ABSTRACT
This chapter starts with an overview of alcohol and drug problems. The bulk of the chapter focuses on assessment, case conceptualization, the process of decision making at each step in treatment, the selection of treatment modalities and implementation of specific treatment techniques. A wealth of research provides the empirical underpinnings for the chapter, and will show developing clinicians how to translate that knowledge into clinical practice with individual clients. The treatment model that guides the remainder of this chapter is based on the assumption that there are multiple aetiologies for substance-use disorders, multiple factors maintaining use and multiple pathways to successful change. Adopting a multiperspectival approach is more difficult and challenging, particularly for the beginning clinician, than simply adopting a unitary model that provides a common conceptualization and treatment for all clients. A functional analytic approach allows the clinician to integrate information about environmental, cognitive, physiological, affective and behavioural elements that maintain drinking or drug use.
