BENCHMARK THEORETICAL MODELS 1
Benchmark Theoretical Models and Approaches Paper
Maame Afrifa
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
BENCHMARK THEORETICAL MODELS 2
Benchmark Theoretical Models and Approach
Introduction to Theoretical Models
In the counseling field, it is imperative to understand that we will encounter clients with various
backgrounds, cultures, values, and beliefs. These clients may come with various presenting problems, and it is
up to the practitioners to provide counseling services in an ethical manner. It is also practitioner’s duty to
provide services or instill techniques to ensure that the client’s needs are the priority. In addiction counseling,
the use of substances, mental health disorders, and various forms of abuse are correlated (Capuzzi & Stauffer,
2020). Addiction counseling is an important aspect of the counseling process. The term addiction can be
defined as a dependence on a substance or a particular item (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). It is vital for
counselors to understand the etiology or the ultimate cause of certain addictions and the effect it may have on
individuals or an individual’s family. To grasp the etiology of addictions can serve as aid to ensure proper
implementation of a treatment plan, diagnosis, and beneficial long-term goals. In this paper, I intend to convey
a summary of four models that pertain to addiction of my choosing, integrate examples of each model, and
reasoning as to why each model chosen provides a useful explanation. The models that explain etiologies of
addiction include: the moral model, psychological models
Family Models
Individuals suffering from addiction may have been affected external factors such as trauma, abuse,
peer pressure etc. In order to understand the etiology of addiction, addictions counselors must also accept that
the individual’s family may also have a beneficial or negative influence on the individual’s background. It is
possible that the addiction in itself or addictive behaviors that are attributed to substance abuse can originate
from a family history. The family model is composed of three main approaches. These approaches include: the
behavioral model, family systems model, and the family disease model (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020).
The first main approach, the behavioral model entails that the behavior or actions of the family
member abusing substances is usually condoned by another family member (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020).
Parental figures, siblings, or even spouses could have the tendency to rationalize the subjected family
member’s behavior. In addition, these particular family figures may lack the knowledge to properly help the
abusing family member. Addiction can occur over a long period of time. It can also occur from generation to
BENCHMARK THEORETICAL MODELS 3
generation.
The second main approach, the family systems model conveys those roles and functionality of each
family member is in question. Primary caregivers of the abused family member may respond out of anxiety or
fear of change due to the fact that the abused family members seek help to recover (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020).
As a result, this recovery can shift the dynamic of the current family. Lastly, the family disease model
encompasses the idea of incorporating the entire family of the abused into group counseling. This model
entails that the family is the cause and acts as a core of the addiction problems.
Individual counseling will not be efficient enough to treat the addiction (Capuzzi & Stauffer). I believe
the family model provided an adequate explanation for addiction. The family model depicts that the abused
individual is not entirely at fault of their addiction. Environmental factors such as a family members can a have
an immense impact on the abused family member. Certain family members may feel a sense of responsibility
to provide care to the abused family member. As a result, these particular family members can act as an enabler
and worsen the abused individual’s recovery (Barnett et.al, 2017).
Psychological Models
The psychological models that convey the etiology of addictions include: the personality theory
model, psychodynamic model, cognitive-behavioral, and the learning model. An individual’s dependence on
alcohol or substance can be derived from a cognitive or psychological perspective. The mind serves a powerful
tool in the human body. It is not easy for abused individuals to quickly get over an addiction due to patterns
embedded in the individual’s cognition. Psychological models can serve as aid to uncover the connection of an
individual’s mental state to the individual’s addiction.
The personality theory models convey that certain personality traits may correlate to the dependence
on alcohol or other substances. An example provided by the authors Capuzzi & Stauffer, entails that immature-
like personality traits, exhibiting a low tolerance in general, and exhibiting an inability to be independent can
result in alcoholic-like traits. Essentially the abused individual’s personality is likely to prompt a dependency
on substances or alcohol (Mesanovic et. al, 2020). The psychodynamic models depict a correlation to “ego
deficiencies” (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020, p. 10). In addition, this model is attributed to a lack of ethical
parenting styles, aggression, dependency, confusion of sexual orientation, and unhealthy attachment styles.
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The cognitive-behavioral model explains that addictive-like behavior and dependency on substances is
caused by motivators related to cognition and behavior. Pleasure is the main goal or emotion that is a result of
taking certain drugs or alcohol. Repetitive intake of drugs or alcohol can allow the individual to escape from
reality, trauma, and conflict in their personal lives. This repetitive intake results in dependency, mood altering
states, euphoric-like moods, and an abundance of insight in creativity or acts of pleasure. Lastly, the learning
model conveys learned behavior is attributed to addiction. Generations of drug or alcohol abuse can elevate the
rate of addiction within a family. At times, children seek to fill in their parents’ shoes and essentially see their
parental figures as a sort of role models. Negative parental influences can result in a increased rick of
addiction. Nonetheless, these examples are integrating a proper explanation of the causal effect of
psychological influences on a individual’s addiction. It reveals that addiction is not solely a physical
experience, but especially a psychological experience.
