Assessment of Addictive Behaviors

As analyzed in Assessment of Addictive Behaviors, similar processes occur across a wide range of behaviors, such as drinking, smoking, eating, and drug use. With this broadened view, research has shifted from the evaluation of treatment interventions to more process-oriented studies of the multiple factors contributing to the maintenance of, and relapse to, addictive behaviors. As research is becoming increasingly integrated across disciplines, addiction now may be defined as an interactive product of learning in a setting involving physiological events as they are interpreted, labeled, and given meaning by the individual.
Despite the increased focus on multiple systems, clinically relevant methods of assessing these factors have not been efficiently explored. By incorporating all relevant biopsychosocial elements, and examining factors common to abuse of alcohol, tobacco, food, and drugs, Assessment of Addictive Behaviors provides an enriched view of this important step in the therapeutic process. It shows how, by conducting a more thorough assessment, the clinician may strengthen the individual's commitment to change and select a treatment that closely matches the individual's needs.