Development of scales to measure attitudes toward marijuana and marijuana users.

450 undergraduates participated in the 2-phase development of a 22-item marihuana attitude scale. The final form of the scale, partitioned into 3 factorially defined, mutually exclusive subscales, deals with (a) the psychological, physiological, and sociological effects of marihuana on users; (b) marihuana as a psychosocial panacea; and (c) liberal-conservative ambivalence toward the usage of marihuana. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adult marijuana users seeking treatment.

In an effort to study the efficacy of attracting and intervening with adult marijuana users, 290 men and 92 women were screened for participation in a treatment-outcome study focused on marijuana cessation. The well-educated, self-referred sample reported using marijuana on 79 of the past 90 days before testing. Indices of the severity of marijuana abuse and general psychopathology were in the clinical range for a majority of Ss. Ss who did not report evidence of alcohol or other drug abuse (n?=?144) reported less severe consequences of marijuana use and experienced less general psychological distress than Ss who also reported lifetime (n?=?165) or current abuse (n?=?73) of other substances in addition to marijuana. The findings indicate the need for clinical research targeting adults who are dependent on marijuana. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A longitudinal study of the personality correlates of marijuana use.

251 undergraduates completed the California Psychological Inventory,, the Adjective Check List, and a drug-use questionnaire in the fall of their freshman year and in each of 1, 2, or 3 succeeding springs. Three prevailing patterns of drug use were identified: (a) Continuous nonusers never disclosed marijuana use; (b) switched nonusers did not disclose marijuana use initially but did so on a later questionnaire, and (c) users disclosed marijuana use both initially and later. Enduring differences between users and continuous nonusers were found. The switched nonusers generally had scores between those of the users and continuous nonusers. On several scales, switched nonusers were similar to users both before and after their use of marijuana. It is concluded that marijuana use, both present and future, can be predicted by a certain pattern of reported personality characteristics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pneumomediastinum in heroin and marijuana users

During the past three years, more than 500 patients were seen with mediastinal or cervical emphysema or both the Ben Taub General Hospital Emergency Center. In all but 15 there was a history of recent trauma or antecedent respiratory conditions with repeated sustained intrabronchial pressure, such as asthma. These 15 patients had a common history of repeated sustained Valsalva's maneuvers during marijuana smoking or during intravenous injections of heroin. The results of esophagography, bronchoscopy, and esophagoscopy were normal in these 15 patients. Conservative management consisted of close observation and re-evaluation for possible causes of secondary pneumomediastinum. All recovered without sequelae with resolution of the pneumomediastinum within 2 to 5 days. Radiographic and physical findings in primary pneumomediastinum resulting from prolonged intraalveolar hyperpressure are similar to those seen in patients with trauma or spontaneous rupture of the esophagus.     

Effect of therapist-patient personality variables on therapeutic outcome.

Attempted to assess the effect of therapist and patient personality variables on the outcome of therapy. 55 women and 27 male psychiatric inpatients served as Ss. The MMPI was used to derive personality measures. Therapist and patient ratings of the therapy relationship served as the dependent variables. Therapy outcomes were found to be positively related to therapist's level of anxiety and negatively related to therapist's level of repressiveness. Patients' levels of anxiety and repressiveness were both positively related to outcomes. In 2 instances, increasing similarity between patient and therapist was found to be negatively related to outcome. (15 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A factor analysis of personality and fear variables in phobic disorders.

Investigated the fears and personality traits of 225 individuals (mean age 32.5 yrs) experiencing 1 of 4 phobic conditions—agoraphobia, claustrophobia, social phobia, or some other specific phobia. Several Fear Survey Schedule variables and the personality scales of the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey were factor analyzed. Five factors were extracted that were consistent with previous findings, which were related to each of 4 independent variables: Treatment Subgroup, Diagnosis, Age, and Sex. Clinic and private clients did not differ significantly on any factor, nor did age account for any meaningful change in factor scores. The diagnostic groups scored discrepantly on 2 factors: Social Activity and Cognitive Introversion, and Fear of Sensory Stimuli. Females differed significantly from males on Femininity and Miscellaneous Fears. Results are discussed in terms of past research and possible ramifications for the clinical practice of behavior therapy. (French abstract) (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motivational enhancement therapy for adolescent marijuana users: A preliminary randomized controlled trial.

