Addiction

By August Holtyn, Bethany R. Raiff, Jesse Dallery & Kimberly C. Kirby

The Addiction SIG was founded to expand training, research, and employment opportunities for behavior analysts in the area of addiction. The SIG provides a forum for all persons who have an interest in studying and applying behavior analysis to understand, prevent, and treat addiction. This may include addiction to drugs and other commodities (e.g., alcohol, nicotine, stimulants, opioids, internet, smartphones, food, gambling) and associated psychosocial problems (e.g., psychiatric comorbidities, unemployment, poverty).

In the past year, the Addiction SIG focused on maintaining the necessary infrastructure to support SIG activities. We conducted SIG leadership meetings, maintained our digital presence via Facebook, and monitored our system for tracking SIG membership. We held the inaugural business meeting of the SIG at the ABAI annual convention—our main focus at the business meeting was to provide an overview of the SIG’s mission, increase SIG membership, and encourage feedback on ongoing and future activities of the SIG.

In the coming year, the Addiction SIG aims to accomplish several goals. The SIG will: (1) serve as a professional and scientific networking group for its members; (2) focus on growing its presence and interaction on social media; (3) continue to recruit new members; (4) promote submission of addiction-related symposia, panel sessions, posters, and papers for ABAI and highlight upcoming relevant presentations; and (5) expand the resources available to its members. In sum, the SIG aims to pursue several activities that will make membership in the Addiction SIG as beneficial as possible. Membership in the Addiction SIG is open to all individuals who are interested in the SIG’s aim, mission, or objectives. The SIG’s members need not be members of ABAI.

Membership is currently free. If you would like to become a member, please complete the membership application, found here.