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Life Skills in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment

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Life Skills in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment
Life Skills in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment
School of Advanced Studies, University of Phoenix
Wesley Tyler
Meredith Ward

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment
Recidivism relates to a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior (Henslin, 2008). Progress being made in families and individuals due to lack of life skills that lead to causal factors to high recidivism rates in substance abuse and mental health treatment has been a growing issue posed by researchers. According to Miller & Hobler (1996), “In Deleware, 84% of Life Skills participants are male; 66 percent are African-American; 25% are white, non-Hispanic; and about 6 percent are Hispanic. The average age is 31. The lead offenses of 33% of the participants are violent offenses against persons; 38% are drug offenses, the more serious of which also are classified as violent in Delaware”. “Despite advances, differences in health status and access still remain. Minorities are still at increased risk, primarily because they live in adverse conditions linked to poverty” Hall (1998, p. 1).
Problem Formulation
Poor life skills are thought to increase recidivism among minorities (Reference) . The purpose of this study is to determine whether addicts who have completed life skill training have an improved recidivism rate over those who have not received life skills training. This study may provide education on effective life skills training and reinforce the importance of substance abusers with life skills.

Study Design and Research Method
A quantitative correlation study will be used to measure two different variables; life skills (independent) and recidivism (dependent) in order to determine whether and in what way recidivism and life skills characteristics might be interrelated. Quantitative studies quantifies observable behaviors and each



References: Henslin, James. “Social Problems: A Down-To-Earth Approach.” (2008). Miller, M. L., & Hobler, B. (1996). Delaware 's Life Skills program reduces inmate recidivism. Corrections Today, 58(5), 114. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. SAMHSA. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1109075503.aspx

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