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MCMI comparisons of cocaine abusers and heroin addicts
Author(s) -
Craig Robert J.,
Olson Ronald E.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(199003)46:2<230::aid-jclp2270460217>3.0.co;2-7
Subject(s) - psychology , personality , addiction , clinical psychology , psychiatry , anxiety , heroin , millon clinical multiaxial inventory , substance abuse , opiate , alcohol abuse , minnesota multiphasic personality inventory , distress , personality disorders , drug , medicine , social psychology , receptor
Cocaine addicts ( N = 107) and opiate addicts ( N = 86) in treatment for drug abuse were compared on the MCMI. Univariate analyses revealed that cocaine abusers showed more traits of the antisocial personality style, whereas heroin addicts evinced more problems with anxiety and somatic distress, probably related to residual problems of withdrawal, and alcohol abuse. Multivariate analyses revealed four distinct clusters (MCMI patterns 456′, 865′, 56′, and 8′) that aligned by underlying personality style and clinical syndrome expression rather than by drug of choice. Ideographic analyses further demonstrated consistencies in prevalence rates of DSM‐III‐R personality disorders. Results do not support the pharmacodynamic theory of drug abuse. It was concluded that the similarities in personality between these two groups are greater than their differences.