This document contains seven papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities that provide an international perspective on the therapeutic community (TC) movement as it is today. Papers include: (1) "What's Happening on an International Level" (William B. O'Brien); (2) "Therapeutic Communities of America"…

Research arguing the validity of the construct of the addictive personality has been criticized for methodology and because it has often been based on a narrow group of personality dimensions. To identify personality differences between drug addicts and college students from two different cultures, four groups of subjects, aged 17-25, were tested.…

The Minnesota Model of Chemical Dependency Treatment, which evolved from a combination of the grassroots Alcoholics Anonymous movement and the State Mental Health Services in the 1960s has made Minnesota an international leader in chemical dependency treatment efforts. Northeastern Minnesota has shared this reputation with the state. In spite of…

This document contains seven papers from the ninth World Conference of Therapeutic Communities (TCs) that deal with drug abuse and the criminal justice system. Papers include: (1) "Some Characteristics of the Social Structure & Social Organization of the TCs" (Lewis Yablonsky); (2) "Therapeutics & Incarceration: They Said It…

This symposium contains reports on: (1) a study of drug abuse among adolescents in India, by Jaya Nagaraja; and (2) a case study of factors contributing to drug addiction among Malaysian youth, by Chandraseagran Suppiah. Based on a sample of 1,000 adolescents attending metropolitan city colleges, findings of the Indian study concern psychological…

The majority of alcoholics and drug addicts relapse after treatment, with many substance abusers developing a chronic relapse pattern. For this study, 43 patients, who went through a 3-week inpatient relapse prevention program, answered the Situational Confidence Questionnaire (a measure of self-efficacy for alcohol-related, high-risk situations)…

Abuse of alcohol or other substances by schizophrenic patients seriously undermines effective treatment. To document the extent of substance abuse among schizophrenic patients hospitalized in one Veterans Administration Hospital, medical records of 100 patients were reviewed. The results revealed that 54 patients had recent substance abuse, with…

This paper describes the efforts of the rural Pioneer Mental Health Center (PMHC), Seward, Nebraska, in the development of a community-based alcohol/drug prevention program. Part I focuses on the history and development of the prevention model, which emphasizes process-oriented activities to promote community identification and ownership of the…

This document presents a 36-hour curriculum of the Navy Alcohol and Drug Safety Action Program designed to reduce drug and alcohol related problems in the Navy by increasing resistance to addiction. The responsibility each person holds for his or her own health and well-being as a member of the United States Navy is emphasized throughout the…

Some of the unique characteristics of the drug abuse field which distinguish it from the other varieties of substance abuse and research methodologies for studying determinants of drug self-administration behavior which have been developed in response to these characteristics were investigated. Data suggest that residential drug…

The School-Based Recovery Support (SBRS) is a curriculum plan that assists students who return to school after addiction treatment or a conscious effort to become drug free. It is a daily course in life skills that a student can take for credit. The primary goals of SBRS for facilitators are as follows: (1) attempt to create a climate of support…

A review of the assessment literature on substance abuse has revealed 27 separate instruments for assessing substance abuse. These include 22 alcohol instruments and five instruments for assessing other drug abuse. The instruments are listed in a table that provides the title, source, description, population, and psychometric properties of each…

Historically, the Netherlands liberal approach to the problems related to drug use has been based on tolerance and a pragmatic concern for "harm reduction." Since the early 1980s, however, a shift has taken place in the direction of a tougher policy. This document describes: (1) the main features of the Dutch approach to the control of…

The exact nature of the events which may predispose a person to substance abuse is not known. This paper provides a theoretical discussion and review which emphasizes three contexts which have been shown to predispose on individual to drug abuse: (1) prenatal exposure to a given substance; (2) environmental conditions present upon first exposure…

A study was conducted to determine how to reach out in an effective manner via televised public service announcements (PSAs) to particular at-risk audiences to motivate participation in drug abuse prevention programs. The subjects (207 young adults in Fayette County, Kentucky) responded to the M. Zuckerman sensation-seeking questionnaire. They…