Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Intervention in Addictions
Other languages of instruction: Catalan
Teaching staff
Students may contact the subject coordinator (Núria Busquets) for questions and/ or clarifications at the email address: nbusquetsb@uic.es
Introduction
Addictions is a fourth-year course in the Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology that provides comprehensive training in the psychological assessment and treatment of addictive behaviours, ranging from neurobiological and diagnostic foundations to applied clinical intervention. The course combines a solid theoretical foundation with a strongly practical approach: each session integrates conceptual content with group activities, clinical case analysis, and role-plays designed to develop interviewing, assessment, and intervention skills that can be directly transferred to professional practice.
The syllabus is organised into seven blocks that progress from general to specific topics and from theory to practice: first, the core principles common to all addictions; followed by the detailed study of specific substances and addictive behaviours; a specific focus on childhood and adolescence; evidence-based clinical intervention; an overview of the public healthcare and support system; and, finally, a closing session that integrates the knowledge and skills developed throughout the course.
Pre-course requirements
Students must have completed and passed Introduction to Psychopathology and the Psychological Intervention in Adults, which contain specific modules on addictions.
Objectives
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
• Understand addiction as a complex biopsychosocial phenomenon, moving beyond reductionist and stigmatising models.
• Identify the main addictive substances and behaviours, as well as their effects, risks, and common clinical patterns.
• Develop skills in clinical interviewing, motivational assessment, and risk detection.
• Apply the main evidence-based intervention approaches: motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and relapse prevention.
• Critically analyse the role of the family, social environment, and public healthcare and support services in the therapeutic process.
• Reflect on ethical dilemmas and the professional role of psychologists in the field of addictions.
Syllabus
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BLOCK I Foundations of Addiction |
An introductory block that establishes the conceptual, diagnostic, and neurobiological foundations before addressing specific substances or behaviours. Students acquire the theoretical framework that will underpin the rest of the course: what addiction is according to current evidence, how it is diagnostically classified, what happens at the brain level, which factors increase or reduce risk, and how to understand the clinical course —including relapse— as a process rather than an isolated event.
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BLOCK II Substance Addictions |
The most extensive block of the course, dedicated to the study of different substances (alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, opioids, and medications with addictive potential) and polysubstance use. It concludes with two sessions devoted to the more complex clinical conditions that commonly accompany substance use: psychiatric comorbidity and dual diagnosis. Each session combines specific clinical theory with cases and activities designed to develop diagnostic reasoning in real-life clinical presentations.
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BLOCK III Behavioural Addictions |
Three specific sessions devoted to addictive behaviours without substance use, including gambling, gaming, social media, compulsive buying, and online sexual behaviours.
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BLOCK IV Children and Adolescent |
A dedicated block focused on the developmental stage with the greatest vulnerability to the initiation of substance use. It covers adolescent brain development and decision-making, substance use patterns characteristic of this age group, the adaptation of clinical interventions for minors, and the legal and safeguarding framework that any professional working with adolescents should understand.
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BLOCK V Assessment and Intervention |
A highly applied block that translates previous content into direct clinical practice: how to psychologically assess a person with problematic substance use, which treatments are supported by empirical evidence (motivational interviewing, CBT, and relapse prevention), how to establish realistic therapeutic goals that are not necessarily focused exclusively on abstinence, and how to work with the patient’s family and social environment without blaming them or taking responsibility away from the patient.
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BLOCK VI Public Services and Healthcare System |
This block places psychological intervention within the real-world healthcare system: the public addiction treatment network and its different levels of care, available specialised services (addiction treatment units, therapeutic communities, and outpatient care), interdisciplinary work with psychiatry, social work, and other services, as well as social and occupational reintegration processes following treatment.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
Each 90-minute session follows a recurring structure designed to alternate between theory and practice in short blocks: an initial activity to stimulate clinical reasoning, applied theory blocks supported by examples and real-life cases, one or two group activities or role-plays that directly develop interviewing and assessment skills, and a final wrap-up that integrates the key ideas covered in the session.
This format aims to ensure that students not only acquire theoretical knowledge but also actively and repeatedly practise the skills they will be expected to apply in their future professional practice.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The acquisition of knowledge of the subject will be evaluated through a theoretical and practical exam. The evaluation will always respect the general regulations established in the Degree.
The content of the exam in the first call will be based on the subject explained in classes and on the study bibliography recommended in each topic by the teaching team. The minimum grade to pass is 5 points out of 10. The exam consists of 20 questions with four answer alternatives and 4 open questions to be developed. The score is equivalent to a maximum of 2 points for open questions and a maximum of 8 points for open questions, 2 points for each question.
The second exam call will have the same characteristics described for the first call.
It is an essential requirement to pass the final exam in order to pass the subject.
Bibliography and resources
BASIC REFERENCE MANUALS:
American Psychiatric Association - APA. (2014). Manual diagnóstico y estadístico de los trastornos mentales DSM-5 (5a. ed. --.). Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana.
Belloch, A., Sandín, B. Y Ramos, F. (2008): Manual de Psicopatología (vol. 1). McGraw-Hill. Madrid.
Belloch, A., Sandín, B. Y Ramos, F. (2008): Manual de Psicopatología (vol. 2). McGraw-Hill. Madrid.
Buela-casal, G., Caballo, V., Y Carrobles, J.A. (2002): Manual de psicopatologia y trastornos psiquiátricos. Siglo XXI. Madrid.
Caballo, V.E., Salazar, I.C., Carrobles, J.A. (2014): Manual de psicopatologia y trastornos psicológicos. Pirámide. Madrid.
