Approximately 70% of 67,367 drug overdose deaths involved opioids with rates 4 times higher than in 1999. The purpose of this systematic review is to assess the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in opioid cessation. The search criteria for this review were: (a) published in English language between 2014 and 2019; (b) indexed in…

College recovery services are designed to provide necessary supports for college students with issues related to substance use disorders to be successful in postsecondary education. However, as a still emerging form of student supports, major issues remain such as funding, the utilization of evidence-based interventions, effective program…

In this article I discuss how drug counselling can be transformed through "aesthetic documentation": a hybrid of art with narrative practice. After outlining the concepts of performance and standards, and a critique of "customising" counselling through formalised feedback, five claims are made about "aesthetic…

Objective: To examine predictors of opioid abstinence in buprenorphine/naloxone (Bup/Nal)-assisted psychosocial treatment for opioid-dependent youth. Method: Secondary analyses were performed of data from 152 youth (15-21 years old) randomly assigned to 12 weeks of extended Bup/Nal therapy or up to 2 weeks of Bup/Nal detoxification with weekly…

Across cultures, approximately one third of people with drug dependence are women of child-bearing age. There is emerging evidence regarding the effectiveness of integrating pregnancy, parenting, and child development services with addiction services. In 2007, we conducted a national survey of addiction agencies serving women to provide…

Self-reflection, creativity, and experiential education are effective teaching strategies for counselor educators. Understanding and conceptualizing client cases can feel overwhelming for counselors-in-training. This article describes how the process of case conceptualization can be enhanced through the use of film. A case example is provided of…

This article presents an interview with Frank Miller, a renowned addictions assessment authority who jointly initiated the updated Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI) versions and helped establish the inventories in the addictions assessment mainstream. Among other things, Miller describes how he began working at the SASSI Institute…

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is investigated as a subculture of recovery bridging the drug subculture and the prevailing culture. A phenomenological study of NA in Israel is reported. Innovation, cultural conflict, the value of recovery and its norms, supporting social mechanisms, limitations of the program, and intercultural attributes are…

Examined self-reported dysphoria in 82 consecutive admissions to intensive outpatient treatment for cocaine abuse for individuals on whom data for the Beck scales for depression, anxiety, and hopelessness were available for intake and four subsequent weeks with no more than one missing data point. Mean scores decreased significantly between intake…

Describes qualitative and ethnographic investigation based on structured interviews and observation of 14 college students from chemically dependent, dysfunctional, and sexually abusive families. Sexual abuse was found to be endemic in this subculture. Suggests counseling strategy to assist moving students through role development and toward…

A brief history of Substance Use Disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is presented, and the symptoms of substance dependence are presented. Substance dependence is distinguished from substance abuse. Assessment instruments, including laboratory tests and interviews for diagnosing substance use disorders, are…

Examines possible relationships between self-efficacy for avoiding marijuana use and theoretically related measures in a sample of 161 men and 51 women who sought marijuana cessation treatments. Predictive validity was stronger for frequency of posttreatment use than for abstinence status. Discusses the need for better assessment of the efficacy…

Examines factors--such as unemployment, economic deprivation, racism, issues pertaining to gender roles--and their contribution to substance abuse in African American men. Specifically reviews the use of alcohol, opiates, crack, and cocaine. Argues that a biopsychosocial model offers the best framework in conceptualizing substance abuse and…

The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the International Association of Addiction and Offender Counselors (IAAOC) developed a master's level certification for addictions counselors. While NBCC and IAAOC's position is that skills necessary for general counseling are sufficient for an addictions counselor, specific knowledge about…

Describes a culturally congruent intervention in which Afrocentric concepts are applied in single-session counseling for African American drug users. Called the Engagement Project, the intervention attempts to engage clients in a psychosocial process conducive to recovery. The client, counselor, and a former drug user (peer) see a video and…