title: Women with alcohol problems: the possible significance of personality clustering for treatment planning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Establishing subgroups in clinical practice is important for treatment planning. The aim of the study was to cluster the study group subjects according to personality traits and psychological health variables and to establish possible differences in treatment outcome in terms of: (i) drinking outcomes (gram and number of drinking days); (ii) perceived physiological health; and (iii) use of treatment resources (length of time in treatment and number of visits) among 134 treatment-seeking women with alcohol problems in a clinical context, between the two clusters obtained.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 134 consecutive women at a Swedish clinic specialised in treating women with alcohol problems. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the basis of self-rated personality scale scores and psychological health variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two clusters were identified: one in which the women displayed personality and psychological health scores indicating problems (Cluster 1); and another where the women showed personality and psychological health scores within the norm range (Cluster 2). Alcohol consumption rates at the start of treatment were the same in both clusters. The consumption rates were also the same at the end of treatment for the cluster, showing a significant decrease in alcohol consumption in each. The Cluster 1 women, however, had a significantly higher number of visits at the clinic, and rated the consequences of their alcohol drinking as being significantly worse than Cluster 2 women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The importance of individual differences according to personality traits for treatment planning is discussed in terms of the need for variation in treatment time and methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. christina.scheffel-birath@sll.se
authors.forename: Christina Scheffel
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Birath
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: DeMarinis
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stenbacka
authors.forename: Britt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: af Klinteberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D057566:Self Report; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult