Affective and adjustment problems in cocaine and opioid addicts.

Compared 74 male cocaine and 43 male opioid users on global measures of subjective distress, specifically anxiety and depression, and on various self-reported psychopathology symptoms. In contrast to opioid addicts, compulsive cocaine users were characterized by significantly fewer problems with anxiety, depression, and adjustment. Results indicate less severe psychopathology among cocaine abusers than among opioid addicts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorders and psychiatric symptoms in psoriasis

Two groups of psoriatic outpatients (ns = 192 and 119) were given, respectively, the Million Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II and Foulds' Delusions-Symptoms-States Inventory. They were compared with dental (n = 192) and with general surgical (n = 190) patients. The psoriatic group presented clearly higher mean scores and frequencies on most of the personality disorder scales. On Foulds' inventory, psoriatic patients showed higher frequencies of neurotic and psychotic class allocations. A cluster analysis of personality scores provided evidence for 4 different personality clusters of patients with psoriasis: (a) Avoidant, Dependent, Schizoid, and Self-defeating (32.2%), (b) Compulsive, Narcissistic, and Aggressive (30.7%), (c) no personality disorder (18.2%), (d) Borderline, Paranoid, and Schizotypal, etc. (18.8%).     

Personality disorders.

There are effective psychotherapy treatments for personality disorder, and they come from a variety of theoretical and practical perspectives. No single approach has proved to be superior to any other, but all those empirically examined to date are superior to no treatment. There are essentially no data available from studies that directly measure the role of the therapy relationship in determining outcome. However, many successful treatments place the therapy relationship at the center of treatment for personality-disordered individuals. Empirically informed, rational analysis of successful treatments suggests that there must be a strong alliance supported by therapist respect for and validation of the patient. Clear structure that includes reasonable limit setting also is required. M. Linehan (1993) aptly called the simultaneous delivery of validation and blocking maladaptive patterns, the dialectic between acceptance and change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality differences and sociopathy in heroin addicts and nonaddict prisoners.

Examined measurable personality differences between carefully selected samples of 40 heroin addicts and 40 nonaddict prisoners. Composite mmpi profiles were compared for statistical differences between groups, and individual mmpi profiles were classified using a system of differential diagnosis reported by P. E. Meehl. Results suggest that there are measurable personality differences between heroin addicts and nonaddict prisoners, especially with respect to the incidence and extent of sociopathy. The 2 samples did not differ from each other in terms of age, educational level, intellectual level, or chronicity of antisocial behavior as indicated by time served in prison. (16 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and personality disorders.

Reviews the support for the hypothesis that the personality disorders of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III (DSM-III) represent variants of normal personality traits. The focus is, in particular, on the efforts to identify the dimensions of personality that may underlie the personality disorders. The relationship of personality to personality disorders is illustrated using the 5-factor model, conceptual issues in relating normal and abnormal personality traits are discussed, and methodological issues that should be addressed in future research are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorder subtypes among opiate addicts in methadone maintenance.

The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory was administered to 196 men and 113 women newly admitted to methadone maintenance. The distribution of participants among Axis I subtypes was no elevation (18.8%), drug-alcohol abuse only (25.2%), affective disturbance (31.7%), and psychotic symptoms(l7.2%); among Axis II subtypes it was no elevation (10.4%), narcissistic-antisocial (36.2%), dependent (16.2%), withdrawn-negativistic (12.6%), histrionic (7.4%), and severe personality disorder (8.4%). Women were more likely to be assigned to histrionic, dependent, and severe personality disorder subtypes. Proportionately more Black participants were assigned to drug-alcohol only, psychotic symptoms, narcissistic-antisocial, and severe personality disorder subtypes. The proportion retained in treatment at 18 mo was higher for withdrawn (.51) and histrionic (.33) than other Axis II subtypes (range?=?.13–.22). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Decline in self-reported dysphoria after treatment entry in inner-city cocaine addicts.

This study examined self-reported dysphoria in 82 consecutive admissions to intensive outpatient treatment for cocaine abuse on whom data for the Beck scales for depression, anxiety, and hopelessness were available for intake and 4 subsequent weeks with no more than 1 missing data point. Mean scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) decreased significantly between intake and Week 1, with no further significant changes from Weeks 1–4. Similar drops in the rate of clinically significant BDI and BAI scores also were observed. Scores on the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) showed no significant changes. By Week 4, rates of clinically significant depression, anxiety, and hopelessness were similar (17%, 13%, and 16%, respectively) . These findings suggest that assessing depression and anxiety using the BDI and BAI in this population should be postponed for at least 1 week after intake and that intake levels of self-reported mood may be inappropriate baseline measures for evaluating treatment effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorders: model for conceptual approach and classification. Part I: General model

In this article we present data suggesting that one core deficit in personality represents a common dimension extending across most categories of personality disorders (PDs), whereas clinically discrete syndromes classified as PDs in DSM IIIR are categorical maladaptive types related orthogonally to the common borderline dimension. In a sample of 121 subjects with PDs and 67 controls, persons with PDs and without PDs manifested similar profiles on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) scales for various behavior styles. Conversely, the two groups consistently differed with respect to the MCMI borderline scale: in contrast to non-PD persons, those with PDs were strikingly more borderline and typically scored above 75 points (the latter has been established as the cut off for the diagnosis of Borderline PD). Likewise, persons with PDs scored significantly higher on the Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines than the control group. These results suggest that: i) most symptoms usually considered typical of the borderline personality characterize other PDs as well; ii) borderline features seem to be characteristic of persons with PDs and can be used to distinguish PDs vs. non-PDs. Therefore, symptoms widely regarded as typical of the borderline personality characterize other PDs as well. This shared dimension may explain the overlap in categorical diagnoses of individual PDs. Moreover, this shared dimension may be efficiently used as the classificatory principle for PDs. In Part II of this article, we present a model that classifies deviant behaviors in a systematic way, i.e., combines three levels of functioning (normal, neurotic, and borderline) with a limited number of categories of (mal) adaptive behavior types.     