This study's aims were (a) to investigate the feasibility of a school-based motivational enhancement therapy (MET) intervention in voluntarily attracting adolescents who smoke marijuana regularly but who are not seeking formal treatment and (b) to evaluate the efficacy of the intervention in reducing marijuana use. Ninety-seven adolescents who had used marijuana at least 9 times in the past month were randomly assigned to either an immediate 2-session MET intervention or to a 3-month delay condition. Two thirds of the sample characterized themselves as in the precontemplation or contemplation stages of change regarding marijuana use. Participants' marijuana use and associated negative consequences were assessed at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up. Analyses revealed that both groups significantly reduced marijuana use at the 3-month follow-up ( p = .001); however, no between-group differences were observed. Despite the absence of a clear effect of MET, this study demonstrated that adolescents could be attracted to participate in a voluntary marijuana intervention that holds promise for reducing problematic levels of marijuana use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences in outcomes for users and nonusers of university counseling and psychiatric services: A 5-year accountability study.

All freshmen (1,210 men and 1,210 women) enrolled in the colleges of letters and science at a large state university were tested at entrance and followed for 4 yrs to identify use of the counseling center and psychiatric service, and for 5 yrs to determine persistence in school. Counseled Ss graduated at a higher rate within 4 yrs. Use of either service was associated with a reduced rate of leaving in bad standing, i.e., having a grade point average (GPA) below 2.0. Counseled and noncounseled Ss did not differ in initial scholastic abilities, interests, or background and these variables did not explain the difference in completion rate. GPAs of counseled and noncounseled Ss who graduated were similar. The results define a potential accountability basis for these services in terms of educational outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Borderline personality disorder and personality traits: A comparison of SCID-II BPD and NEO-PI.

62 hospitalized female patients (aged 18–43 yrs) with a clinical diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) were assessed for Axis II disorders by the SCID-II and for personality traits with the NEO-Personality Inventory (NEO-PI). The predominant personality trait profile for these patients involved a very high Neuroticism score and low Agreeableness score. Five of the 8 BPD criteria had significant correlations with NEO-PI scales. The combination of BPD severity and personality traits as measured on the NEO-PI had a significant relationship to the patients' social adjustment. The utility of gathering information on both borderline personality pathology and personality traits is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison between ipsative and normative ratings of personality.

This is a report of results of 2 studies in which ipsative ratings, treated normatively, were correlated with corresponding normative ratings in a test of the functional equivalence of the 2 forms of measurement. "Both analyses showed an almost complete equivalence between the 2 methods. A possible reason for this relationship was discussed and some of the advantages of the ipsative approach presented." The opinion that a number of current rating and assessment procedures bear revision in light of these findings was offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A factor analytic investigation of personality variables and reminiscence in motor learning.

The effect of personality type upon learning and reminiscence was studied. Personality factors (as measured by the Guilford-Zimmerman Temperament Survey, 1949) were assessed in relationship to pursuit-motor learning. The results indicated that extraversion appears to be related to performance in the motor task as well as reminiscence, but that the relationship, as found in this study by these methods, is not large. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4CF98B. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Conforming behavior and personality variables in college women.

Conforming behavior of 41 freshman women, as measured in an Asch situation, was compared with the scales of the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule, the Gough California Psychological Inventory, and the Gordon Personal Profile. In the sample studied, only the Edward's Abasement scale was able to generate a small but significant relationship (+.33) with a kind of behavior which should have been predictable from some 12 to perhaps 27 of the 38 measures used. Excepting the 5 scales of Gough's 18, on the basis of questionable comparability of samples, a total of 33 measures was correlated with conforming behavior. Only 1 was found to have construct validity for this type of social conformity criterion when tested on a sample of college women. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Some interactions between personality variables and management styles.

Administered rating scales and Rotter's Internal-External Control scale to 110 hourly employees of a large chemical plant to investigate the interaction between management style and locus of control on workers' satisfaction with supervision and job involvement. Satisfaction with supervision was found to be a function of the interaction between management style and employee internality. Job involvement was directly related to employee internality, with the interaction of management style and employee internality having a negligible effect on this dependent variable. (22 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Illicit LSD users: Their personality characteristics and psychopathology.

