| Abstract: | ABSTRACT Despite increasing interest in “faith-based” substance abuse treatment and HIV risk reduction interventions, there is little systematic evidence of the efficacy of explicitly spiritual interventions. However, fundamental to effective interventions is an explicit conceptualization of mechanisms underlying behavior change. This paper discusses the definition of faith-based organizations, specifically as they relate to substance abuse treatment programs, briefly reviews relevant behavior change theories to identify key variables underlying change, presents an integrative conceptual framework articulating linkages between spiritual intervention components, behavior change processes and substance abuse outcomes, and discusses how the mechanisms identified in our model can be seen in commonly used substance abuse interventions. Overall, the paper suggests that what happens in “faith-based” programs may not be so different from processes taking place in good social work practice in the addictions field. |
