The Impact of Clinical Rotation in Addiction Treatment Centers (AMATEM) on Attitudes and Behaviors of Psychiatry Residents Toward Individuals with Addiction

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 178 - 186, 15.01.2025

Mustafa Danışman , Gamze Zengin İspir , Kübra Sezer Katar

https://doi.org/10.37990/medr.1595001

Abstract

Aim: Psychiatry residents often feel unprepared and may exhibit negative attitudes toward individuals with substance use disorders, which can undermine treatment access and outcomes. This study examined the impact of a three-month Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center (AMATEM) rotation on residents’ attitudes and explored factors influencing these attitudes.
Material and Method: Ninety-one psychiatry residents who applied for a three-month rotation training on addictions at Ankara Training and Research Hospital AMATEM Clinic completed a personal information form and the Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Substance Users Scale at the start and end of the rotation.
Results: Residents’ stigmatizing attitudes significantly decreased post-rotation. Those who felt unsafe before the rotation reported higher stigma scores, and residents who believed they needed more education had fewer negative attitudes initially. Paradoxically, participants who anticipated referring patients to AMATEM due to insufficient training showed increased stigma after completion of the rotation.
Conclusion: Overall, structured, practical, and case-based training—delivered under experienced supervision—can reduce negative attitudes and help residents feel safer. Further research should clarify how specific training processes influence the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of future psychiatrists regarding substance use disorders.

Keywords

Addiction, psychiatry residents, addiction training, attitudes and stigma, healthcare education

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