Review of Visions of addiction: Major contemporary perspectives on addiction and alcoholism.

Reviews the book, Visions of addiction: Major contemporary perspectives on addiction and alcoholism edited by S. Peele (1988). Is alcoholism a disease? If not, what is it? What about drug abuse, smoking, or compulsive gambling? Are they diseases, too? What is "addiction," anyway? Are addictions tangible entities in the world or are they linguistic conventions constructed within the limitations imposed by our cultural circumstances and mechanisms of verbal behavior? What causes such apparently self-destructive behavior? Is it the result of diseased bodies, bad genes, bad personalities, bad habits, bad friends, adaptiveness gone awry, besieged psyches, moral debauchery, perverted values, or spiritual vacuity? What can established institutions do about addiction? How about medicine, psychotherapy, psychology, lay mutual aid groups, science, government, law enforcement, religion, education? What should they do? These are the types of questions raised in this book. The chapters are quite variable in content, scope, focus, and orientation, but all are clearly written and well organized. The book is challenging, thought provoking, informative, and even contains some practical advice. Given its modest size, it is surprising how well it deals with many of the myriad historical, current, and future issues facing the study of addiction. Its impact on the field is an issue for the future, but in the present I believe it deserves the careful attention of serious students of addiction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Relapse prevention.

Reviews the book, Relapse prevention by G. Alan Marlatt and Judith R. Gordon. The book is well suited for its intended audience-clinicians and researchers working in the field of addictions. Clinicians and program developers will appreciate the clear clinical conceptualization of the addiction treatment program and the comprehensive and detailed array of treatment methods that are directly linked to the model. Clinicians working in specialized addiction programs will benefit from the chapters from the contributing authors which outline programmatic approaches for dealing with these behaviors. Clinicians outside the addiction field certainly will find the model and strategies useful in conceptualizing and facilitating the maintenance of behavior change in all types of clients. For researchers, the book will be a rich resource of research ideas and future research directions, and a model for integrating research with practice. It is still uncommon, but much appreciated, to see a true scientist-practitioner like Marlatt who uses research findings to improve treatment and treatment observations to pose research questions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Psychoanalytic approaches to addiction.

Reviews the book, Psychoanalytic approaches to addiction edited by Angela Smaldino (see record 1991-98128-000). Contrary to what one might read into its title, the book is only partially about alcohol and other drugs AOD addiction. Three of its seven chapters address other types of addiction: destructive relationships, love, and food. The implication is that similarities among the various addictions will serve to illustrate a common unconscious motivation of "the addictive personality" revealed by psychoanalysis. Nowhere in the book, however, is this explicitly stated. The chapters are as the beads of an unlinked chain. They are as a series of associations in a patient's stream of consciousness, each one rich in detail, captivating, and insightful, but as yet without the analyst's interpretation as to how they are linked. The daunting task of that interpretation is left to the reader. This book is a valiant effort to move the psychoanalytic field in the direction of accommodating to the needs of an important patient population. It is not a primer to be taken as a directive, but a useful tool that the more sophisticated reader may employ as an impetus to stimulate further thinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Taking charge: How families can climb out of the chaos of addiction.

Reviews the book, Taking charge: How families can climb out of the chaos of addiction by Stephen E. Schlesinger and Lawrence K. Hornberg (1998). In this guidebook the authors present their multimodel approach, which is designed especially for family members of an addict. The authors encourage the reader throughout the book not to feel ashamed to look for professional help. The reviewer can recommend this book as an excellent resource for professional work, either for individual therapy or as an introductory reading for groups. The reviewer appreciates very much the themes of this book--to help family members become more aware of their own needs, to repair the damage caused by addiction, and to reunite them for a more satisfying and happier life. This change in the family interaction holds great promise for the addict who wants to recover. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Drogues et dependances and Toxicomanies.

