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Running head: INTEGRATING CAREER COUNSELING AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Reflection on Kansas Model

Mohd Hafizzi Bin Mohd Rashed (3171200)

Murni Eizzatie Binti Aziz (3171187)
Ahmad Syakhir Bin Zulkafli (3181375)
Shamrol Shah Bin Ramli (3171213)
Islamic Science University Malaysia (USIM)

This assignment was done based on integrating career counselling and substance abuse article.
This task also was done to complete a requirement subject for ABD 8043 Career Counselling
and Personnel Development.
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INTEGRATING CAREER COUNSELING AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE.

In this article on integrating career counselling and substance abuse treatment,

researcher try to highlight issues on integrating career counselling and substance abuse
treatment across the various dimension of substance abuse. From my opinion and views about
this article, the person who received the treatment from rehabilitation centre for drug abuse
need career or jobs in order to prevent them from relapse or involve again in drug abuse issue.
Nowadays, when we look back in Malaysia contexts, there are several issues arise when the
former drug addicts release from rehabilitation centre. Most of them involve in crimes because
they don’t have permanent jobs and in order to survive, they were take an easy way in gaining
their monthly income such as snatching handbag and stealing from others. On 6 November
2018, Malaysian were shocked by the news on a drug addict who attempt to kill his brother in-
law because of four ringgits only to buy drug. This case is one of example that without money
or job, former drug addicts will involve in drug abuse again and integrated model of career
counselling needs in order to prevent this case happen again or at least reduce the occurrence
of this issue.
According to Chartrand and Rose (1996), the lack of career development and
employment opportunities is linked to a cycle of poverty and other social problems. This
statement was true because in Islam also, the poverty will make someone closer to the “kufur”
or disbelieve to Allah. In everyday prayer, Muslim are encouraging to recite supplication or
“du’a” that seek refuge in Allah from disbelief and poverty. Through this article also, Chartrand
& Rose (1996) highlighted individuals who lack of social benefits of employment become
involved with alcohol and other drug abuse. The integration of career counselling with
substance abuse treatment suggests a potentially cumulative effect in which the two approaches
are joined to produce more potent outcome.
According to Ronan and Reichman (1986), in order for a client to successfully resume
employment and avoid relapsing due to work-related problems, the career counsellor must
assess, and help the client face and compensate for any cognitive and affective impairment
engendered by their alcoholism. Career counsellor should make initiatives to gain more
information’s and knowledge’s regarding the career information’s and also they should
competent in analyse their clients whether they are psychologically balance and able to work
or not. Most of company especially in Malaysia still have stigma in their mind that former drug
addicts still have psychological problems due to the effects of drugs that they have taken
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previously. It was proved when someone who previously have record on drug abuse is totally
disqualified to enter government services and also career that related to security fields.
Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT; Brown & Lent, 1996) gives practitioners a
model for understanding the effect of self-efficacy, outcome expectations, contextual factors
and environmental forces on career choices and success. SCCT is a useful model for improving
the work ethic of at-risk and recovering populations. Ronan & Reichmann (1986), recommend
the following steps for clients who have recognized the utility of developing career goals in
relationship to recovery: (a) strengthen self-concept by exploring career goals through aptitude,
interest and personality testing; (b) gather occupational information from various sources; (c)
translate self-concept into realistic occupational goals using role-plays, reality testing,
compromise and planning and (d) follow through by writing resumes letter of inquiry and
practicing for interviews. In CCVC Sepang, they have running this method in preparing their
trainees for working environment after release from centre. From my point of view, this
program was good but the attitude of trainees should change in order to make sure the
successful of this program. According to JobsMalaysia, previously they have done this program
and provide many companies to take CCVC Sepang trainees as their future workers or
employees. Unluckily, this program did not achieve the target because the attitudes of trainees
that did not interested to work and not attended the interview session. In the future, from my
opinion, government should make a new law that every trainee that release from CCVC or
CCRC, they should work in sectors that critically needs workers such as construction sectors
and replace foreign workers with them. Through this step, it will decrease the dependency on
foreign worker and at the same time it will prevent from our currency transfer out from this
country furthermore avoid currency inflation.
