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Are Grittier Front-Line Therapists More Likely to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions?

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Abstract

Substance use disorder remains a pervasive problem in the U.S. and elsewhere. Recent scholarship has explored therapist characteristics and evidence based intervention implementation in an attempt to improve client outcomes. One such construct that has received considerable attention is grit. People with high levels of grit tend to remain determined despite setbacks. This study sought to elucidate the relationship of grit to therapeutic alliance and attitudes towards evidence-based interventions in a sample of front-line therapist (n = 240). Grit was found to be positively associated with therapeutic alliance and correlated with favorable attitudes towards using proven practice. Findings suggest that gritty therapists may sustain the use of evidence based interventions in their usual services and have better client outcomes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brown School, Washington University in St Louis, 1 Brookings Dr., Campus Box 1196, St Louis, MO, 63130, USA

    David A. Patterson Silver Wolf

  2. School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, 685 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    Braden K. Linn

  3. Buffalo Center for Social Research, School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, 221 Parker Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14214-8004, USA

    Catherine N. Dulmus

Authors
  1. David A. Patterson Silver Wolf
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  2. Braden K. Linn
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  3. Catherine N. Dulmus
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Correspondence to Braden K. Linn.

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Patterson Silver Wolf, D.A., Linn, B.K. & Dulmus, C.N. Are Grittier Front-Line Therapists More Likely to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions?. Community Ment Health J 54, 959–966 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0305-1

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