Training Tools

These training tools will help drug abuse professionals improve their understanding of important concepts and strengthen their skills in developing research proposals and preparing grant applications.

• The Methadone Research Web Guide presents U.S. research outcomes about methadone maintenance treatment, reviews best practices in treatment program design and implementation, and disseminates evidence-based treatment protocols. It is designed to answer the most frequently posed questions by the international community regarding the path of research inquiry used by the United States, which could be used by other countries to support approval of methadone as a treatment therapy.
  
  
  • NEW! Test your knowledge with the Methadone Guide Tutorial.
• Volatile Solvent Abuse Virtual Seminars, developed by a multinational working group of inhalant abuse researchers funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and supported by NIDA, are available on the NIDA International Virtual Collaboratory.
  
  
  • Indigenous Youth Residential Solvent Abuse Treatment in Canada
    The first seminar features a recorded presentation by Canadian Youth Solvent Addiction Committee (YSAC) Coordinator Debra Dell and a transcript of questions and answers from a NIVC discussion (25KB) about the YSAC residential treatment programs that was held December 11, 2008.
  • Inhalant Use and Inhalant Use Disorders in the United States
    Dr. Matthew Howard, University of North Carolina, reviews widely abused inhalant products; modes, settings and contexts of inhalant use; characteristics of inhalant intoxication; signs and symptoms of inhalant abuse and dependence; recent research examining the natural history of inhalant dependence; common mental health and substance-related problems of inhalant users; screening protocols for inhalant use; and specific issues having to do with nitrate abuse, nitrous oxide inhalation, and suicidality in inhalant users. A NIVC Discussion (145KB) about Dr. Howard's presentation was held in July 2009.
• Grant Writing requires more than just good science. This NIH guide will help you develop a strong application that allows reviewers to better evaluate the science and merit of your application.
• The Research Assistant is a NIDA-funded, online tool for behavioral scientists that includes a grant-writing tutorial, including an interactive proposal outline-building feature; databases and statistical support; search engines; anecdotes from seasoned researchers; and links to other searchable Websites. The site can help researchers collect data, assemble a research proposal team, choose a statistical method, or select a journal for publishing an article. Although the site provides funding information, that information is not geared toward the international audience.
• Publishing Addiction Research Internationally (PARINT) provides resources, guidance, and support for authors, editors, and expert reviewers of research into dependence on licit and illicit drugs, and its relationship to other addictions, such as gambling.
• The International Programme in Addiction Studies is an online Master of Science degree jointly offered by the University of Adelaide (Australia), King's College London (United Kingdom), and Virginia Commonwealth University (United States).
• DrugAbuseResearchTraining.org provides free, online courses with self-assessment questions, practical examples, and links to resources. The courses were designed by experts and tested by international resources. Continuing medical education credit and printable copies of the course materials are available for a modest fee. Current course offerings include
• Biostatistics for Drug and Substance Abuse Research. Learn about descriptive and inferential statistics and how to choose a statistical test.
• Evaluating Drug and Substance Abuse Programs. An easy-to-follow guide based on international standards offers practical recommendations and examples.
• Designing and Managing Drug and Substance Abuse Clinical Trials. This introduction to designing and managing a substance abuse clinical trial includes ways to recruit and retain study participants.