This document outlines the instructions and requirements for an article critique assignment. Students are asked to critique a specific research article on substance abuse treatment by addressing introduction/summary, major strengths, weaknesses/limitations, areas for future research, and personal reflection. The critique must incorporate related readings and be 2-3 pages following APA style guidelines. Sample articles and guidance on assessing treatment plans are provided for students to draw from in completing the assignment.

1. Running head: INSERT ABBREVIATED TITLE HERE
1
PAGE
4
INSERT ABBREVIATED TITLE HERE
This is the Title of My Assignment
My Name
Course Name
Lamar University
Semester Year Term
This is the Title of My Assignment
Introduction or Article Summary
Here is where you will discuss the first criteria of the critique.
Provide a brief summary of the key points of the article,
including the problem statement and purpose of the study.
Distinguish your thoughts from the author(s) words and include
appropriate citations. Also, remember to use quotes sparingly or
not at all (paraphrase instead when using sources) to show you
understand and can apply the material. Times New Roman 12
point font, double spacing, and one inch margins on all four
sides are used throughout the paper. This section should be one
to two paragraphs total. A reader who has not read the article
should be able to understand your summary. Keep in mind,
however, that the critique below should be longer than your
summary.
Major Strengths
Here is where you will discuss the major strengths in the article.
Some of the questions you should ask yourself: What parts of
the article do you think the author(s) did that was positive?

2. What was learned from the article? Is the title appropriate and
clear? Is the purpose of the article made clear? Are the methods
described adequately? Is the sample selection described
representative and unbiased? Are the statistical methods
appropriate? Did the authors include a theoretical framework?
Is it appropriate for this study? Did the author(s) provide a
sufficient and relevant literature review? Have any ideas been
over or under emphasized? (give examples and suggestions for
revisions). What is the validity and reliability of the study?
Major Weaknesses
Here is where you will discuss any weaknesses in the article.
What are the limitations? Do the data and conclusions
contradict each other? Was the discussion relevant? You can
ask yourself some of the same questions as above, and apply
them as either strengths or weaknesses, depending on your
critique. There is no right or wrong here. It is your qualified
opinion of the article.
Future areas to Consider
What questions remain unanswered? How could future studies
be improved? Focus on areas to consider in the practice of
substance abuse counseling. What type of clientele would
benefit from this research approach?
Reflection and Conclusion
These are your conclusions, not the authors. Ask yourself, what
surprised you or struck you as interesting? If you totally agree
or disagree with the author(s), discuss that here and explain
what you really thought about this article. In your opinion, do
the data support the conclusions made by the author(s)? Are the
results thought provoking? What was the most important thing
you learned by reading and critiquing this article?
Before submitting your assignment, make sure you proofread
your paper for mechanics, usage, grammar, spelling, and
sentence structure and ensure all assignment criteria have been
met. Each section of your review (each of the five criteria)
should be at least one well-developed paragraph.
References

3. (Notice that this starts on a new page. To make sure it stays on
its own page, use Insert Page Break). Your references will
follow the general format below and will be double spaced
without additional spaces between references. This is an
example of how to cite a journal article from Week 1. Be sure to
consult your APA manual for specific instructions on reference
formatting of various sources. Note that the directs say to
provide a critique of the assigned article using related reading
and materials in support of your critique, so you should have
more than one reference here.
Birnbaum, H. G., White, A. G., Schiller, M., Waldman, T.
Cleveland, J. M., & Roland, C. L. (2011). Societal costs of
prescription opioid abuse, dependence, and misuse in the United
States. Pain Medicine, 12(4), 657-667.
Running head: INSERT ABBREVIATED TITLE HERE
1
PAGE
4
INSERT ABBREVIATED TITLE HERE
This is the Title of My Assignment
My Name
Course Name
Lamar University
Semester Year Term
This is the Title of My Assignment
Introduction or Article Summary
Here is where you will discuss the first criteria of the critique.
Provide a brief summary of the key points of the article,
including the problem statement and purpose of the study.