Kaplan, H. Y Sandok, B. (1999): Sinopsis de la Psiquiatría. Editorial Médica Paramericana. Madrid.
Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) (1992): Clasificación internacional de las enfermedades (CIE-10). MS. Madrid.
Vallejo Ruiloba, J. (2011): Introducción a la psicopatología y la psiquiatría (7ªed). Masson. Barcelona.
Feixas, G., Miró, M. T. (2010). Aproximaciones a la psicoterapia. Una introducción a los tratamientos psicológicos. Barcelona: Paidós. Capítulo 3 La aproximación teórica (modelos humanístico-existenciales).
SPECIFIC REFERENCES ON ADDICTIVE DISORDERS:
Nora D. Volkow et al. (2016, january). Neurobiologic Advances from the Brain Disease Model of Addiction. The New England Journal of Medicine, 374 (4).
César Pereiro Gómez, Juan José Fernández Miranda (2018). Guía de adicciones para especialistas en formación. Valencia: Socidrogalcohol.
César Pereiro Gómez (2010). Manual de adicciones para médicos especialistas en formación. Valencia: Socidrogalcohol.
Becoña, E.; Cortés, M. (2016). Manual de adicciones para psicólogos especialistas en psicología clínica en formación. Socidrogalcohol. Capítulo 2 Instrumentos para la evaluación en adicciones.
Becoña, E.; Cortés, M. (2008). Manual de adicciones para psicólogos especialistas en psicología clínica en formación. Socidrogalcohol. Capítulo 4 Los procesos de cambio en conductas adictivas.
Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2015). La entrevista motivacional. Ayudar a las personas a cambiar. Barcelona: Paidós. Parte I y Parte II.
GENDER AND DRUGS:
Castaños, M., Meneses, C., Palop, M., Rodríguez, M. y Tubert, S. (2007). Intervención en drogodependencias con enfoque de género. Colección Salud 10. Instituto de la Mujer.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. (2006). A gender perspective on drug use and responding to drug problems. Publications Office of the European Union.
Martínez, P. y Arostegui, E. (2018). Manual para la prevención de recaídas desde la perspectiva de género. Deusto.
Infonova. Género y adicciones. ASOCIACIÓN DIANOVA ESPAÑA. Primer semestre 2019/ REVISTA Nº 35.
SPECIFIC REFERENCES FOR CHILDREN-YOUTH:
Echeburúa, E. y Requesens, A. (2012). Adicción a las redes sociales y nuevas tecnologías en niños y adolescentes. Madrid: Editorial Pirámide.
Asociación Proyecto Hombre (2021). Propuesta de intervención con adolescentes, jóvenes y familias en los programas de prevención indicada de Proyecto Hombre. Madrid.
Fernández-Hermida J. R., Martínez-Loredo V. y González- De La Roz A. (2021). Conductas adictivas en la infancia y la adolescencia. Libro Blanco de la Salud Mental Infanto-Juvenil, 1, 38-53.
DUAL PATHOLOGY:
Patología dual (2011). En Becoña Iglesias, E. y Cortés Tomás, M. (Coord.) Manual de adicciones para psicólogos especialistas en psicología clínica en formación. Socidrogalcohol. 97-111. ISBN 978-84-933094-3-5.
Roncero, C. (2016). Patología Dual: fundamentos clínicos y terapéuticos. Marge Books. ISBN 9788415004547.
San Molina, L. y Casas, M. (2002). Recomendaciones terapéuticas en patología dual. Ars Médica. ISBN: 978-84-9706-032-5.
Santis, R. y Casas, M. (10-12 de noviembre de1999). Diagnóstico dual. VI Encuentro nacional sobre drogodependencias y su enfoque comunitario. Chiclana de la Frontera, Cádiz.
(2014) Informaciones psiquiátricas; IV Jornadas de patología dual: ¿red o redes? De la conexión a la integración. 215(1), 242 p. ISSN 0210-7279.
PROGRAMS:
Comas, D. (2010). La metodología de la Comunidad Terapéutica. Fundación Atenea ISBN: 978 84 614 6831-7
(2009). Bones Pràctiques: comunitats terapèutiques i pisos amb suport per a persones amb problemes de drogodependències. Col·lecció Eines; 3. Generalitat de Catalunya. Institut Català d’assistència i Serveis Socials
Ledesma A et alt. Model català d’atenció integrada: cap a una atenció centrada en la persona. Versió 4.0 de 25 de maig de 2015. Generalitat de Catalunya. Pla interdepartamental d’atenció i interacció social i sanitària.
Model de Servei de Centre de Dia per a persones amb addiccions (2016). Direcció General de Protecció Social. Departament de Treball, afers socials i Famílies. Generalitat de Catalunya.
Projecte de Servei Experimental d’Acompanyament a la Vida Autònoma per a Persones amb Conducta Addictiva (SAVA). (2018) Direcció General de Protecció social. Departament de Treball, Afers socials i Famílies. Generalitat de Catalunya.
OTHER RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Marín, A. (2006) Manual práctico de Psicoterapia Gestalt. Desclée de Brouwer. Bilbao.
Peñarrubia, F. (1998) Terapia Gestalt: la vía del vacío fértil. Alianza Editorial. Madrid.
Lozano, J. G. (2000). Actitud en terapia Gestalt con drogodependientes. Informació psicològica, (74), 32-36.
DIGITAL RESOURCES:
www.droguesgencat.cat (https://drogues.gencat.cat/ca/professionals/estigma)