100 LSD users and 46 nonuser controls were administered the MMPI and participated in a structured interview concerning contact with mental health agencies and social and demographic characteristics and drug use. There was a much higher incidence of psychopathology among LSD users than nonusers, with "conduct disorder" and psychosis being the most frequent profile diagnoses. Special MMPI scales provided a picture of alienation and emotional disturbances for users. Interview data suggest that these disturbances might have predated LSD use. A desire for self-change and rejection of present social values are suggested as possible explanations for the use of hallucinogens. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of personality characteristics of Mennonites with non-Mennonites.

The value system of 204 Mennonite young people was compared with a comparable control group of 200 non-Mennonites using a battery of five psychological tests. The findings suggest that Mennonites are more strongly motivated to interpret behaviour in "religious" terms, which includes feeling the need for punishment for wrong doing, being more concerned about moral issues, and having a greater need to orient their life around religious values. Urban Mennonites were found to be more dominant and to feel more guilt than rural Mennonites. The greater dominance of the urban Mennonites possibly reflects the result of being exposed to surrounding cultural pressures, which may then increase anxiety as the influence of the primary value system is challenged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Psychosocial factors associated with the initiation of cocaine use among marijuana users.

A short-term prospective design was used to investigate factors associated with the initiation of cocaine use during a 1-year period among a population sample of 942 marijuana users. In addition to demographic items, variables pertaining to various psychosocial characteristics including psychiatric symptoms, personality attributes, social support, and peer pressure were examined. Using cocaine nonusers as a comparison group, male gender, risk-taking tendencies, and socializing with friends on streets or in cars were identified as significant predictors of initiation. Implications for primary prevention programs include redirecting early sensation-seeking tendencies in children and adolescents toward more positive behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of individuals versus groups in judging personality.

186 individuals divided into 62 groups of 3 persons each tried to predict the responses of people seen in moving pictures. Individual and independent predictions were first made; and then after group discussion, the consensus predictions were made. "A comparison was made of the accuracy of (a) the average of the total accuracy scores of the independent predictions made by each of the three persons composing the group, (b) the group consensus predictions, (c) the accuracy of an 'artificial group' derived through the statistical combination of the independent item by item predictions of these same three persons, and (d) the accuracy of the 'best judge' from each group. The results indicated that the average accuracy of the individuals is significantly inferior to any of the three procedures… . the pooling of several independent judges' ratings (by items) appeared to be the most satisfactory procedure." From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4HE50C. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Statistical models of implicit personality theory: A comparison.

Evaluated factor analytic (FA), cluster analytic (CA), and multidimensional scaling (MDS) models of implicit personality theory in a methodological study that compared statistically derived dimensions and categories of traits and stimulus persons with S-generated groups of traits and stimulus persons. 60 undergraduate and graduate students rated 10 familiar and 10 unfamiliar people on 20 diverse traits and, from these traits and persons, formed groups of related traits and groups of similar people. The trait ratings were subjected to FA, CA, and MDS procedures, computed for each S individually. Comparison of the direct groups with the derived FA and MDS dimensions and CA categories, using 4 different match indices, indicated that the CA model provided the best match. A tendency toward better matching for traits than persons was observed, as well as greater differentiation in cluster space for familiar than unfamiliar persons. It is concluded that when Ss categorize rather than dimensionalize stimulus objects, a model such as CA may be more appropriate. Problems associated with testing the complementary hypothesis—that a dimensional model is more appropriate when perceivers dimensionalize—are discussed. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sexual symbolism and the variables of sex and personality integration.

The purpose was to reassess the hypothesis of sexual symbolism using stimulus figures similar to those presented in Levy's study (see 28: 8696). The hypotheses were: (1) when asked to designate stimulus objects as male or female, Ss respond to elongated, pointed, or penetrating objects as male, and to hollow, rounded, or enclosing objects as female; and (2) psychiatric patients identify these objects as male or female, respectively, less frequently than nonpsychiatric patients. 20 psychiatric patients and 20 college students, each group made up of an equal number of males and females, served as Ss. Both hypotheses were confirmed at significant levels. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)