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This article aims to explore the complex relationship between applied performance, drugs and addiction. In particular, it attempts to conceive whether participation in applied performance can be addictive. Following up from previous research (Reynolds and Zontou, 2014, Zontou, 2012), it aims to critically interrogate the possibilities and challenges of working with people who have been 'under the influence' of alcohol and other drug dependency, the 'addicts', and are now in 'recovery'. It poses the following question: Can applied performance make a positive impact on the participants' lives? A corollary question: can someone become addicted to applied performance, subsequently what happens when the participants 'need' another fix but applied performance is not available? Drawing on addiction studies (Lewis 2015, Seddon 2010) and applied performance (Thompson 2009, Shaughnessy 2013), alongside Braidotti's (2013) concept of posthuman as an affirmative and political figure; this article will suggest a definition of addiction that helps us move beyond its pathologisation and towards its recognition as an essential ingredient in contemporary cultural production. It suggests that applied performance can offer new ways of understanding the complex subjects that addicts are capable of becoming. In other words, understanding the recovering addict as a posthuman subject affords the addict more agency and autonomy than understanding them as the scapegoated and pathologized subject of contemporary culture. Performance provides addicts with opportunities to engage in an activity that rouses their desire to live, and provides moments of autonomy and personal freedom. These moments are capable of replacing their previous experiences of intoxication with something affirmative. This article, foregrounds Anita Ronell's statement that 'there is no culture without drug culture' (2004: 96) by suggesting that there is no culture without recovering addicts, addicted to affective performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issues: Despite the potential advantages of community detoxification for alcohol dependence, in many countries the available resources are mostly focused on specialist services that are resource-intensive, and often difficult to access because of financial or geographical factors. The aim of this systematic review is to synthesise the existing literature about the management of alcohol detoxification in the community to examine its effectiveness, safety, acceptability and feasibility.Approach: The systematic review was guided by an a priori defined protocol consistent with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. Cochrane library, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Global Health and CINAHL databases were searched using appropriate search terms. A qualitative synthesis of the data was conducted as the heterogeneity of study designs, samples and outcomes measured precluded a meta-analyses.Key Findings: Twenty studies with a range of designs were eligible for the review. Community detoxification had high completion rates and was reported to be safe. Compared to patients undergoing facility based detoxification, those who underwent community detoxification had better drinking outcomes. Community detoxification was cheaper than facility based detoxification and generally had good acceptability by various stakeholders.Implications: For certain patients, community detoxification should be considered as a viable option to increase access to care.Conclusions: Although the current evidence base to some extent supports the case for community detoxification there is a need for more randomised controlled trials testing the cost effectiveness of community detoxification in comparison with inpatient detoxification. [Nadkarni A, Endsley P, Bhatia U, Fuhr DC, Noorani A, Naik A, Murthy P, Velleman R. Community detoxification for alcohol dependence: A systematic review Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:389-399]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: The structures of health systems impact on patient outcomes. We present and analyse the first detailed mapping of who funds alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment and the channels and intermediaries through which funding flows from the funding sources to treatment providers.Design and Methods: The study involved a literature review of AOD treatment financing and existing diagrammatic representations of the structure of the Australian health system. We interviewed 190 key informants to particularise the AOD treatment sector, and undertook two case examples of government funded non-government organisations providing AOD treatment.Results: Funding sources include the Australian and state and territory governments, philanthropy, fund-raising and clients themselves. While funding sources align with the health sector generally and the broader social services sector, the complexity of flows from source to treatment service and the number of intermediaries are noteworthy. So too are the many sources of funding drawn on by some treatment providers. Diversification is both beneficial and disadvantageous for non-government treatment providers, adding to administrative workloads, but smoothing the risk of funding shortfalls. Government funders benefit from sharing risk.Discussion and Conclusions: Circuitous funding flows multiply the funding sources drawn on by services and put distance between the funding source and the service provider. This leads to concerns over lack of transparency about what is being purchased and challenges for the multiply funded service provider in maintaining programs and service models amid multiple and sometimes competing funding and accountability frameworks. [Chalmers J, Ritter A, Berends L, Lancaster K. Following the money: Mapping the sources and funding flows of alcohol and other drug treatment in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2016;35:255-262]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we look at how an addicted person can through the therapeutic process replace the addiction 'short cut' counterfeit quest for wholeness with an authentic quest for wholeness using Wilber' transpersonal spectrum of development model by working through different developmental levels during three stages of recovery. The first stage of recovery focuses on abstinence. A second stage of recovery beyond abstinence is called for of embracing and working through the emotional underbelly beneath the addictive process. Eventually, a third phase of recovery can be worked on which entails letting go of the addiction to the separate self and the mind by embracing nondual living. Wilber's transpersonal model of development is utilized including ten stages, and three overall phases of development including: prepersonal, personal, and transpersonal. Possible pathologies and treatment interventions are reviewed for each level including specific addiction and recovery implications for. Throughout this article, case studies and anecdotal accounts from past clients will be used to better exemplify this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the issues discussed by the Betty Ford Institute Consensus Panel regarding their own definition of recovery in the field of alcohol and drug addiction. The Betty Ford Institute has formed a panel of professionals in September 2006 to define recovery, and a second conference has followed after years to reexamine the initial definition created by the original panel. Among the issues discussed include the recovery process, and issues of sobriety and citizenship.

