Evidence-Based Programs and Theories in Addiction Treatment
This paper examines evidence-based programs and practices in the field of addiction treatment, tracing how theoretical frameworks shape research questions, guide data collection, and inform clinical practice. Part one defines evidence-based practice and surveys key theories — behavioral, pharmacological, and psychotherapeutic — while exploring how animal-assisted therapy has emerged as a research-supported complementary intervention. Part two critiques a specific study on horse-assisted therapy (HAT) for young substance users, analyzing how the biopsychosocial model, mentalization-based theory, and Carl Rogers' person-centered concept of the congruent self were used to interpret findings and justify practice recommendations.
- What Evidence-Based Practice Means: Defines EBP and role of theory in addiction
- How Theory Shapes Research Questions: Research questions and animal-assisted therapy evidence
- Reinterpreting Addiction Through Theoretical Frameworks: How theory frames, guides, and interprets research
- Critiquing a Study on Horse-Assisted Therapy: Kern-Godal study design and biopsychosocial framework
- Rogers' Congruence Theory and Mentalization: Rogers' self-actualization and mentalization applied to HAT
- The Role of Theory in Evidence-Based Addiction Practice: Theory's indispensable role in justifying clinical practice
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- The two-part structure works well: Part 1 establishes the conceptual foundation (defining EBP and theory), while Part 2 applies that foundation to a specific published study, creating a logical build from general to particular.
- The use of the microscope analogy to explain theory as a lens is an effective, concrete illustration that makes an abstract concept accessible.
- The paper draws explicit connections between Rogers' congruence framework and the practical outcomes of horse-assisted therapy, showing genuine integrative thinking rather than mere summary.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates theoretical triangulation — showing how multiple frameworks (Rogers' person-centered theory, mentalization, and the biopsychosocial model) can each illuminate different aspects of the same research findings. The author also models critical awareness by noting that alternative frameworks such as Maslow's hierarchy or Hofstede's cultural dimensions could have been applied, demonstrating that theory selection is itself a meaningful methodological choice.
Structure breakdown
The paper is divided into two clearly labeled parts. Part 1 covers three areas: a definition of evidence-based practice, an overview of the research questions driving the field, and an explanation of how theory reinterprets addiction. Part 2 narrows to a single study critique, analyzing the theoretical frameworks chosen by the researchers and evaluating how those frameworks shaped and explained the findings. The conclusion ties both parts together by asserting the indispensable role of theory in justifying clinical practice.
What Evidence-Based Practice Means
Evidence-based programs are defined as a prevention or treatment practice based on consistent scientific evidence that demonstrates improvement in client or patient outcomes. The practice should be supported by sufficient documentation and peer-reviewed research showing its effectiveness (Operational Definition for Evidence-Based Practices Addictions and Mental Health Division, 2017).
Programs draw from theory in that the theoretical framework developed by researchers and professionals serves as a set of parameters or guidelines for how to interpret evidence and how to implement recommendations into practice. Theories serve as the lens through which to examine evidence. Just as a microscope has a lens and a focus so that one can see all the details of a subject, theory allows data to be put into perspective — and that perspective is defined by the theory or theories used in the research.
In the field of addiction, there are numerous evidence-based theories: behavioral theories, pharmacological theories, psychotherapeutic theories, and so on. Each theory has been tested in research and examined from multiple dimensions. There is not always agreement on theories, as many studies can be contested based on their findings, the way the studies were conducted, how the sample was selected, and what methods of analysis were used. However, the important point when it comes to evidence-based theories is that findings are consistent and that a case can be made over time that the theoretical approach has genuine benefits.
How Theory Shapes Research Questions
One of the major questions researchers ask is how to integrate or implement evidence-based programs into their practices (Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology, 2006). Guidance for practice is typically developed based on evidence from studies that support particular findings. Studies can be exploratory or experimental, but when a researcher seeks to obtain evidence using a test that can be duplicated to verify results, that researcher is focused on contributing to the field's understanding of a subject so that practice can be influenced and shaped by the evidence.
In the field of addiction, researchers ask: "What strategies or approaches are beneficial for clients or patients suffering from addiction?" One approach currently being studied is animal-assisted therapy, wherein a person suffering from substance abuse or addiction is paired with an animal to learn what it means to care for another living creature outside oneself. Evidence has shown that animal-assisted therapy can help individuals with addiction develop greater self-esteem and learn self-management skills that support recovery (Muela, Balluerka, Amiano, Caldentey, & Aliri, 2017). This may involve a dog the person cares for daily or a horse the person rides at a ranch. The essential element is that there is another living creature for whom the individual bears some degree of responsibility.
