title: Differentiating LGBT individuals in substance abuse treatment: analyses based on sexuality and drug preference.
abstract: In a prior study (Cochran & Cauce, 2006), LGBT individuals seeking treatment demonstrated greater substance use severity, more psychosocial stressors, and increased use of psychiatric services when compared to their heterosexual counterparts. That study, and similar to others in the field of LGBT research, collapsed LGBT individuals into a single category and did not examine individual differences within this category. The present study utilizes the same sample of LGBT clients (N = 610); however, an exploratory cluster analysis was conducted, based on drug preference, to determine which subcategories exist within this unique sample. In a subsequent set of analyses, the sample was divided based on sexuality to determine if there were differences between these groups on psychosocial functioning variables. Results indicated three distinct clusters, which differed in both demographic characteristics and severity of substance use problems. Groups based on sexuality differed in terms of primary problem substance, as well as psychosocial variables. Implications for treatment of these subgroups are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, USA. bryan.cochran@umontana.edu
authors.forename: Bryan N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Cochran
authors.forename: K Michelle
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Peavy
authors.forename: Annesa Flentje
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Santa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019529:Sexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*