Rigorous reviews of the science on the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) indicate that AA and related 12-step treatment are at least as helpful as other intervention approaches. Exactly how AA achieves these beneficial outcomes is less well understood, yet, greater elucidation of AA's mechanisms could inform our understanding of addiction recovery and the timing and content of alcohol-related interventions. Empirical studies examining AA's mechanisms were located from searches in Pubmed, Medline, PsycINFO, Social Service Abstracts and from published reference lists. Thirteen studies completed full mediational tests. A further six were included that had completed partial tests. Mechanisms examined fell into three domains: (1) Common processes; (2) AA-specific practices; and (3) Social and spiritual processes. Results suggest AA helps individuals recover through common process mechanisms associated with enhancing self-efficacy, coping skills, and motivation, and by facilitating adaptive social network changes. Little research or support was found for AA's specific practices or spiritual mechanisms. Conclusions are limited by between-study differences in sampling, measurement, and assessment time-points, and by insufficient theoretical elaboration of recovery-related change. Similar to the common finding that theoretically-distinct professional interventions do not result in differential patient outcomes, AA's effectiveness may not be due to its specific content or process. Rather, its chief strength may lie in its ability to provide free, long-term, easy access and exposure to recovery-related common therapeutic elements, the dose of which, can be adaptively self-regulated according to perceived need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: We used time-variant measures of continuity of care to study fluctuations in long-term treatment use by patients with alcohol-related disorders. Methods: Data on service use were extracted from the Psychiatric Case Register for the Rotterdam Region, The Netherlands. Continuity measures were calculated for each day over a 2-year observation period. Repeated measures analysis was used to identify factors that influence continuity of care over time. Results: Continuity of care was higher for patients with more severe disorders. Though quantity of care was high for patients with long problem history during the first year of treatment, it decreased strongly in the second year. The intervals between treatment contacts were shorter for women, especially young ones, than for men. Conclusion: Time-variant measures showed differences in continuity of care that would not have been revealed if more aggregated measures of service use had been used. Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The term “recovery” is often used in the addiction field. However, we have thus far failed to define the term, to delineate its dimensions, or to elucidate the prerequisite conditions to this outcome. This has hindered service development and evaluation as well as changes in policy. This paper: Reviews empirical findings about how “recovery” is defined and experienced by individuals engaged in the process; Examines factors associated with recovery initiation, maintenance, and sustained lifestyle, and review obstacles to recovery; and Discusses implications for services and research; implications include the need to adopt a long-term, wellness-centered approach to addressing substance use related problems, the importance for society to address the stigma of former addiction and to offer attractive viable opportunities to promote making significant life changes toward recovery from substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities of color have been ill-served by acute care models of treating severe alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems that define the source of these problems in idiopathic (biopsychological) terms and promote their resolution via crisis-elicited episodes of brief, individual interventions. This article explores how approaches that shift the model of intervention from acute care (AC) of individuals to a sustained recovery management (RM) partnership with individuals, families, and communities may be particularly viable for historically disempowered peoples. The advantages of the RM model for communities of color include: a broadened perspective on the etiological roots of AOD problems (including historical/cultural trauma); a focus on building vibrant cultures of recovery within which individual recoveries can be anchored and nourished; a proactive, hope-based approach to recovery engagement; the inclusion of indigenous healers and institutions with the RM team; an expanded menu of recovery support services; culturally grounded catalytic metaphors and rituals; and a culturally-nuanced approach to research and evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural recovery is the preferred route of recovery among those who give up or reduce their use of alcohol and other substances, though it is not known whether there are wide variations in this improvement depending on the consumed substance or the cultural context of the addicts. The aim of the present ex post facto work was to study possible variations in both, the process and determinants of self-change, in two groups of Spanish self-changers. Using mainly press advertisements, 29 self-changers who had recovered at least 1 year earlier were recruited, of whom 17 had done so from alcohol abuse and 12 from abuse