Substance abuse patterns reveal contrasting personal traits.
The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) responses of 202 male and 95 female substance users taken during 21 months at a public-sector hospital facility were studied. Collectively, inpatients were more impulsive (high P), introverted (low E), and anxious (high N) than same-sexed normals on the main EPQ scales (p less than .001). The alcohol, cocaine, opioid, and polysubstance users and a residual mixed group differed on all EPQ scales (ps less than .05). Cocaine users were the most impulsive, with alcohol and opioid users least so. The polysubstance and residual mixed groups were the most extroverted, with opioid users least. The alcohol and residual mixed groups were the most anxious, and cocaine users least so. Alcohol users earned the highest "lie" (L) scores, with opioid users lowest. When the residual mixed group was excluded from analyses the results were little changed.
Rosenthal
T L
TL
Department of Psychiatry, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38105.
Edwards
N B
NB
Ackerman
B J
BJ
Knott
D H
DH
Rosenthal
R H
RH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs