Individual Differences in Addictive Behaviors

The study of addiction draws primarily on methods and approaches to understanding, treating and supporting addiction drawn from traditional approaches. The foundations of which focus on responses seen across groups, but often neglecting to account for the role the individual differences plays in understanding and treating addiction. It is clear from the literature that there is often a lack of consensus in both understanding and treating those struggling with addiction. Individual differences therefore, whilst not always conforming to the accepted model for developing theoretical interpretations and practice in the field, are key to successful outcomes in treating addiction.

The primary aim of this Research Topic is to provide a collection of rigorous scientific work that addresses the role that understanding individual differences has to play in advancing our understanding of addiction. We acknowledge that this collection will include work both from all approaches to advancing our understanding including quantitative, relational and qualitative approaches. We expect that the research presented in this collection will be truly interdisciplinary with representations from psychology, psychiatry, and related disciplines.

The focus of this special topic is on the role that individual differences play in both advancing our understanding of addiction as well as building on existing interventions as well as developing new approaches for treating addiction. We are particularly interested in research that has a focus in gender, age and socioeconomic variables and their effect on both theoretical frameworks as well as treatment outcomes. Research both in abstinence, harm reduction and comorbidity with concurrent a diagnosis will be welcomed. We expect that rigorous studies from quantitative, relational, and qualitative approaches addressing all aspects of addiction including theoretical and applied work.