Predictors of substance abuse treatment organization responsiveness to an organizational change workshop

Abstract

The functioning of substance abuse treatment organizations is important both to the outcomes of treatment clients, as well as to the transfer of research into practice. Before new research can be transferred it is important for organizations to be functioning well. The present study examined characteristics of organizations that were responsive to a workshop designed to improve organizational functioning. Participants were program directors, clinical supervisors and staff from community based substance abuse treatment organizations in Texas, representing 53 treatment units. Logistic regressions were used to predict responsiveness, to continue participation in change in an area of organizational functioning identified in the workshop. Findings suggest that several organizational characteristics were associated with responsiveness to the workshop. Specifically, responsive organizations had more needs and pressures, and had less adequate functioning in terms of institutional resources, staff attributes and organizational climate. Results also showed that organizations with smaller standard deviations on ratings of organizational climate were more likely to be responsive. Additionally, more established organizations were more likely to be responsive, as were organizations with larger client load, and urban organizations.