of illegal drugs. All the subjects were assessed in a single session in aspects related to addiction and recovery. The results revealed significant differences in variables related to the addictive process, such as seriousness of dependence or polyconsumption, and in some of the motivational factors behind the change and employed maintenance strategies. In the light of our findings, it was concluded that the study of the differences between groups of self-changers addicted to various substances may be helpful for the improvement and specialization of therapeutic strategies for each type of addictive problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve-Step (TS) recovery utilizes spirituality to promote sobriety, yet there are no proven programs designed to facilitate spiritual involvement. We developed a seven-week behavioral spirituality intervention titled "Knowing Your Higher Power" for implementation along with usual TS care. Twenty-six participants from a recovery center enrolled. We assessed behavior at baseline, 7-week, and 12-week follow-up. The sample showed significant increase in spiritual involvement and beliefs over the 12-week measurement period and a significantly greater spirituality score in those maintaining total sobriety compared to those that relapsed. These findings encourage a controlled trial to determine if this work has efficacy for practitioners in substance abuse treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For more than 25 years, I served Brown University as Associate Dean with Special Responsibilities in the Area of Chemical Dependency, a long title, but one in which, in those early days, each word had its own political value: the idea of this deanship was without precedent, and questions of turf were a big concern. The status of "associate," for example, made clear that others of higher rank exercised some authority. (Happily, over the years, my supervision was always supportive, trusting and even distant.) "Special" suggested that my responsibilities did not include medical matters addressed in the Brown Medical School and that still other departments had responsibilities in the alcohol and drug area. "In the area" made clear that my own purview had considerable range—academic affairs, athletics, faculty matters, personnel, student life—and was not merely clinical. At the outset, few—locally or nationally—were paying attention to alcohol and other drug issues on campus. I was a full professor in Classics and an alumnus familiar to and with my institution. I was also five years sober. Brown had welcomed a new president that year, an experienced college administrator from Minnesota, Howard Swearer, who, eager to create a program to assist alcohol-troubled faculty, initiated the Associate Deanship/Chemical Dependency. This was a quarter-time position with a modest budget; the additional three-quarters involved responsibility formore strictly academic issues, for example, advising, monitoring academic honesty. From the start I broadened Swearer's mandate to include work with members of the staff and especially graduate and undergraduate students, who were to become my most numerous clients. I assumed the Associate Deanship in 1977, retiring in July 2003. In this presentation I will limit my remarks to interactions with students, and place particular emphasis on the use of alcohol, although other drugs were surely prominent in my work. "Student" here includes both undergraduate and graduate students, individuals of very different ages and of all races and sexual orientations. Most undergraduates matriculated immediately after high school, although some had been away from college for as long as twenty years when they returned to complete degree requirements. I emphasize counseling and leave to one side, for example, bibliotherapy and generally leave unremarked commentary on interactions with other individuals and offices on campus—chaplains, health educators, members of the faculty, psychologists, security officers—with whom I developed networks for information and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines the issue of ego identity among adolescent sons of alcoholic fathers. Forty-four adolescent sons of alcoholic fathers, age of 15-18, constituted the sample. They were drawn from public alcohol treatment center in Israel. The control group included 60 adolescents none of their parents is known as an alcoholic, sampled from integrative schools in the same neighborhood and matched by age. Ego identity was measured by Tzuriel's "Adolescent Ego Identity Scale" (AEIS). It was hypothesized that adolescent children of alcoholics will show lower scores of ego identity and of its dimensions. The hypothesis was not confirmed. To the contrary, adolescent children of alcoholics reported higher scores of "ego identity-total" and of four of the seven ego identity dimensions. One possible explanation is that children of alcoholics are maturing early in age compared to their controls. They have developed different coping strategies that facilitate creating a more "stable" ego identity compared to their peers. Another explanation is that children of alcoholics apply defense mechanisms that enhance the development of an "adaptive self." