Feature
This year's APA Annual Convention will feature a number of opportunities to hear about how psychologists are combating addiction, from developing treatment programs to lobbying for research funds.
Among the highlights is a keynote address by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Alan I. Leshner, PhD, on "Bringing the power of psychology to bear on drug abuse and addiction" on Saturday, Aug. 25, at 2 p.m.
Below are other programs and events of note, sponsored by various APA divisions, that offer insight into today's most pressing addiction problems and the ways psychologists and students can become more involved.
Friday, Aug. 24
Div. 28's (Psychopharmacology and Substance Abuse) opening session will feature talks on the effects of behavioral history and disinhibitory drugs and responses to moderate tobacco smoking in humans, 8 to 8:50 a.m.
"Trauma and substance abuse: treatment and research," a symposium that will present a range of topics, including treating traumatized female addicts, 8 to 8:50 a.m.
"Club drug use and gay men's health" presented from 9 to 9:50 a.m.
"Adolescent substance use and abuse: etiology and treatment efficacy" will feature speakers on the science behind adolescent drug use and treatment, 10 to 10:50 a.m.
"New research on assessment and medication treatments for ADHD impairments" will offer participants an insight into new research on Ritalin, the effects of stimulants on academic ability and new treatments for ADHD patients, 10 to 11:50 a.m.
"Contemporary issues in substance abuse" is a poster session, noon to 1:50 p.m.
"Brief therapy for addictions" will feature presentations on harm-reduction therapy, couples addiction therapy, integrating therapy with 12-step programs and cognitive therapy, 2 to 3:50 p.m.
"Behavioral science foundation of tobacco" will examine ethnic challenges to reducing tobacco use, 2 to 3:50 p.m.
"Prevention of substance abuse: focused reduction of risk factors," 4 to 4:50 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Karen I. Bolla, PhD, will present "Integrating neuroimaging and neuropsychology: an interdisciplinary approach to substance abuse," a symposium that will focus on the implications of neuroimaging, neuropsychological testing and personality testing and how these methods have advanced the understanding of substance abuse, 8 to 8:50 a.m.
"Moderation management: a harm-reduction approach to problem drinking" will focus on the details and research behind moderation management, as well as the physicians' perspectives, 8 to 8:50 a.m.
"Biomarkers of alcohol abuse in clinical trials and medical practice," 8 to 9:50 a.m.
"A practical guide to your first grant submission to NIH" will offer students and practitioners a look at how to approach the National Institutes of Health, 9 to 10:50 a.m.
At noon, Stephen T. Higgins, PhD, will give a special presentation, "Drug rehabilitation," that focuses on integrating the principles and concepts from behavioral science into reducing drug abuse.
"Innovative behavioral treatment development research: highlights of NIDA's Stage I program" will be held from 1 to 2:50 p.m.
"Behavioral mechanisms of drug action: a viable approach" will include papers examining the environmental determinants of drug effects on behavior, 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Alan I. Leshner, PhD, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, will give a keynote address, "Bringing the power of psychology to bear on drug abuse and addiction," 2 to 2:50 p.m.
"Effectiveness of substance abuse treatment for pregnant and parenting women" will feature speakers from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Caliber Associates, the Treatment Research Institute and the University of California, 3 to 4:50 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Gender specific issues on addictions" will examine gender issues in treating substance abusers and gambling addicts, 8 to 9:50 a.m.
"The effectiveness of outpatient treatment of adolescent substance abuse" is a continuing-education workshop about approaches to treating marijuana addiction in adolescents. The workshop will feature the Cannabis Youth Treatment experiment, a project funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to study treatment for marijuana abuse in youth. Held from 8 to 9:50 a.m.
"Progress and prospects in the behavioral economics of substance abuse," 10 to 11:50 a.m.
"Fellows Address" is an opportunity for Div. 28's new fellows to speak on their work in the field. Fellows will speak on the effects of drug use by parents, the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy in treating alcoholism and new models for coping with co-occurring drug dependence and mental health disorders, 10 to 11:50 a.m.
"Addictive behaviors: alcohol and other drugs, eating, gambling, smoking and the Internet" is a poster session that will offer a broad overview, helpful to those new to the field of addiction, noon to 12:50 p.m.
"Treatment strategies for smoking cessation" will look at treating cigarette smokers from a psychosocial perspective and the role of affective processes in avoiding relapse, noon to 1:50 p.m.
"Medications for alcohol problems: They work, but who uses them?" will feature presentations on new medications being used to treat alcoholism, as well as the practical implementation of medication into dependency treatment, 2 to 3 p.m.
"Contemporary issues in assessing self-reported alcohol and substance abuse" will feature presentations on nicotine dependence among Chinese versus non-Chinese, and depression and hopelessness among drug users not in treatment, 2 to 3:50 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 27
"Negative affect and addictive behaviors," 2 to 2:50 p.m.
"Substance abuse and emotion mediators, moderators and mechanisms" is a symposium that will present several theoretical perspectives that will focus on the interaction between substance abuse and affective responding, 3 to 4:50 p.m.
"Diverse approaches in treatment of couples with substance abuse problems" will be held from 3 to 4:50 p.m.
