Multi-Level Approach to Theories of Addiction: A Critical Review

Abstract

Policies, in general, determine the approach of interventions in society and, in turn, they are supposed to be influenced by theories. Theories are based on evidence and data; therefore, the methodology used to produce evidence and data plays a decisive influence on the final theory. In the field of addiction, addiction theories rely on the product of studies conducted on different individual, group, and environmental levels. Addiction, however, is a multi-dimensional (biological, psychological, and sociological) phenomenon. In this review article, we argue the pieces of evidence by which we build up a matrix structure in the theoretical model in order to provide a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon. One axis of the matrix consists of the biological, psychological, and sociological dimensions of addiction, while the other axis, consists of individual, group, and environmental levels. We further discuss how such a multilevel and multi-dimensional approach does not exist in most addiction theories, and each of the theories has only explained single or limited elements of this matrix. This mono-level approach to the phenomenon of addiction can lead to major fallacies in the research and studies of the addiction.