Biological Models
The biological theory depicts that past generations of family members that have struggled with
addiction, can represent as a precursor to the current generation of abused family members. Examples of
biological models include genetic models and neurobiological models (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). Medical
terminology serves as a foundation for biological models. This allows medical professionals such as doctors,
nurses, psychiatrist, to attribute addiction to a genetic perspective. In addition, this helps professionals to
ensure that the abused individuals are properly taken care of.
The genetic model entails that in empirical research, genetic reasonings were not clearly a causation of
addiction or alcoholism disorders. Variances in genetic makeup, number of chromosomes, family history can
attribute to the development of addictive-like disorders. The authors Capuzzi & Stauffer found in a study that
alcoholism or the use of drugs can arise in various families. Children to alcoholic parents are found to be at a
increased risk of becoming addicted to alcoholism than children with nonalcoholic parents (Capuzzi &
Stauffer, 2020). Secondly, the neurobiological models convey that certain neurotransmitter can act as a
messenger system.
Neurotransmitters can immensely affect abused individuals suffering drug addiction or alcoholism
(Blum et. al 2020), Addictive drugs or alcohol can send messages to the limbic component of the brain can
BENCHMARK THEORETICAL MODELS 5
release chemicals such as serotonin, epinephrine, or dopamine. These chemicals consist of the idea to
essentially bring a sense of pleasure towards the individual’s mood. Increased use of drugs incites dependency
and an overall change to the limbic system. I agree with this explanation, because changes within brain
chemistry leads to disruptions in individual’s way of thinking. The drug epidemic has encompassed this society
and has become a prevalent issue (Blum et. al, 2020). Proper implementation of addiction counseling can help
to adjust the individual’s coping mechanisms and brain chemistry (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020).
Sociocultural Models
Through observation of similarities amongst cultural groups and subgroups, as a result,
the sociocultural models was founded in order to find a causation of addiction in individuals
(Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). This model entails that environmental factor that pertain to
sociocultural matters has an immense influence on an individual’s addiction disorder. The
sociocultural models include: supracultural models, culture-specific models, subcultural models.
Some cultures exhibit higher rates of alcohol consumption in order to mediate signs of
aggression and certain conflicts amongst the people. Higher rates of alcohol consumption
become a sense of relief for individuals within these cultures and results in a dependency on
alcoholic consumption.
The culture specific models encompass similarities amongst various cultures. It
highlights stereotypes, stigmas, and cultural values to implicate which individuals belong in such
cultures with certain standards (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). Wine drinkers are both prevalent in
the Italian and French cultures. Wine drinking has been heavily integrated into French culture
and it has been correlated to manners learned overtime. For example, it is rude to refrain from
accepting a drink from others.
On the other hand, the Italian also refrain from public disturbances due to a higher
consumption of alcohol. The Italians do not see it as rude to not accept a drink from others. The
BENCHMARK THEORETICAL MODELS 6
contrast between these two countries is the social pressure in accepting alcoholic beverages from
others. Subcultural models entail that there is a correlation between factors such as religion,
culture, gender, age, and ethnicity towards addiction patterns (Capuzzi & Stauffer, 2020). In
addition, I believe that the sociocultural models provided an adequate explanation for addiction
amongst individuals from various social backgrounds.
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References
Barnett, A., Hall, W., Fry, C., Dilkes-Frayne, E., & Carter, A. (2017). Drug and alcohol treatment
providers’ views about the disease model of addiction and its impact on clinical practice:
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https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.12632
Blum, K., Kazmi, S., Modestino, E., Downs, B., Bagchi, D., Baron, D., McLaughlin, T., Green,
T., Jalali R., Thanos, P., Elman, I., Badgaiyan, R., Bowirrat, A., & Gold, M. (2021). A
Novel Precision Approach to Overcome the “Addiction Pandemic” by Incorporating
Genetic Addiction Risk Severity (GARS) and Dopamine Homeostasis Restoration. J.
Pers. Med, 11(3), 212. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm11030212
Capuzzi, D., & Stauffer, M. D. (2020). (4th ed.). New Foundations of addictions counseling
York, NY: Pearson. ISBN: 9780135166932.
Mesanovic, M., Pajevic, I., Hasanovic, M., & Babic, D. (2020). The Personality of the Alcoholic
Through Severn Perspectives. (2), 281-289. Psychiatria Danubina, 32
