The applicability of the dependence syndrome to amphetamine.
While current psychiatric taxonomies recognise a classification of amphetamine dependence, derived from the notion of an alcohol dependence syndrome, little research has validated that such a condition exists for this drug. Current amphetamine users (N = 331), were interviewed using the World Health Organization operationalisation of DSM-III-R substance dependence criteria, and a measure of the psychological components of dependence. Structural analyses indicated that a unidimensional dependence syndrome as assessed by DSM-III-R and DSM-IV criteria exists for amphetamine, and that physiological, psychological and behavioural indicators were all important in accounting for the variance in responses. It was demonstrated that the concept of a dependence syndrome is applicable to amphetamine, and that the inclusion of the amphetamine dependence syndrome in DSM-III-R and DSM-IV is valid.
Topp
L
L
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Darke
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000662:Amphetamines; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013577:Syndrome
D000662:Amphetamines