Changes in antisocial aggressiveness during treatment in a hierarchical therapeutic community. A prospective study of personality changes.
Thirty-six consecutive substance abusers were examined at intake and after 1 year of residency in a hierarchical therapeutic community using the personality instruments Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) and Basic Character Inventory. Two antisocial aggressiveness subgroups were identified: a no-increase group (n = 11) that had high intake scores on MCMI antisocial aggression, small changes during the stay and a high dropout rate (45%) as outpatients; and an increase group (n = 25) with lower scores at intake and a low dropout rate (20%). A high level of antisocial aggressiveness at intake was related to dropout in the no-increase group, and a high degree of increase in antisocial aggressiveness was related to dropout in the increase group. The results show the importance of monitoring antisocial aggressiveness during treatment.
Ravndal
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E
Department of Behavioural Sciences in Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway.
Vaglum
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P
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006608:Hierarchy, Social; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D013808:Therapeutic Community