Co-occurrence of obsessive-compulsive personality traits in young and middle-aged Japanese alcohol-dependent men.
BACKGROUND
Previous studies may have underestimated the potential importance of the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive traits among persons with alcoholism. Although many studies have examined the characteristics of young alcoholics compared with middle-aged alcoholics, none has compared the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive traits in young and middle-aged alcoholics.


METHODS
This study compared the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive traits (Leyton Obsessional Inventory) and depressive symptoms (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale) among young (n=41) and middle-aged (n=34) hospitalized Japanese male alcoholics and in young (n=28) and middle-aged (n=25) nonalcoholic subjects.


RESULTS
Both young and middle-aged male alcoholics reported more obsessive-compulsive personality traits and depressive symptoms than their comparison groups. However, the alcoholic subjects' obsessive-compulsive personality traits were not related to their level of depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Young and middle-aged male Japanese alcoholics have more obsessive-compulsive personality traits than nonalcoholic males of similar ages. Their alcohol-related psychological and behavioral characteristics may derive, in part, from their obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
National Institute on Alcoholism, Kurihama National Hospital, 5-3-1 Nobi Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239-0841, Japan. h-susumu@db3.so-net.ne.jp
Kenji
K
Suzuki
Taro
T
Muramatsu
Aya
A
Takeda
Katsuyuki
K
Shirakura
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015897:Comorbidity; D003193:Compulsive Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence