Tobacco cessation training in graduate clinical social work programs

Background: About 60% of adults with mental illnesses smoke tobacco versus 21% of the general population. Psychiatrists and psychologists often do not address tobacco cessation with patients because they feel unprepared to do so. Thus, the purpose of this study was to survey the status of smoking cessation training and curriculum content in a group of professionals who often work with the mentally ill, graduate clinical social workers.

Methods: A valid and reliable survey was mailed to directors (n=184) of all accredited master's level clinical social work programs. A three-wave mailing process was used.

Results: There were 111 returned surveys for a response rate of 60% (111/184). The majority of respondents (90%) indicated they did not offer formal training on how to conduct smoking cessation activities with clients and had no plans to implement formal training in the future. Insufficient time in the teaching schedule (55.7%) and tobacco training was not a curricular priority (60%) were the leading barriers to smoking cessation training. Furthermore, 94% did not require students to learn smoking cessation techniques with clients and 93% did not evaluate students' competence in smoking cessation counseling. Most directors (84%) indicated that inclusion of smoking cessation education in the curriculum was “Not at all Important.” Analysis by institution location, gender, and age categories will be reported.

Conclusion: Clinical social workers are not being trained to help reduce the tobacco use epidemic in the mentally ill and program directors do not see such training as important.