Without researchers analyzing the effects of such therapy on a representative sample, there would be no evidence to support the practice. Conducting the research provides the foundation for why the practice should be initiated, what good it can do, and what other therapies it can be paired with. In the case of animal therapy, researchers recommend that it be used in a facilitative or supporting role, with cognitive behavioral therapy serving as the primary therapeutic approach and pharmacological therapy applied if necessary, depending on the severity of the addiction (Muela et al., 2017).
Reinterpreting Addiction Through Theoretical Frameworks
The topic of addiction is reinterpreted through the theories used by researchers in the sense that those theories frame the questions, guide the research, and dictate the type of data collected. Alternatively, theories may be applied at the end of a study to interpret the analysis of already-collected data. Theories can enter research in numerous ways — shaping the entire project from the outset or providing interpretive context once data is ready to be discussed.
When it comes to shaping evidence-based practice, theory is used to create a signpost. As the Operational Definition for Evidence-Based Practices Addictions and Mental Health Division (2017) states, "Expertise develops from clinical and scientific training, theoretical understanding, experience, self-reflection, knowledge of research, and continuing professional education and training" (p. 276). Theory is necessary for creating the foundation for practice. It determines the scope of the practice, the rationale behind it, and how it should be implemented.
In the field of addiction, treatment approaches and understanding of patients have been shaped and reinterpreted through the theories of psychotherapy, behaviorism, cognitive therapy, drug therapy, and more. Each theory helps provide an alternative perspective on how to approach patients. Since no two patients are the same, however, there is significant variation in terms of what approach will work best for any given individual and how it should be applied.
Critiquing a Study on Horse-Assisted Therapy
One study that examines evidence-based practice in addressing addiction is that of Kern-Godal, Arnevik, Walderhaug, and Ravndal (2015). This study found a positive correlation between equine therapy — animal-assisted therapy using horses — and patient commitment to completing substance abuse treatment. Participants who received equine therapy in a complementary role alongside cognitive therapy demonstrated greater commitment to completing their drug rehabilitation program overall.
The theoretical framework used in the study consists of a "biopsychosocial model with emphasis on mentalization-based theory and practice" (Kern-Godal et al., 2015, p. 21). This framework is grounded in the work of Asen and Fonagy, who describe how mentalization combined with a biopsychosocial model can help individuals move toward their best selves — a process similar in some ways to Carl Rogers' theory of self-actualization. Rogers' theory held that a fully functioning person demonstrates five characteristics: openness to experience, welcoming both positive and negative emotions; living in the present without preconceptions or prejudgment; trusting one's instincts and one's capacity to make sound decisions; creativity and a seeking of new experiences; and a satisfaction with life coupled with a continuous pursuit of new challenges. Congruence, according to Rogers (1951), involves bringing one's self-image into greater alignment with one's self-ideal. The more these two overlap, the more the whole self becomes congruent.
The central question posed by Kern-Godal et al. (2015) was: what is the impact of horse-assisted therapy on the duration and completion of treatment for young substance users? This question led the researchers to the theories of Rogers and mentalization because animal-assisted therapy focuses on how an animal can change the attitudes and mental perspective of an individual who is misusing drugs. By asking how animal-assisted therapy could affect the mindset of a person addicted to drugs, the theoretical frameworks best positioned to answer the question were those of Rogers and mentalization-based theory.
References
Asen, E. & Fonagy, P. (2012). Handbook of Mentalizing in Mental Health Practice. Washington, DC.
Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology. (2006). American Psychologist, May–June, 271–285.
Kern-Godal, A., Arnevik, E. A., Walderhaug, E., & Ravndal, E. (2015). Substance use disorder treatment retention and completion: a prospective study of horse-assisted therapy (HAT) for young adults. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 10(1), 21.
Muela, A., Balluerka, N., Amiano, N., Caldentey, M. A., & Aliri, J. (2017). Animal-assisted psychotherapy for young people with behavioural problems in residential care. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 24(6), O1485–O1494. doi:http://fir.tesu.edu:2074/10.1002/cpp.2112
Operational Definition for Evidence-Based Practices Addictions and Mental Health Division. (2017). Week 4 material.
Rogers, C. (1951). Client-Centered Therapy. MA: Riverside Press.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.