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al-Anon World Service Office recruited 11 experienced Al-Anon members to hold an online Al-Anon meeting in a chat room on the Web site of the primary author. A transcript of this meeting with commentary by the authors is published in its entirety in this paper. This transcript represents the first opportunity for a professional audience to have first-hand data about the process of a Twelve Step meeting without actually attending a face-to-face meeting. The paper also examines the implications of using the Internet for the purpose of supporting recovery from addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many substance use prevention programs directed at adolescents exist that have been developed by researchers in the United States and are intended to be used in school settings. Some of the problems associated with such programs are reviewed, including their accessibility, ease of use, copyright status, evaluation options, program scales, and ratings, together with an overall consideration of the factors and processes posited to be associated with substance use and non-use (posited "at-risk" and "protective" mechanisms). The authors contend that there is a great need to: (a) develop substance use prevention programs which are commercially available but are not protected by copyright, (b) assess empirically each component in a program separately, and (c) encourage funding bodies to be more active in supporting the production of manuals and evaluation instruments for substance use prevention programs directed at adolescents. We need more and better process evaluations that are also sensitive to both endogenous and exogenous forces in order to know the processes by which a successful prevention program achieves its effects, is prevented from doing so and which processes are irrelevant. A social competence framework might be used as both a goal and as a theoretical base to achieve a better understanding of the processes by which substance use prevention programs reach their effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To determine the course of alcohol use disorders (AUD) in a prospective general population study using three different classification systems: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV (DSM-IV), International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD-10) and the craving withdrawal model (CWM). The latter is an alternative classification, which requires craving and withdrawal for alcohol dependence and raises the alcohol abuse threshold to two criteria. Design, setting and participants Data were derived from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS), a large ( n = 7076) representative general population study with a baseline and 1- and 3-year follow-up assessments. Measurements Diagnostic status according to DSM-IV, ICD-10 and CWM at baseline and at follow-up was established using a structured interview (Composite International Diagnostic Interview: CIDI). Findings DSM-IV abuse, ICD-10 harmful use and CWM abuse all showed a favourable course with remission rates of 81, 89 and 71%, respectively, at 1-year follow-up and 85, 92 and 79% at 3-year follow-up. Dependence according to DSM-IV, ICD-10 and CWM had a somewhat less favourable course, with remission rates (no dependence) of 67, 67 and 57% at 1-year follow-up and 74, 69 and 73% at 3-year follow-up, respectively. Subjects who were remitted at 1-year follow-up showed relapse-rates of 0–14% for dependence and 4–12% for abuse at 3-year follow-up. Although CWM diagnoses tended towards greater diagnostic stability than DSM-IV and ICD-10, most differences were not significant. Conclusion The conviction that addiction is a chronic relapsing disease may apply to treatment-seeking alcoholics, but our data show a far more favourable course of alcohol use disorders in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of literature on addiction recovery, but the effects of age of recovery initiation on the prospects and patterns of addiction recovery remain relatively unexplored. The purpose of this article is to explore the prevalence of, and the qualitative differences in, addiction recovery across the developmental life cycle. The review will include the influence of age of recovery initiation on differences in recovery pathways, styles of recovery, developmental stages and recovery stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirituality and religiousness are multidimensional concepts in their philosophical, theological and healthcare connotations. Both concepts have been discussed extensively in the literature describing the origins, diagnosis and treatment of alcohol and other drug problems. Recovery communities, especially Alcoholics Anonymous, have been studied in terms of their ongoing conversations about spirituality and religiousness in the process of recovery. The contributions of authors, such as James, Tiebout, Kurtz, Whitfield, Brown, Miller, Morgan and White to an understanding of those concepts are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol problems have pervasive effects on family functioning, with negative effects on the marriage relationship and children. In addition, family members and family relationships have a powerful positive or negative effect on treatment. This article provides a model for understanding tile relationship between alcohol abusers' traits, and situations, at-risk behaviors which include alcohol abuse, and family functioning. The most promising family-oriented treatments are then described with an emphasis on the empirical support for these treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many recovering substance users report quitting drugs because they wanted a better life. The road of recovery is the path to a better life