Levels of alcohol dependence in cocaine addicts: Some clinical implications.

Examined the severity of alcohol dependence in 268 primarily White male adult clients presenting themselves for residential treatment of cocaine addiction. Although previous research (e.g., M. Gold, 1984) has suggested that a majority of cocaine abusers also abuse alcohol, only a minority of these Ss (7%) could be classified in the substantial or severe categories of alcohol dependence. Results are discussed in light of previous findings (e.g., D. Smith; see record 1987-26330-001) which suggest that Ss in the low or moderate levels of alcohol dependence are most likely to reject abstinence-oriented treatment strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorder symptoms and marital functioning.

Pathological personality is strongly linked with interpersonal impairment, yet no study to date has examined the relationship between concurrent personality pathology and dysfunction in marriage--a relationship that most people find central to their lives. In a cross-sectional study of a community sample of married couples (N = 82), the authors used multilevel modeling to estimate the association of self- and spouse-reported symptoms of personality disorder (PD) with levels of marital satisfaction and verbal aggression and perpetration of physical violence. Inclusion of self- and spouse report of total PD symptoms resulted in improved model fit and greater variance explained, with much of the improvement coming after the addition of spouse report. The incremental validity of spouse report for several of the 10 PD scales was supported for marital satisfaction and verbal aggression, particularly for the Borderline and Dependent PD scales. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Classification and short-term course of DSM-IV cannabis, hallucinogen, cocaine, and opioid disorders in treated adolescents.

This study examined the latent class structure of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (text rev.; DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) symptoms used to diagnose cannabis, hallucinogen, cocaine, and opiate disorders among 501 adolescents recruited from addictions treatment. Latent class results were compared with the DSM-IV categories of abuse and dependence, and latent transition analysis (LTA) was used to examine changes in symptom severity over a 1-year follow-up. Although 2- and 3-class solutions provided the best fit to the data (2-class: hallucinogens, cocaine, opioids; 3-class: cannabis), 3-class solutions provided more substantive results and were emphasized in analyses. There was good agreement between latent classes and DSM-IV diagnosis. LTA suggested greater likelihood of transitioning to a less severe class at 1 year for all 4 drugs; in- and outpatients differed in pattern of change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality traits and moods of alcoholics and heroin addicts

No differences in moods were found between alcoholics and drug addicts, but the alcoholics were significantly more neurotic than the addicts.     

Personality characteristics of heroin addicts: A response to Gendreau and Gendreau.

Demonstrating the effect of the volunteer factor on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) profiles of addicts and nonaddicts, P. Gendreau and L. F. Gendreau (see record 1974-05403-001) suggested that previously reported MMPI differences between these 2 subject groups might well be explained by the "volunteer" status of the addict group. The present article describes more thoroughly the unincarcerated addict sample, almost half of whom were compulsory candidates for treatment, and presents data from previous studies by P. B. Sutker and A. N. Allain (1973, 1974) to show that volunteer and nonvolunteer applicants were more similar than different on MMPI indices. Results of a follow-up investigation, however, point to the role of situational factors in elevating MMPI profiles of 82 unincarcerated addicts who, addicted to heroin and involved in the cycle of street activities at the time of testing, differed significantly from prisoner groups of 35 addicts and 87 nonaddicts on several important dimensions. Similarly, certain MMPI indices, particularly Scale 4, were found to be relatively stable over time and conditions, reflecting perhaps a basic dispositional pattern or constellation of personality traits. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Peer judgments of parole success in institutionalized heroin addicts: Personality correlates and validity.

Studied the validity and personality correlates of peer judgments of parole success in 89 incarcerated heroin addicts (mean age = 22.1 yrs). Ss completed a battery of personality measures, including Rotter's Internal-External Control Scale, the Death Concern Scale, the Adjective Check List, and the Sensation-Seeking Scale. Ss judged as successes by their peers, in contrast to peer-judged failures, had significantly higher rates of parole success at 6 and 15 mo following release and differed significantly from the failures on 17 of 33 personality dimensions. Results are discussed within the context of previous studies of peer ratings in other settings, and implications for research are noted. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality and substance use disorders: II. Alcoholism versus drug use disorders.

The relationship between personality and substance use disorders was investigated in a community-based sample of 638 individuals who were alcoholic and/or had a drug use disorder, and 1,530 individuals who did not have a substance use disorder. Personality was assessed by the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire; substance use diagnoses were based on standard criteria as assessed by interview. Data were analyzed using a 3-factor (Gender?×?Alcoholism?×? Drug Use Disorder) multivariate analysis of variance. The significant alcoholism main effect was associated primarily with negative emotionality, whereas the significant drug use disorder main effect was associated primarily with constraint. No significant interactions with gender were observed. These findings suggest that the elevated levels of behavioral disinhibition observed with alcoholic individuals may be attributable to a subset of alcoholic individuals who also abuse drugs other than alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorders and features in social phobia and panic disorder.

The hypothesis that there is a specific relationship between social phobia (SP) and avoidant personality disorder (APD) was investigated. Using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III-Revised (DSM-III-R) Personality Disorders, 32 patients with SP and 85 patients with panic disorder (PD) for the presence of personality disorders were screened. Avoidant features were found significantly more often in SP than in PD, although the diagnosis of APD could not be established significantly more often. On the item level, APD Criterion 6 (fears being embarrassed) discriminated the strongest. Social phobics appeared to be more disturbed on Axis II than PD patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)