Analysis of initial training in addiction for university students of Social Education in Spain

In an era in which the digital world is part of everyday life, behavioural addictions are on the rise and access to potentially addictive activities or substances is easier. In this context, it is essential to train social educators so that they can work in this field, which could form part of their future work. The aim of this research is to provide a detailed overview of the initial training on addiction received by students studying for a degree in Social Education at Spanish public universities. To this end, a content analysis of the curricula and teaching guides has been carried out to identify the subjects that address addiction. The results show that, of the 33 university campuses that offer the Degree in Social Education, only 16 include specific subjects on this topic, which are mainly optional. In these subjects, the study of drug addiction prevails over other addictions and, in some of them, the functions of the social educator in this field are not introduced. The content, references and area of knowledge responsible for teaching these subjects are largely based on the field of psychology. The opportunity to take advantage of the reformulation of the curricula to orientate initial training in addictions towards new emerging challenges from a perspective also focused on social education is highlighted.