but a challenging and stressful path for most. There has been little research among recovering persons in spite of the numbers involved, and most research has focused on substance use outcomes. This study examines stress and quality of life as a function of time in recovery, and uses structural equation modeling to test the hypothesis that social supports, spirituality, religiousness, life meaning, and 12-step affiliation buffer stress toward enhanced life satisfaction. Recovering persons (N = 353) recruited in New York City were mostly inner-city ethnic minority members whose primary substance had been crack or heroin. Longer recovery time was significantly associated with lower stress and with higher quality of life. Findings supported the study hypothesis; the ‘buffer’ constructs accounted for 22% of the variance in life satisfaction. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the levels of ego strength and the claims of having a spiritual experience in 100 recovering alcoholics from Alcoholics Anonymous groups located in South Louisiana. The study found that greater lengths of sobriety were associated with higher ego strength scores on the following scales: Hope, Purpose, Competence, Fidelity, Care, and Wisdom. Additional findings included greater number of times in treatment was associated with higher scores on the Will, Purpose, and Fidelity scales. In addition, spirituality appeared to he involved in staying sober. Specifically, those claiming to have had multiple spiritual experiences had longer sobriety than those who had just one type of spiritual experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study examines the experience of a recovering alcoholic who had difficulty in reading comprehension of the book entitled Alcoholics Anonymous referred to as the "Big Book." However, his level of comprehension increased rather significantly when he began to attend a type of AA meeting known as a "Big Book Study." In this article a brief review of brain functioning is presented which displays how specific areas of the brain coordinate in the task of reading comprehension and the associated problems for the newly recovered alcoholic. Hearing the spoken words as read aloud from the Alcoholics Anonymous text appears to boost retention when accompanied by other methods including verbal elaboration and the taking of written notes. The implications of this study emphasize the importance of the understanding of the nature of alcoholism, the program of recovery, and daily maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The helper therapy principle suggests that, within mutual-help groups, those who help others help themselves. The current study examines whether clients in treatment for alcohol and drug problems benefit from helping others, and how helping relates to 12-step involvement. Longitudinal treatment outcome. An ethnically diverse community sample of 279 alcohol- and/or drug-dependent individuals (162 males, 117 females) was recruited through advertisement and treatment referral from Northern California Bay Area communities. Participants were treated at one of four day-treatment programs. A helping checklist measured the amount of time participants spent, during treatment, helping others by sharing experiences, explaining how to get help and giving advice on housing and employment. Measures of 12-step involvement and substance use outcomes were administered at baseline and a 6 month follow-up. Helping and 12-step involvement emerged as important and related predictors of treatment outcomes. In the general sample, total abstinence at follow-up was strongly and positively predicted by 12-step involvement at follow-up, but not by helping during treatment; still, helping positively predicted subsequent 12-step involvement. Among individuals still drinking at follow-up, helping during treatment predicted a lower probability of binge drinking, whereas effects for 12-step involvement proved inconsistent. Findings support the helper therapy principle and clarify the process of 12-step affiliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

War and social transition in Croatia have increased unemployment and rates of substance abuse. A decrease in prevention programs places adolescents at an increased risk. Data collected from the 2002 Split Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) showed that adolescents are at risk for alcohol use and related problems. Thus, there is a need to strengthen primary and secondary prevention activities to empower adolescents and counteract negative societal change. A public health partnership between the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Public Health (UMDNJ-SPH) and Split, Croatia was formed in 2001. Adolescent alcohol prevention was identified as our focus and Project Northland, a model U.S. program, was selected. A strong network of NGOs and government officials support the project. Qualitative evaluation showed strong parent, teacher, and student satisfaction. Preliminary analysis shows a heightened awareness on the part of students that will likely contribute to the overall success of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) extract a significant health, social, and economic toll on American society. While the field of substance abuse prevention has made great strides during the past decade, two major challenges remain. First, the field has been disorganized and fragmented with respect to its research and prevention practices; that is, there are often separate ATOD