In the preface of her book, psychologist and family therapist Nikki Babbitt reveals a personal stake in the issues that concern her: as a mother, she struggled with the addiction of her own child. Understandably, perhaps, this leads Babbitt to emphasize the extent to which teenage substance abuse does not spare any sector of society, regardless of family situation, parenting techniques or school situation.

Unfortunately, the result is a book that shies away from answering some of the tough questions about the root causes of adolescent substance abuse. Adolescent Drug and Substance Abuse also relies heavily on anecdotes and personal stories from clients and associates, rather than formal research, to draw conclusions about effective strategies for parents facing this problem in their own families.

In fact, if one simply flips through the pages, it appears that about half the book consists of anonymous quotes. To be sure, such first-hand accounts make for easy reading and are effective to reinforce ideas. However, they aren't sturdy enough to support Babbitt's conclusions.

For instance, one vignette is used to address the question as to whether or not treatment programs are cost-effective. Dr. Babbit quotes the mother of an addict, who first chose a boarding school instead of treatment. The mother relates that the boarding school didn't work out, her son caused an auto accident, and then engaged in vandalism. After these problems, with the associated legal and other costs, he eventually wound up in the treatment program the mother had opted not to use initially. Thus, Babbitt suggests, trying to save money by avoiding expensive treatment programs is not a good idea. But certainly the author could just as well have told of a parent who spent tens of thousands of dollars on a treatment program, only to find the child had relapsed a week later, a story that would support the opposite conclusion.

This is not to say that Adolescent Drug & Substance Abuse is of no value. The book is well organized and does prepare the reader for the many battles along the long road to recovery. Dividing the parental experience into a fairly orderly sequence, and including sections on the emotions to be expected, the book can fill a void in a family wracked with feelings of stress and guilt. It also has a good appendix (that has ample references to books, magazines, films, etc.), and a list of helpful organizations, as well as a brief summary of the key drugs of abuse.

In short, Adolescent Drug & Substance Abuse will be of greatest value to those looking for comfort rather than data. The author obviously has a great deal of experience in the substance abuse field—both professionally and personally—and her insights are worth reading. Whether or not those insights are anything more than her personal opinion, however, is a question that won't be answered in this volume.