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Methodological considerations in the diagnosis of coexisting psychiatric disorders in substance abusers
Author(s) -
WEISS ROGER D.,
MIRIN STEVEN M.,
GRIFFIN MARGARET L.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1992.tb02691.x
Subject(s) - abstinence , psychiatry , substance abuse , affect (linguistics) , medical diagnosis , psychiatric diagnosis , substance use , psychology , clinical psychology , medicine , drug abuser , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , communication , pathology
The authors reviewed the diagnostic methodology in 14 studies that examined the prevalence of coexisting psychiatric disorders in substance abusers. There was widespread variation among the studies in the timing of patient interviews, the nature of the interviews themselves, and abstinence criteria required before another psychiatric disorder could be diagnosed. These differences were reflected in some of the study results. The authors describe how variations in methodology can affect the diagnoses patients receive. They also suggest more specific abstinence criteria, based on the substances of abuse and the specific disorders being diagnosed.