title: Personality and demographic characteristics associated with the prescribing of psychoactive medications for methadone maintenance patients.
abstract: This study reviews the prescription of psychoactive medications in a methadone maintenance clinic and looks for salient personality and cognitive differences between medication groups based on the administration of a battery of psychological tests. One hundred and nine consecutive admissions to a methadone program were studied, of which 38.5% had received a psychoactive medication in addition to methadone. The data were analyzed comparing results for antianxiety and antidepressant medication groups as well as a methadone-only group. The antianxiety medication group displayed more somatic complaints, worries, and tension and was more timid, impulsive, and pessimistic than the other two groups. There were only small differences between the antidepressant medication and methadone-only groups. There were no significant differences between groups on cognitive measures. Meaningful differences in several demographic variables also emerged. The implications for this research are discussed.
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Roszell
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Calsyn
mesh_terms: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000534:rehabilitation
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D008691:Methadone