCACII, CAS

Glamunyon@aol.com

Reported here are literature search and survey results which are being prepared in APA format for submission to major journals and publications in the addictions field to report the results of this distance learning survey.

Addictions counseling associations and certification/ licensing bodies on both state and national levels have varying positions, restrictions and limitations on distance learning by continuing education. This article will investigate the research basis for such positions on distance learning for continuing education and survey addictions counselors reasons for and responses to continuing education by distance learning as compared with traditional continuing education.

Distance learning courses for addictions counselors are available from entry level through doctoral studies in basic or advances studies and continuing education courses. Limitations and restriction on continuing education by distance learning seem contrary to the modern and future oriented trend in distance learning trend.

Continuing education for many professions may be completed entirely by distance learning. Many other professions accept distance learning for basic education. In the state of California, for instance, one may become a lawyer, psychologist or registered nurse by distance learning. These professionals may counsel clients with all forms of disorders, including the addictions.

LITERATURE REVIEW

An online literature review was conducted using MEDLINE (NLM), PSYCHINFO (APA) and CINAHL using keywords alcohol counselor and drug counselor with education, credentialing, outcome and effectiveness. No outcome based research was available on addiction counselor continuing education by distance learning. Addiction counselor education was not found to influence outcome measures. Never addicted, recovering, paraprofessionals and degreed professionals had similar outcomes with clients. No outcome based research on addiction counselor credentialing was found, despite models for counselor credentialing having been available for over 20 years. Counselor benefits were found to be reduced risk of relapse for trained counselors and increased salaries for credentialed counselors. A distance learning article in the November/December 1999 issue of The Counselor magazine cited many advantages to distance learning, including a study which found that students in Web-based virtual learning tested 20 percent better than students who learned the material in a traditional classroom. No disadvantages to counselor education by distance learning were cited.

SURVEY METHODS

Providers of continuing education by distance learning were requested to distribute a survey to counselors completing continuing education by distance learning. Counselors returned these survey forms over a period of fifteen (15) months to the state credentialing organization, often with applications for renewal of counselor certification. The Likert type survey, with a scale from one (1) to five (5), asked seventeen questions comparing distance learning with traditional education and the reasons for counselors choosing distance learning.

RESULTS

Distance learning courses are used by a small number of counselors (N=22) who have difficulty taking time away from their job or practice to fulfill specific requirement or meet renewal deadlines. These counselors indicate that attending onsite workshops would create hardships for them. Respondents report they learn more from distance learning courses than onsite workshops and that distance learning materials are more useful for future reference than workshop materials. Respondents indicated that they have sufficient interaction with other counselors apart from onsite workshops and seminars and that the lack of interaction with other counselors is not a detractor in distance learning courses. Computer data analysis (T-tests) by SPSS found all results were statistically significant at p<.001.

COMPARSON WITH TRADITIONAL LEARNING:

REASONS FOR CHOOSING DISTANCE LEARNING:

1. To fulfill specific renewal requirements (ethics, AIDS, etc). 4.32

2. Cost effectiveness. 4.27

3. Meet renewal deadlines. 4.27

4. Onsite workshops and seminars not available geographically. 2.95

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The addictions field has failed to validate the process of counselor education and counselor credentialing. A literature search found no research to substantiate that counselor credentialing or counselor education improves outcome in any way. Levels of education (basic, advanced and continuing) have not been proven effective in retaining clients in treatment and/or reducing rates of relapse. Distance learning has been found superior to traditional learning. The results of this survey serve to validate previous finding regarding distance learning. There is no scientific rationale for restrictions on distance learning. Contrarily, the results of this and other research indicate that distance learning should to be encouraged, rather than discouraged.

Recommendations for future research include repeating the distance learning survey reported here on a national and perhaps international basis. Pilot programs comparing outcomes for counselors trained by distance learning and traditional education need to be conducted, for all levels of counselor education, including basic education, advanced education and continuing education. Of perhaps greater importance is the need for external validation of the entire counselor certification process.