4. Distinguish your thoughts from the author(s) words and include
appropriate citations. Also, remember to use quotes sparingly or
not at all (paraphrase instead when using sources) to show you
understand and can apply the material. Times New Roman 12
point font, double spacing, and one inch margins on all four
sides are used throughout the paper. This section should be one
to two paragraphs total. A reader who has not read the article
should be able to understand your summary. Keep in mind,
however, that the critique below should be longer than your
summary.
Major Strengths
Here is where you will discuss the major strengths in the article.
Some of the questions you should ask yourself: What parts of
the article do you think the author(s) did that was positive?
What was learned from the article? Is the title appropriate and
clear? Is the purpose of the article made clear? Are the methods
described adequately? Is the sample selection described
representative and unbiased? Are the statistical methods
appropriate? Did the authors include a theoretical framework?
Is it appropriate for this study? Did the author(s) provide a
sufficient and relevant literature review? Have any ideas been
over or under emphasized? (give examples and suggestions for
revisions). What is the validity and reliability of the study?
Major Weaknesses
Here is where you will discuss any weaknesses in the article.
What are the limitations? Do the data and conclusions
contradict each other? Was the discussion relevant? You can
ask yourself some of the same questions as above, and apply
them as either strengths or weaknesses, depending on your
critique. There is no right or wrong here. It is your qualified
opinion of the article.
Future areas to Consider
What questions remain unanswered? How could future studies
be improved? Focus on areas to consider in the practice of
substance abuse counseling. What type of clientele would
benefit from this research approach?

5. Reflection and Conclusion
These are your conclusions, not the authors. Ask yourself, what
surprised you or struck you as interesting? If you totally agree
or disagree with the author(s), discuss that here and explain
what you really thought about this article. In your opinion, do
the data support the conclusions made by the author(s)? Are the
results thought provoking? What was the most important thing
you learned by reading and critiquing this article?
Before submitting your assignment, make sure you proofread
your paper for mechanics, usage, grammar, spelling, and
sentence structure and ensure all assignment criteria have been
met. Each section of your review (each of the five criteria)
should be at least one well-developed paragraph.
References
(Notice that this starts on a new page. To make sure it stays on
its own page, use Insert Page Break). Your references will
follow the general format below and will be double spaced
without additional spaces between references. This is an
example of how to cite a journal article from Week 1. Be sure to
consult your APA manual for specific instructions on reference
formatting of various sources. Note that the directs say to
provide a critique of the assigned article using related reading
and materials in support of your critique, so you should have
more than one reference here.
Birnbaum, H. G., White, A. G., Schiller, M., Waldman, T.
Cleveland, J. M., & Roland, C. L. (2011). Societal costs of
prescription opioid abuse, dependence, and misuse in the United
States. Pain Medicine, 12(4), 657-667.
Article Critique
Instructions:
1. Download the following article from the Lamar University
Library:

6. Kelly, J. F., Hoeppner, B., Stout, R. L., & Pagano, M. (2012).
Determining the relative importance of the mechanisms of
behavior change within Alcoholics Anonymous: A multiple
mediator analysis. Addiction, 107(2), 289-299.
doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03593.x
2. Read the assigned article for the week
3. Consider all of the associated reading materials and
MyCounselingLab materials
4. Provide a critique of the assigned article using related
reading and materials in support of your critique.
5. Critique must include all five criteria:
a. Introduction and summary of the article
b. Major strengths in the article.
c. Major weaknesses or gaps in the article
d. Two areas to consider in the practice of substance abuse
counseling
e. Personal reflection and conclusion
6. Use APA formatting.
Lamar University
Page 1 of 1
Module 4 Application Assignment: Group Treatment and
Substance Abuse
Overview
Group counseling is one of the central components of substance
abuse treatment. While group counseling has many of same
dynamics across issues and populations, the process with
substance abusers does have some distinct differences.

7. Understanding the curative factors, dynamics, stages, and
structure will help you to become an effective substance abuse
counselor. In addition to understanding these elements, you will
also need to know how group treatment fits within the
continuum of care and the pragmatics of group treatment. This
assignment will help you to understand how group counseling
works with the substance abuse population.
In preparing for this assignment, you should listen to the
lecture, review supplemental materials, and the rubrics. This
assignment will count toward your final grade and is due by
Day 7, and is worth 50 points.
As part of this assignment, you will reflect on the reading
material, videos, and information from the Pearson Lab - Topic
7. You should complete all of the activities associated with this
topic.
Learning Outcomes
1. Analyze and discuss ethical issues inherent in substance
abuse counseling
2. Analyze and apply the main techniques, strategies, or
approaches of common treatment options for substance
addiction.
3. Evaluate the different types of relapse prevention
models/programs along with their associated pros and cons.
Directions
Read your textbook chapters and additional resources. Also,
complete all of the related material in MyCounselingLab.
Reflect on the following as part of this assignment (two or three
pages).
1. Analyze the vignette related to a Group Counseling
Experience in 7.3. Be sure to identify the legal and ethical
issues related to Alonso’s group (1-2 paragraphs).
2. Discuss the curative factors in group counseling and how
these might be impacted in the vignette (1-2 paragraphs).
3. Identify key group dynamics that might be important in the
vignette (1-2 paragraphs).
4. Discuss the stages of group development and how they might