Reviews the books, Drogues et dépendances by Jef-Louis Bonnardeaux (1983) and Toxicomanies by Dollard Cormier (1983. The book by Bonnardeaux is clearly written and is accompanied by illustrations. However, one doubts the utility of the representation of many biochemical formulas. One wishes also for a better structuring of the various chapters. The book by Cormier is an excellent complement to the Bonnardeaux book. Drug addiction is presented as a life style expressing a solution to problems of existence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Précis de toxicomanies.

Reviews the book, Précis de toxicomanies by Jean Bergeret and Jean Leblanc (1984). In this volume Bergeret and Leblanc discuss the treatment of drug-addiction in all its reality. Indeed, several aspects of the problem are approached: pharmacological, psychological, sociological and relational. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Revue de Therapie de milieu en institution psychiatrique.

Reviews the book, Therapie de milieu en institution psychiatrique by Gilles Trudel (1980). This book of Trudel is a very good example of what should be good in the field of applied psychology. It is the report of a search for scales relating to the setting-up and the application of a programme of saving in tokens for chronic psychiatric patients--the hospital Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine de Montreal. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychologie de l' apprentissage-enseignement.

Reviews the book, Psychologie de l' apprentissage-enseignement by Aurèle St-Yves (1982). The purpose of this book is to establish a relation between the theory of training and teaching in psychology. The volume constitutes a review of the relevant literature, and the reader will find information relevant to various designs of training and the current teaching practices. A bibliography is included. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

évaluation du livre intitulé manuel de gérontologie sociale 2.

Reviews the book, Manuel de gérontologie sociiale 2 by Jean Carette (1992). The Handbook of Social Gerontology 2 constitutes a practical complement of volume 1 which related to the social aspects of ageing and the retirement. Volume 2 relates mainly to the social intervention whose objective is to support the action and the collective mobilization individuals and associations of retirements. Using a 30-year experiment with groups of retirees, either in preparation of retirement, or in the collective action, the author approaches a new ground in gerontology. He proposes a new approach--social gerontology, (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Examen de "L'expertise psycholégale: Balises méthodologiques et déontologiques".

Reviews the book, L'expertise psycholégale: Balises méthodologiques et déontologiques (1999). This collective under the direction of Louis Brunet wants to give a progress report on knowledge and the practice of psychological expertise. The work considers the general aspects of it and particularly ethics and the deontology, as well as the specific fields. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Combating destructive thought processes: Voice therapy and separation theory.

Reviews the book, Combating destructive thought processes: Voice therapy and separation theory by Robert W. Firestone (see record 1997-97377-000). This book presents a persuasive and highly integrative approach, not only to the practice of psychotherapy, but also to the human dilemma. The author combines psychodynamic and cognitive models, and makes an innovative advancement by adding an existential framework. the book comprises 18 chapters, divided into five sections covering topics such as the roots of psychopathology; voice therapy in comparison to psychoanalysis and cognitive therapy; the application of voice therapy; the nature of guilt and addiction; death anxiety; and broader social concerns. The reviewer found the organization of this book somewhat problematic, both in terms of the sequence of chapters and the topics covered. He also found that many generalizations were stated as fact and many issues deserved further elaboration. However, he contends that readers may find that the information presented in this book will clarify complex psychotherapeutic issues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Gestalt psychotherapy: Concepts and demonstrations in stress, relationships, hypnosis and addiction.

Reviews the book, Gestalt psychotherapy: Concepts and demonstrations in stress, relationships, hypnosis and addiction by Richard E. Hardy (1991). This work provides a basic explanation of the concepts of Gestalt psychotherapy. As an introductory work, the book provides clear explanations of key concepts, but errs in the direction of oversimplifying the complexities of Gestalt thinking. The author acknowledges these complexities without fully capturing them. It is obvious that Richard Hardy really knows Gestalt therapy, but if the reader is not well grounded in Gestalt theory and Gestalt psychotherapy, the depth of the concepts would easily be lost. A strength of Hardy's book is his presentation of ways in which Gestalt therapy can be utilized in areas not normally associated with Gestalt, such as hypnosis, pain management, intimate relationships, and addictions. An important criticism of Hardy's work is that he fails to follow the APA guidelines for the use of nonsexist language. Overall, the limitations of the book outweigh the strengths. Hardy appears to have difficulty choosing his audience. Beginning psychotherapists would need more basic information and case examples. Advanced psychotherapists would seek more depth and new information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Manuel réalisé sous la direction de Michèle Robert et intitulé: Fondements et étapes de la recherche scientifique en psychologie.

Reviews the book, IFondements et étapes de la recherche scientifique en psychologie (Bases and stages of scientific research in psychology) by Michèle Robert (1982). This book is an introduction to scientific research addressed particularly to psychology students, though, it is the reviewer's opinion that it is appropriate for students in education. This handbook is extremely well written. Collaborators of this book are Jacques P. Beaugrand, David Belanger, Claude Charbonneau, Andree Fort, Michèle Robert and Michel Sabourin. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Jeu de hasard et consommation de substances psychotropes: Prévalence, coexistence et conséquences.

The present article is a critical review of research examining the relationship between pathological gambling and drug/alcohol addiction in adults and adolescents. The authors present diagnostic criteria and prevalence estimates for each population. It is noted that in adults, the prevalence of drug or alcohol dependence is five times greater among pathological gamblers in treatment than it is among the general population. Adults with both disorders exhibit greater levels of impulsiveness and disinhibition than individuals with a single diagnosis. The few studies that have investigated the co-morbidity of pathological gambling and drug/alcohol addiction in adolescents yield results similar to those obtained in adults. Pathological gambling is highly correlated with drug, alcohol and cigarette consumption. Moreover, impulsiveness is greater among adolescents with a co-morbid diagnosis. This review suggests the importance for treatment and prevention programs to take into account the possible co-morbidity among these disorders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Revue de Conceptions contemporaines de la santé mentale.

Reviews the book, Conceptions contemporaines de la santé mentale by Purushottam Joshi and Gaston-René de Grace (1983). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Le counseling en milieu de travail.

Reviews the book, Le counseling en milieu de travail by Odette Beaudoin (1986). This book is extremely well documented, gives a progress report on the world of organizations, and on services depending on organisational behavior in particular. It discusses couseling in the work environment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review of Les théories de la personnalité.

Reviews the book, Les théories de la personnalité by S. Clapier-Valladon (1986). This small book presents, in eight chapters and 125 pages, the theories of personality. As a whole, it seems obvious that this book cannot be used as a reference work for basic teaching in psychology of personality. The subjects are covered in too summary a way, and the material is mostly preliminary. The book makes it possible for the readers who do not have a background to give each other vocational training in psychology, and to be familiarized with partial theories of personality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Review de Le développement métalinguistique.

Reviews the book, Le développement métalinguistique by Jean-émile Gombert (1991). This book is apparently a version of the author's dissertation prepared under the direction of Pierre Greco, eminent critical heir to Piagetism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Role of progesterone in nicotine addiction: Evidence from initiation to relapse.

Nicotine addiction continues to be the main cause of preventable death in developed countries. Women and teen girls appear to be more vulnerable on certain aspects of nicotine addiction compared with men and boys. While the mechanism of gender differences in nicotine addiction is not yet clear, evidence suggests that while estrogen may underlie enhanced vulnerability in females, progesterone may protect females. Thus, progesterone may have therapeutic use for tobacco addiction, especially in female smokers. A greater understanding of the role of progesterone in nicotine addiction is important not only from a treatment standpoint, but also from a prevention standpoint: hormone transition phases, such as those that occur at adolescence, and during pregnancy and following birth, as well as following hormonal manipulation (e.g., using methods of hormonal birth control), may all contribute to changes in vulnerability to nicotine addiction. In this review, we summarize recent evidence from clinical and preclinical studies examining the role of progesterone in nicotine addiction focusing on its role during initiation of use and during later phases of the addiction process as a potential relapse prevention treatment. We conclude with future directions including further examination of progesterone as a potential intervention and treatment of nicotine addiction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)