In this elegantly written core text, Professor Cox introduces the reader to the full spectrum of biological, psychological, and social aspects of alcohol use. The chapters on motivational models and interventions reflect his extensive experience in the psychology of addictive behaviors. With its critical review of the current evidence, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in risk factors and treatments for problem drinkingstudents, clinicians and policymakers alike. Professor David Linden, DPhil, PhD, Scientific Director Mental Health and Neuroscience Research Institute (MHeNs) Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
The Psychology of Alcohol Use: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment by Miles Cox is an accessible overview of 50 years of alcohol research in psychology, with an emphasis on motivational processes, a topic on which Professor Cox is an internationally renowned expert. The book provides answers to everything you always wanted to know about drinking but never dared to ask. Why do people continue drinking even when they realize that it will harm their health? What can I do myself to curb my drinking or to help someone around me, based on the accumulated knowledge in psychological science? Reinout Wiers, PhD, Professor of Developmental Psychopathology and Chair of the Addiction Development and Psychopathology (ADAPT) Lab, University of Amsterdam and author of A New Perspective on Addiction and Choice: Akrasia and the Nature of Free Will.
W. Miles Coxs 1990 book, Why People Drink: Parameters of Alcohol as a Reinforcer, offered a groundbreaking perspective on why individuals choose to drink alcohol, laying the foundation for decades of drinking motive researchincluding my own work. Building on his extensive experience in both research and the practical applications of his findings in treatment and education, Coxs latest book, The Psychology of Alcohol Use: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment, addresses broader questions, such as what alcohol is, its effects on drinkers, why people drink, and who may be most at risk. The book also explores ways of measuring, diagnosing, and treating excessive alcohol use and related problems. Written in clear, accessible language, this resource is invaluable for anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of a substance that, according to the WHO, causes 2.6 million deaths annually and accounts for nearly 5% of the global disease burden. Emmanuel Kuntsche, PhD, Director of the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research (CAPR) and Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
The Psychology of Alcohol Use provides a brilliant overview of the psychological determinants of alcohol use and misuse. The author skilfully summarises the current state of scientific knowledge, ranging from (a) the effects of alcohol on the body and mind to (b) psychological theories explaining alcohol use and misuse to (c) methods for treating alcohol-related problems. Based on his groundbreaking research on the motivational basis for alcohol consumption and misuse, Cox challenges the prevailing model of addiction as a brain disease by highlighting psychological and sociological aspects, as well as recovery without professional help. The book is equally suitable for experts from various disciplines, students, and laypeople interested in the most important topics in the psychology of alcohol use and misuse. Ludwig Kraus, Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Centre of Interdisciplinary Addiction Research (ZIS) Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy University Medical Centre, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany. Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs, Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University. Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
The Psychology of Alcohol Use: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment is an enjoyable, informative, and up-to-date, easy read. College students at any level and many others interested in learning more about alcohol, its effects, or the treatment of alcohol abuse will find it invaluable. Family members of alcoholics or problem drinkers, drinkers themselves, researchers beginning to study alcohol abuse, and even policy makers will find chapters of high relevance to them. The author, Professor W. Miles Cox, is a top expert on the treatment of alcohol abuse, has developed important evidence-based treatment options, and skillfully integrates an enormous amount of information in a form that is comprehensive yet succinct and readable for a wide audience. Alan W. Stacy, PhD, Professor, School of Community & Global Health, Claremont Graduate University; Claremont, California. Professor Emeritus, Institute for Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
In The Psychology of Alcohol Use: Theory, Assessment, and Treatment, Miles Cox provides a pragmatic synthesis of the psychological mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption. The book provides an essential biological and historical context, but its true strength lies in its focus on the whymoving beyond simple medical models to explore the complex motivational nexus that drives both problematic use and successful recovery. Cox manages to distill decades of rigorous research into a narrative that will be useful for clinicians, researchers, and students as well as interested laypeople. It is a sober, comprehensive resource for understanding one of the most pervasive substances in modern society. Siegfried Gauggel, PhD, Director of the Centre for Psychotherapy, Chemnitz, Germany and Emeritus Professor of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, RWTH Aachen University, Germany
