Treating Adolescent Substance Abuse: Understanding the Fundamental Elements

How do you diagnose and treat teenage chemical dependency? Why use a particular strategy? The answers to these two important questions form the backbone of this comprehensive, practical volume. In its pages practitioners are introduced to the field of chemical dependency and get hands-on help for implementing a treatment program that works with adolescent substance abusers. Dr. George R. Ross, recognized as a leader in the field of teenage substance abuse, provides an easy-to-follow overview of eight fundamental elements that make a treatment program successful while presenting a sound rationale for conceptualizing the problem of chemical dependency, a framework for addressing it, a list of defined goals and objectives for confronting it, and field tested treatment strategies for helping teenage substance abusers and their families overcome it. The eight fundamental elements Dr. Ross addresses are detailed in ten chapters packed with practical ideas, suggestions, and techniques based on both the opinions and research of other professionals in the field, and the authors' extensive experience over the past fifteen years. Throughout the book Dr. Ross has incorporated a number of features that make this resource a valuable hands-on manual, including: 28 figures that help explain important concepts and ideas, an extensive bibliography, suggestions on how to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a teenage substance abuser, eight possible scenarios that result from a thorough evaluation, several treatment interventions, treatment strategies for use with teenagers and their families, an overview of just what's needed to develop a competent staff, an incisive look at the elements needed todevelop sound evaluation and research studies, and much more. One full chapter outlines a model treatment program that's ready to implement. And helpful appendixes include a comprehensive, ready-to-use psychosocial assessment form and a listing of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. In a language that's clear and easy to read, Dr. Ross shows the way adolescents view their problems, spells out questions for parents and for teenagers that should be asked in a family interview, and provides suggestions for choosing the options best suited to the situation.