Personality, substance of choice, and polysubstance involvement among substance dependent patients.
The authors compared the association of several personality traits, drug of choice, and polysubstance involvement in 325 individuals (44% male) receiving treatment for substance dependence on heroin, cocaine, and/or alcohol. Measures included the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC), the socialization scale of the California Psychological Inventory (CPI-Soc), the novelty seeking dimension of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-NS), and the conscientiousness domain of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-C). Analyses adjusted for demographic covariates, affective and antisocial personality disorder, and substance dependence severity. Although scant evidence supported the hypothesis that these personality traits were associated with substance choice, CPI-Soc and MAC were associated linearly with the extent of polysubstance involvement. Also, patients who were dependent on two or more substances displayed higher levels of TCI-NS, CPI-Soc, and MAC. Findings implicate an association between behavioral disinhibition and a continuum of addiction defined primarily in terms of polysubstance involvement.
Conway
Kevin P
KP
Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 6001 Executive Boulevard Suite 5153 MSC 9589, Bethesda, MD 20892-9589, USA. kconway@nida.nih.gov
Kane
Robert J
RJ
Ball
Samuel A
SA
Poling
James C
JC
Rounsaville
Bruce J
BJ
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002755:Choice Behavior; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010551:Personality; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*