This comprehensive reference offers a fresh, integrative perspective on the assessment and treatment of addictive disorders. The work is organized into five sections, which treat theories of addiction, the diagnosis and evaluation of addictive behavior, treatment approaches, addiction among special populations, and clinical and legal issues concerning substance abuse professionals. The broad scope of the handbook encompasses alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, and smoking. Theory is consistently used to illuminate practice, resulting in a valuable overview of the field.
Within each section, essays by contributors discuss the most important issues and developments in the diagnosis and treatment of addiction. The opening essays establish a solid theoretical foundation by outlining behavioral, familial, and psychoanalytical explanations for the origins of addictive behavior. The later essays build on that base by overviewing diagnostic and treatment issues concerning addiction among Native Americans, the elderly, victims of traumatic brain injury, adult children of alcoholics, and teenagers. Useful appendixes list additional sources of information and describe certification for substance abuse professionals in each state. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and substance abuse counselors will find this handbook a necessary addition to their professional libraries.