A theoretical note on personality characteristics of heroin addicts.

Contends that P. B. Sutker's (see record 1972-09270-001) finding that heroin addicts produced a more elevated MMPI profile than a comparable sample of nonaddicts may have been due to the fact that heroin addicts were "volunteers" for treatment, unlike the nonaddict sample. The present study provided a demonstration of the effect of the "volunteer" factor on addict and nonaddict MMPI profiles. More elevated MMPI profiles were found both for volunteer addict and nonaddict Ss (n = 17) when compared to MMPI profiles of nonvolunteer addicts and nonaddicts (n = 33). The MMPI profiles of addicts and nonaddicts were quite similar when the volunteer factor was controlled. (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 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.     

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)     

Socio-familial characteristics of black male heroin addicts and their nonaddicted friends

To determine whether family, peer, and school variables are associated with divergent heroin-use patterns or career outcomes, we interviewed 183 black male heroin addicts, experimenters, and non-heroin users from Chicago's south side. While subgroup differences on socio-familial variables generally were not statistically significant, we did observe a number of trends in the expected direction. For example, addicts were more likely than experimenters or nonusers to come from broken homes, to have friends who were involved in serious types of drug use and other illegal activities, and to drop out of high school. At the same time, the pervasiveness of some of our measures of "social disharmony" across the sample suggest that, at least in some inner-city black neighborhoods, these patterns are perhaps becoming the norm.     

Personality characteristics of compulsive heroin, amphetamine, and barbiturate users.

Compared MMPI validity and clinical scales for 65 heroin users, 45 amphetamine users, and 34 barbiturate users, average age 23, who were admitted to a VA medical center for treatment. Univariate analyses indicated that drug users evidenced greater maladjustment than normative, reference groups. Heroin users were comparatively less disturbed than amphetamine users and barbiturate users, as indicated by multivariate analyses. One discriminant function was found to differentiate heroin users from amphetamine and barbiturate users. The findings cross-validate previous results by other investigators and establish the need for reevaluating treatment intervention in terms of specific substance of abuse and specific personality problems. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The "addiction-prone" personality: A study of Canadian heroin addicts.

Reviews evidence supporting the "addiction-prone" personality theory of narcotic addiction. A nonaddict control sample (N = 82) was selected that incorporated several parameters found to be lacking in previous studies comparing addicts and nonaddicts. Results on the MMPI of the nonaddict sample were compared to those of an addict group (N = 51). Contrary to the "addiction-prone" theory, results of the addict and nonaddict groups were not reliably different. Results are discussed in terms of the "addiction-prone" theory, and an alternative theory is suggested. (French summary) (28 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling techniques, drug-abstinence behavior, and heroin addicts: A pilot study.

Investigated the applicability of a "vicarious behavior induction" (VBI) strategy to a residential treatment program for heroin addicts. This strategy was tested using a "videomodel" procedure, in which Ss viewed a series of videotapes developed to depict a model exhibiting "coping" behavior in solving problems related to maintaining drug abstinence (i.e., accepting help, job interviewing, capitalizing on street skills). These results were compared to those obtained from Ss who had viewed a videotaped lecture about coping behavior ("videolecture"). 22 Black heroin addicts from an urban community-based residential drug-abuse treatment program were randomly assigned to either a videomodel or videolecture group. In small subgroups they discussed their respective videotapes with an ex-addict paraprofessional and the E. Ss who participated in the videomodeling group had substantially better vocational outcomes 30, 90 and 180 days after treatment than those who participated in the videolecture group. Advantages of the VBI behavior change strategy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Visual memory of male Hispanic-American heroin addicts.

Tested 2 hypotheses using 55 Hispanic-American addicts (mean age 31.96 yrs): (a) Ss would display interference in visual memory and (b) Ss' visual memory would be more comparable to Blacks' than to Whites'. Results from the Revised Visual Retention Test support both hypotheses. (5 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality dynamics of heroin use.

Compared 59 white male heroin addicts with 26 psychiatric patients, 142 incarcerated delinquents, 37 undergraduate marihuana users, and 108 police officers using the California Psychological Inventory. Results suggest that the heroin users were relatively normal in terms of social poise and self-esteem; however, they were significantly more hostile, rebellious, and irresponsible than any of the comparison groups. The addicts seemed relatively well adjusted, suggesting that their drug use is symptomatic not of neurosis but of a generalized antisocial disposition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Candida albicans endophthalmitis in brown heroin addicts: response to early vitrectomy preceded and followed by antifungal therapy

The management of Candida albicans endophthalmitis in intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) has yet to be established. Early vitrectomy was previously reported as a promising treatment for C. albicans endophthalmitis. In our series, C. albicans endophthalmitis was diagnosed for 15 IVDAs. Funduscopic examinations confirmed severe vitritis in 12 patients and chorioretinitis in three. Blood and vitreal cultures were positive for C. albicans for seven and eight patients, respectively. Patients with vitritis received antifungal therapy before and after vitrectomy. Amphotericin B or fluconazole therapy was given according to the physician's preference. Vitrectomy was defined as early if it was performed within 1 week after the diagnosis of vitritis. All seven patients who underwent early vitrectomy had a favorable response without complications. Two of three patients who underwent late vitrectomy developed blindness or scotoma. Blindness was also described in two patients with vitritis who did not undergo vitrectomy. Early vitrectomy preceded and followed by antifungal therapy seems to be appropriate management of vitritis in IVDAs.     