prevention "specialists." Second, both the prevention researchers who test the efficacy of specific prevention strategies and the practitioners who implement prevention efforts often lack an overall perspective to guide strategy selection. To address these limitations, we present an ATOD causal model that seeks to identify those variables (Domains) that are theoretically salient and empirically connected across alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. For the researcher, the model demonstrates important commonalities, as well as gaps, in the literature. For the practitioner, the model is a means to recognize both the complexity of the community system that produces ATOD problems and the multiple intervention points that are possible within this system. Researchers and practitioners are thus challenged to work synergistically to find effective and cost-effective approaches to change or reduce ATOD use and associated problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines A.A. surveys and related comments from the perspective of an "introductory interval of ninety days", as a determining factor for membership in the fellowship. Efficacy and retention rate in A.A., between 1968-1996, are discussed in terms of the "introductory interval"; particular attention is paid to the 1989-90 A.A. reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is an historical and thematic study of the theological ethics of John C. Ford, SJ, regarding alcohol abuse and chemical dependency. Retrieving "classic" perspectives on these problems is seen as important for helping the churches to address this challenging "sign of the times" today. Ford's involvement in the fledgling "recovery movement" and his collaboration in early addiction science are documented. His main theological views regarding addiction are reviewed. Three themes are addressed: the nature of addictive illness, the role of a "spiritual" component in addiction, and the notions of sin and personal responsibility in relation to abuse and dependency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines two treatment interventions for patients in the pre-recovery stage of addiction. Patients in the Psychoeducation group, compared to the Recovery-oriented group, demonstrated greater duration in treatment and agreement with the first three steps of the Twelve Steps, measured by a Steps Questionnaire. There are specific tasks to be accomplished in each stage of recovery and specific interventions that will facilitate patients in navigating through the step and into successful recovery. The term "pre-recovery" is proposed as the initial stage in which the person is actively drinking or using, does not recognize a problem, and has no intention of changing. Treatment programs are seeing an increased number of people who are not yet recovery-ready but are participating in treatment. There is a nations wide increase in referral for treatment of defendants arrested on drug related charges. The Psychoeducational Group intervention consisted of a didactic approach that focused on transferring information about drugs and the consequences of use. The expectation for the patient role was as a passive participant. Patients were asked to make a verbal commitment to abstain from alcohol and drugs during the four week program.

A major concern among service providers and policy makers has been the increase in the number of individuals and families that enter the health care system either using or abusing alcohol and other drugs or suffering from the ramifications of a significant family member's substance abuse. An additional concern involves a lack of adequate understanding of these clients and a lag in the development of appropriate treatment strategies, especially in relation to women (Blume, 1992; Googins, 1984; National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, 1987). This article pays particular attention to substance use among women; the identification of deficits in current mainstream, treatment efforts, which historically have been developed primarily by male providers for male substance abusers; the advantages and specifics of treatment based on a feminist perspective; and their application to other at-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a tailored system for drug abuse intervention program in the U.S. A copy of an intervention program contact reporting form is presented to aid program directors in their formulation of a reporting and recording format necessary for the survival potential of their agency as well as possibly lessening funding problems from the federal government through the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Consequently, a viable record and reporting system is vital in an intervention program to justify their request of funds and assure their continued existence.

The themes and patterns of spirituality-religiousness are explored, in their relevance to the treatment and recovery from alcohol-other drug problems, in this volume. The findings of the various authors are summarized, including descriptions of the populations studied across the life cycle, as they experience treatment mid recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which reported the association between intensive referral process and improved attendance and involvement with a 12-step self-help group. The alcohol and drug use outcomes of patients in both referral cohorts showed improvements. Patients in intensive referral also showed higher involvement in 12-step self-help group.