American Psychological Association Division 50

APA Annual Convention

The Science and Practice of Addiction Psychology: Staying Current in an Ever-Changing World

August 9 - 12, 2018

San Francisco, CA

The Society of Addiction Psychology welcomes you to the 2018 APA Convention in San Francisco, August 9-12, 2018. The landscape of addiction psychology is changing at a rapid rate. The last decade has seen an explosion in opioid misuse and related fatalities, the legalization of cannabis in eight states (with many more to follow), and the jettison of the diagnostic criteria of ‘abuse’ and ‘dependence’ from the DSM. Even the language we use to talk about addiction is changing, with a growing movement to expunge pejorative and stigmatizing terms like ‘substance abuser’ and ‘addict’ from the vernacular. These changes have important implications for the science and practice of addiction psychology, hence the theme for the 2018 APA convention: The science and practice of addiction psychology: Staying current in an ever-changing world.

This year’s program features a stellar lineup of symposia, poster sessions, and social events. Please also see a quick-glance brochure summarizing addiction-related programming at this year’s convention.

Call for Papers

The landscape of addiction psychology is changing at a rapid rate. The last decade has seen an explosion in opioid misuse and related fatalities, the legalization of cannabis in eight states (with many more to follow), and the jettison of the diagnostic criteria of ‘abuse’ and ‘dependence’ from the DSM. Even the language we use to talk about addiction is changing, with a growing movement to expunge pejorative and stigmatizing terms like ‘substance abuser’ and ‘addict’ from the vernacular. These changes have important implications for the science and practice of addiction psychology, hence the theme for the 2018 APA convention: The science and practice of addiction psychology: Staying current in an ever-changing world. In line with the theme, the Society of Addiction Psychology (Division 50) is soliciting proposals that speak to or inform the rapidly changing landscape of addiction psychology. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: substance use disorder treatment with an emphasis on cannabis and opioid use disorders, basic research on behavioral addictions such as gambling and internet gaming disorder, comparisons of chemical versus behavioral addictions, public policies and laws regarding substance use, research on diagnostic nomenclature, and stigma related to addiction. We especially encourage submissions that enhance dialogue between researchers and clinicians, integrate across APA divisions, and demonstrate a commitment to diversity. Proposals for symposia, poster presentations, discussion sessions, conversation hours, and skill-building sessions will be considered (please note that individual paper presentations will not be considered). Those submitting proposals for symposia are strongly encouraged to apply for Continuing Education (CE) review at the time of submission.

The division offers numerous merit-based travel awards for students and early career psychologists. For more information contact Bettina Hoeppner, bhoeppner@mgh.harvard.edu, or Ezemenari Obasi, emobasi@central.uh.edu.

Program

We have an exciting Division 50 program planned. Click here to view or download the schedule of division activities. Join us for a student and early career professional social hour on Thursday August 9th from 7:30-10:00pm at the Press Club. 20 YERBA BUENA LANE SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103

Find Help for Addiction

Resources are available for those struggling with addiction and numerous effective treatments exist. Whether you are looking for help for yourself or a loved one, we encourage you to seek out help.

We recommend the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which provides resources on behavioral health treatment across the country, as well as medication-assisted treatment programs for opioid addiction.
The National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices provides useful information about interventions for addiction that have been shown to be effective.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Alcohol Treatment Navigator provides a step-by-step strategy for finding the best quality alcohol treatment programs and individual providers.

Search form