@article{Ylikoski_Pöyhönen_2015, title={Addiction-as-a-kind hypothesis}, volume={4}, url={https://ijadr.org/index.php/ijadr/article/view/189}, DOI={10.7895/ijadr.v4i1.189}, abstractNote={<p align="LEFT"><span>Ylikoski, P., &amp; Pöyhönen, S. (2015). Addiction-as-a-kind hypothesis. </span><em>The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 4</em><span>(1), 21-25. doi:</span><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i1.189">http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v4i1.189</a></p><p align="LEFT"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The psychiatric category of addiction has recently been broadened to include new behaviors. This has prompted critical discussion about the value of a concept that covers so many different substances and activities. Many of the debates surrounding the notion of addiction stem from different views concerning what kind of a thing addiction fundamentally is. In this essay, we put forward an account that conceptualizes different addictions as sharing a cluster of relevant properties (the syndrome) that is supported by a matrix of causal mechanisms. According to this "addiction-as-a-kind" hypothesis, several different kinds of substance and behavioral addictions can be thought of as instantiations of the same thing—addiction. We show how a clearly articulated account of addiction can facilitate empirical research and the theoretical integration of different perspectives on addiction. The causal matrix approach provides a promising alternative to existing accounts of the nature of psychiatric disorders, the traditional disease model, and its competitors. It is a positive addition to discussions about diagnostic criteria, and sheds light on how psychiatric classification may be integrated with research done in other scientific fields. We argue that it also provides a plausible approach to understanding comorbidity. </span></p&gt;}, number={1}, journal={International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research}, author={Ylikoski, Petri and Pöyhönen, Samuli}, year={2015}, month={Jun.}, pages={21-25} }