According to Super’s Life Span, Life Space model of career development (1980),
Blustein views the resolution of career development tasks within the larger context of a client’s
life, where work, addiction, and other factors reciprocally influence each another. Blustein also
advocates for early initiation of career counselling. This theory was true when we look to the
contexts of family life. An example, a person who had problems with his or her works will
bring that problems to home and effects other family members. A father who is stressful will
release the anger to his wife or children and create unhappy environment in his house.
Furthermore, his children’s have no place to release their stress and most of them will involve
in social problems issues such as drug abuse and crimes.
Britten (1984) cites several problems common to many alcoholics that preclude
successful employment upon discharge from treatment. They include (a) the reality of their
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alcoholism, (b) a poor self-image, (c) a poor work record, (d) limited financial resources and
(e) a diminished capacity to plan for the future. In Britten’s model, clients undergo a period of
work adjustment while in treatment rather than afterwards. Moreover, part-time work is
recommended during the adjustment phase and for the six months following discharge from
treatment, theoretically leaving the client in a better position to deal worth the myriad of
problems characteristics of early recovery. National Anti-Drug Agency Malaysia or (NADA)
should take consideration about this issues regarding their trainees especially when they enter
the working fields environment. In Malaysia, they did not put their trainees into probation
period for them to work with company. Trainees only allow to join the company after finished
detention term and the probability for them to become poor self-image, poor work record,
limited financial resources and diminish capacity to plan for the future are high.
According to Brown et al., career interventions geared toward students in the minority
at their school would help to impart self-efficacy in relationship to career decision making.
Program increasing career self-efficacy in high school students from at risk environments have
demonstrate some success; yet, researcher indicate the need for programs directed at younger
students (O’Brien, Bikos, Epstein, Flores, Dukstein, & Kamatuka, 1998). In Malaysia, there
still lacking in career programs especially to rural areas students. Most of students still blur
about their career choice and what they should do after finish their study especially after SPM.
Counsellor and teacher at schools should play active roles in exposing their students to the
career choices in order to prevent them from lost their career tracks after study. The worst case
will occur when students who did not perform in their academics did not have any ideas about
what they should do and after that will increase the risk of them involved in drugs abuse and
crime issues. Paccione-Dyszlewski and Dyszlewski (1981) research that those subjects who
were employed were less likely to have relapsed.
According to Holland (1985), career choice and personality type congruence is
associated with persistence and performance in careers. The congruence between interest and
career choice resulting from the Career Horizons Program should indicate future career success
for those students. Some higher education institution in Malaysia have did the program that
matching between personality, interest and ability of students in course taking. One example,
nowadays, a person who wish to become a doctor should undergo psychometric test and
interviews before selected to medical course. This step was taken to ensure that the doctors
produced by universities are really qualified and competent.
As conclusion, the integration of career counselling and substance abuse treatment for
at risk and recovering populations represent a litmus test for the general merger of career and
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personal counselling proposed by some researchers (Bluestein, 1987; Krumboltz, 1993),

furthermore integrated approach is significantly more effective than conventional methods.
Islam also highlight the importance of individuals to work and not begging or depends to
others. Allah says in Quran “That man can have nothing but what he strives for; That (the fruit
of) his striving will soon come in sight: Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete. (An-
Najm 53:39-41). Another hadith from Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon him, was asked:
“Which charity is best?” He replied: “That which you give while you fear poverty.” (Sahih
Bukhari: 500). Through this hadith, Islam encourage its followers to work and avoid
themselves in poverty. When people have nothing to do, they will try to involve in criminals
because the easy way to gain money is through the bad way such as it is easy to sell drugs
rather than farming because farming takes time to harvest and sell the products and sometime
people lost money. It contrasts through selling the drugs, a person will become rich in a short
time and no need to put lot of energy on gaining money. That’s why the number of drugs dealer
increase because of lazy perception towards work and bad attitude’s in themselves. As a future
substance abuse counsellor, we should help our clients to change their attitudes towards work
and give “insight” that permissible work is “ibadah” and compulsory in Islam.