8. be different in a psycho-educational group (1-2 paragraphs).
5. Identify key structural considerations when planning group
counseling for substance abuse. Identify some problems that
may occur related to structure in the vignette (1-2 paragraphs).
ASSIGNMENT SHOULD BE 2-3 PAGES.
Article Critique
Instructions:
1. Go to the Lamar University Library and download the
following article:
Gonzales, R., Anglin, M., Beattie, R., Ong, C., & Glik, D. C.
(2012). Understanding recovery barriers: Youth perceptions
about substance use relapse. American Journal Of Health
Behavior, 36(5), 602-614. doi:10.5993/AJHB.36.5.3
2. Read the assigned article for the week
3. Consider all of the associated reading materials and
MyCounselingLab materials
4. Provide a critique of the assigned article using related
reading and materials in support of your critique.
5. Critique must include all five criteria:
a. Introduction and summary of the article
b. Major strengths in the article.
c. Major weaknesses or gaps in the article
d. Two areas to consider in the practice of substance abuse
counseling
e. Personal reflection and conclusion
6. Use APA formatting.

9. Lamar University
Page 1 of 1
Module 3 Application Assignment: Treatment Planning and
Individual Treatment
Overview
How might counseling for substance abuse issues be similar to
or different from other counseling? What goes into treatment
planning for substance abuse clients? In this module, you will
examine the best practices in assessment, treatment planning,
and individual treatment for substance abuse issues.
In preparation for your assignments, you should listen to the
lecture, review supplemental materials, and use the rubrics as
guides to help you complete the assignment. This assignment
will count toward your final grade and is due by Day 7, and is
worth 50 points.
As part of this assignment, you will reflect on the reading
material, videos, and information from the Pearson Lab -
Learning Outcomes 4, 5 and 6. You should complete all of the
activities associated with learning outcomes in the lab and
watch the associated videos.
Learning Outcomes
1. Define and understand the terminology commonly associated
with the field of chemical dependency.
2. Evaluate the main differences between the various models of
addiction

10. 3. Analyze and discuss ethical issues inherent in substance
abuse counseling
4. Understand the procedures and process for assessment and
diagnosis of substance disorders.
5. Describe the various dynamics of relapse and prevention and
be able to structure a treatment plan that incorporates these
concepts.
6. Analyze and apply the main techniques, strategies, or
approaches of common treatment options for substance
addiction.
Directions
Read your textbook chapters and additional resources. Also,
complete all of the related material in MyCounselingLab.
Reflect on the following as part of this assignment (two or three
pages).
· Review this week's Learning Resources, focusing on
assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and individual
treatment.
· Review the case of Milo (Topic 6 Individual Treatment>>>6.1
Treatment Settings >>>I am ready to start>>> click here to read
the vignette) from MyCounselingLab
· Think about the treatment plan you would develop for the case
study.
· Consider the legal and ethical issues that may pertain to
treatment planning and treatment in this particular case.
· Consider the main techniques and strategies you would use
with Milo.
· Consider the level of treatment necessary

11. · Think about the model of addiction that you follow and how
that would apply to this case
Support your Application assignment with specific references to
all resources used in its preparation.
The assignment: (2-3pages)
· Discuss the assessment process you would use for Milo.
· Develop a treatment plan for Milo that includes the following
information:
· Problems
· Current symptoms or indicators
· Goals (long-term and short-term)
· Objectives/outcome criteria
· Methods
· Services
· Describe any ethical and legal considerations that should be
taken into account regarding treatment planning and treatment
in this case.
· Discuss techniques you would use to work with Milo and
research that supports those techniques.
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