“The text is well written, lucid, economical in style....Good value for the money.”

—Journal of Substance Use (on the second edition)


“Bridges the gap between theory and practice...The book is well referenced and makes an excellent training text. Review questions to clarify and reinforce major points are included.”

—Addiction (on the first edition)


“Succinctly reviews and critiques the major behavioral science theories of alcoholism and other addictions....An outstanding introduction to theories of addiction.”

—Choice (on the first edition)


“This is a great introduction to addiction. Written by distinguished authors, it provides different paradigms for conceptualizing alcohol and drug use and has a solid research foundation. It is a very useful resource for students and professionals alike.”

—Doody's Review Service


“Substance abuse has an impact on virtually all aspects of health and psychosocial functioning, making it a key issue for all social service and health fields. Introduction to Addictive Behaviors, Fourth Edition, provides a comprehensive overview of current theories about addictions and their prevention and treatment. It appeals to a broad audience, ranging from advanced undergraduate and graduate students to practicing mental health and substance abuse treatment professionals.”

—Nancy M. Petry, PhD, Professor of Medicine, UConn Health


“This book continues to be the seminal work for professionals and students learning about the major theoretical approaches for explaining and treating addiction. The fourth edition includes new chapters on the controversies surrounding behavioral addictions, ways to link theory and practice, and motivational factors in personal change, as well as updated statistics and empirical findings. I have used this text successfully in my substance abuse counseling theories course, and believe it is the best available on the topic. It's a great teaching tool for both undergraduate and graduate students.”

—Jessica L. Sniatecki, PhD, CRC, Department of Health Science, The College at Brockport, State University of New York


“I have taught undergraduate courses on the psychology of addictive behavior for several years, and this book is a perfect fit as the primary textbook. It is by far the most well-researched and reader-friendly book on the market. The fourth edition is up to date and includes three new chapters. I'm looking forward to using it with my next class!”

—Christopher J. Correia, PhD, Department of Psychology, Auburn University


“The fourth edition of Introduction to Addictive Behaviors provides a timely update to this classic textbook. With its clearly written, well-organized presentation of complex topics, this 'must-adopt' text is the book of choice for introducing students and practitioners to theory and research on addictions. I highly recommend it as an introductory text for undergraduate and graduate courses on addictive behavior.”

—Timothy J. O'Farrell, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School