Alterations of immune functions in heroin addicts and heroin withdrawal subjects

Conflicting results, both decreased and increased, have been reported concerning the function of T-lymphocytes in heroin addicts. We investigated the alterations of T-lymphocyte proliferative responses and immunophenotypic markers on lymphoid cells in heroin addicts and during different periods of heroin withdrawal in addicted subjects. This study has demonstrated a decrease in the response of T-lymphocytes to 1.2, 2.5, 5 and 10 microg/ml of phytohemagglutinin stimuli in heroin addicts and 1- to 5-day heroin withdrawal subjects compared with controls. Similarly, in an in vitro study, 10(-4), 10(-6) and 10(-8) M concentrations of morphine were shown to suppress 0.6 and 2.5 microg/ml of PHA-stimulated T-lymphocyte obtained from naive subjects. This inhibitory effect of morphine on PHA stimulation was completely abolished by 100 microM naloxone. The immunological parameters of total T-lymphocytes (CD3), T-helper cells (CD4), cytotoxic T-cells (CD8), B-cells and natural killer cells that are the immunophenotypic markers studied by flow cytometric analysis were altered in heroin addicts, 15- to 21-day and 6- to 24-month heroin withdrawal subjects, when compared with controls. These results suggest that heroin addicts and short period (15 to 21 days and 6 to 24 months) of heroin withdrawal have decreases in their immune system functioning and that the heroin withdrawal subjects seem to gradually reverse their immunological parameters to normal levels when withdrawal was sustained >/=2 years. This is the first report examining immune function in heroin withdrawal subjects using the "cold turkey" method. The results are beneficial for further study of the mechanism responsible for the opioid-induced changes in immune function.     

Personality characteristics of alcoholics and drug addicts in a merged treatment program

Groups of alcoholics and drug addicts in a mixed inpatient treatment facility were compared on personality characteristics by sex, age and type of drug. Sex and drug type showed few significant differences; however, age, regardless of drug or sex, proved to be significant on many personality variables.     

Implosive therapy treatment of heroin addicts during methadone detoxification.

Examined the effectiveness of implosive therapy with heroin addicts during detoxification from methadone. 24 Ss with comparable histories of heroin addicition and similar maintenance levels of methadone were assigned to an implosive therapy, eclectic counseling, or control group. The 2 treatment groups received 12 sessions of implosive therapy or eclectic counseling and were followed for a subsequent 6-wk period. The implosive therapy Ss were the only ones to reduce significantly their methadone level during treatment and the follow-up period. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

"Addiction proneness" and personality in heroin addicts.

Carried out a carefully controlled comparison of the personality characteristics of heroin addict (n = 27) and nonaddict (n = 20) offenders to avoid methodological problems associated with earlier studies. Ss had a minimum of a 6th-grade education and IQs in the normal range. Age at 1st arrest, educational achievement test scores, number of prior arrests, IQ, religion, and marital status were used as covariates in a statistical control design; blind data collection and scoring procedures were employed; and the 2 groups were compared on 34 personality variables. Significant differences were obtained on 7 variables but upon examination were interpreted as failing to provide sufficient support for the addictive personality hypothesis. Results underscore the importance of careful control in studies of this nature. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality: Nomothetic or idiographic? A response to Kenrick and Stringfield.

Suggests that substantial consistency can be observed in personality, as reflected in both behavior and judges' ratings, when the principle of aggregration is applied to traditional nomothetic assessment procedures and the results are interpreted in terms of classical reliability theory. It is demonstrated that conclusions by D. T. Kenrick and D. O. Stringfield (see record 1980-07621-001) about the improvement in predictive power stemming from an idiographic analysis do not follow from their data, as they confound trait consistency and trait extremity and fail to take account of restriction and inflation of range effects. (29 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality variables and response to color.

Theorists have proposed relationships between response to color and personality attributes, mainly those of impulsivity, suggestibility, and emotionality. A review of research results reveals no support for its association with impulsivity, or related variables (assaultiveness, ego control, etc.). Support is also lacking for its correlation to suggestibility in terms of being easily influenced by individuals, though there is demonstration of its relationship in terms of responding to stimulation from the impersonal environment, color being a part of this environment. Strong evidence from Rorschach studies for reduced use of color by depressed individuals, the only relationship to emotionality established, is compatible with the above positive finding for the depressed patient is uninterested in the external environment. (77 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

MMPI differences of male Hispanic-American, Black, and White heroin addicts.

Tested 2 hypotheses: (a) that Hispanic-American heroin addicts are better adjusted than White (majority group) addicts and (b) that Hispanics characteristically are less open about expressing psychological symptoms and are more masculine in their interests. All Ss were given the MMPI. Both hypotheses were confirmed in MANOVAs and analyses of covariance among 41 Hispanic-American, 161 White, and 268 Black heroin addicts, with age (mean age of Ss 30.13 yrs), education, and socioeconomic status serving as covariates. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personality disorders classification and symptoms in cocaine and opioid addicts.

The extent to which personality disorders (PDs) and associated symptom criteria were found among 117 cocaine- and opioid-dependent men selected from 350 consecutive inpatient admissions to a Veterans Administration Drug Dependence Treatment Unit over a 30-month period was examined using structured interview methodology. Drug groups were distinguished by higher rates of antisocial and borderline symptomatology rather than by features associated with other PDs. Cocaine users showed lower rates of borderline and adult antisocial features and reported less subjective distress than opioid addicts, and different constellations of target problem features emerged for the two groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Treatment of heroin addicts: is the client--therapist relationship important?

The purpose of this paper is to examine one variable in the treatment of heroin addiction, ther therapist-client relationship. Eighty-six individuals who were discharged from the Tulane NARA Drug Abuse Program were examined on 20 social and personality variables. The variable of the counselor--patient relationship was found important in the final outcome of treatment. Clients who had a single counselor throughout the entire course of treatment did significantly better (p less than .002) than their peers who were transferred from one counselor to another, suggesting that a stable client--therapist relationship greatly enhances the chances of the patient reaching drug abstinence and being rehabilitated.