Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Substance Abuse and the Family: Assessment and Treatment

Rate this book

In this updated edition of Substance Abuse and the Family, Michael D. Reiter examines addiction through a family systems lens which considers a range of interconnected contexts, such as biology and genetics, family relationships, and larger systems.


Chapters are organized around two sections: Assessment and Treatment. Examining how the family system organizes around substance use and abuse, the first section includes contributions on the neurobiology and genetics of addiction, as well as chapters on family diversity, issues in substance-using families, and working in a culturally sensitive way. The second half of the book explores various treatment options for individuals and families presenting with substance abuse issues, providing an overview of the major family therapy theories, and chapters on self-help groups and the process of family recovery.


The second edition has many useful additions including a revision of the family diversity chapter to consider sexual and gender minorities, brand new chapters on behavioral addictions such as sex and gambling, and a chapter on ethical implications in substance abuse work with families. Additional sections include information on Multisystemic Therapy, Behavioral Couples Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Twelve-Step Facilitation. Each chapter now contains a case application to help demonstrate treatment strategies in practice.


Intended for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as beginning practitioners, Substance Abuse and the Family, 2nd Ed. remains one of the most penetrating and in-depth examinations on the topic available.

438 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2019

19 people are currently reading
17 people want to read

About the author

Michael D. Reiter

24 books1 follower

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
2 (15%)
4 stars
8 (61%)
3 stars
3 (23%)
2 stars
0 (0%)
1 star
0 (0%)
Displaying 1 of 1 review
Profile Image for James.
125 reviews
October 11, 2025
I ordered this book to accompany my college class, Family and Addiction this spring, the book arrived ahead of time and is in wonderful shape. It's a keeper for the bookshelf
Displaying 1 of 1 review

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.