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Physical Attractiveness and Psychological Adjustment Among Substance Abuse Inpatients: A Longitudinal Study 1
Author(s) -
Sussman Steve,
Marks Gary,
Freeland John,
Harris Janel K.,
Vernan Shulamit,
Alford Geary,
Mueser Kim T.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.1987.tb00334.x
Subject(s) - attractiveness , psychology , substance abuse , affect (linguistics) , physical attractiveness , socioeconomic status , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , population , environmental health , communication , psychoanalysis
Relations between psychological adjustment and physical attractiveness were examined longitudinally in substance abuse inpatients, controlling for the effects of length of drug abuse, length of inpatient stay, age, and socioeconomic status. Measures of adjustment and attractiveness were obtained during the first week of admission and six weeks later (within two weeks of discharge). Regression analyses indicated that initial attractiveness did not predict later adjustment, and initial adjustment did not predict later attractiveness. Partial correlation analyses revealed a positive association between attractiveness and adjustment at the first time point, but not at the later time point. These results suggest that physical attractiveness exerts only a temporary effect on judgments of adjustment in an inpatient setting. Attractiveness may affect decisions made when screening patients at mental health facilities, but may not affect decisions made over the full course of inpatient treatment.