Defining Addiction: Contrasting Views of Clients and Experts

Abstract

Clients enrolled in a drug education class and fellows of Division SO (Division on Addictions) of the American Psychological Association were asked to define the concept of addiction. Although opinions varied, clients tended to view addiction in terms of needs, urges, and diminished control whereas expert definitions focused on the compulsive aspects of the behavior, the presence of physical dependence, and like the clients frequently emphasized diminished control. Experts were significantly more likely to express dissatisfaction with the concept of addiction, which along with the fact that no single criterion was endorsed by more than half of either group, raises serious questions about the practical utility and scientific merit of this enigmatic concept.