MMPI-168 profiles of male narcotic addicts by ethnic group and city

ONE-, THREE-, AND SIX-MONTH OUTCOMES AFTER BRIEF INPATIENT OPIOID DETOXIFICATION

The purpose of this study was to investigate short-term outcomes of a 3-day inpatient medical detoxification. Heroin abusers (n = 116; 66% male, 77% African-American, X = 38 years old), completed the Addiction Severity Index during detoxification, and at 1, 3, and 6 months after detoxification; 94.5% of the postdetoxification interviews were completed. During the 30 days before detoxification, mean days of self-reported use for heroin was 28, for cocaine 19, and for alcohol 14; a mean of $1,975 was spent on drugs. Across the postdetoxification interviews, mean days of reported heroin use ranged from 11 to 14; 21-30% of patients reported no heroin use, whereas 25-36% reported almost daily use. Reported use of cocaine and alcohol showed similar reductions from pre- to postdetoxification. Reports of heroin and cocaine abstinence were generally verified through urine tests. Other psychosocial factors improved as well from pre- to postdetoxification (e.g., employment increased and needle use decreased). During the 6-month evaluation, at least 41% reported engaging in formal inpatient or outpatient treatment; another 25-33% reported attending self-help groups. Engaging in formal treatment (at least 7 days duration) was associated with significantly better outcome. Nevertheless, pre- to postdetoxification changes were significant and robust for the entire study sample. These findings demonstrate that brief inpatient detoxification is followed by reduced drug use over several months and is accompanied by substantial treatment-seeking behavior. Thus brief detoxification may serve as an effective harm-reduction intervention.

Cocaine, Crime, Family History of Deviance-Are Psychosocial Correlates Related to These Phenomena in Male Cocaine Abusers?

This paper examines relationships among deviant behaviors such as cocaine abuse, crime, and family history of deviance; demographics; and psychological characteristics such as aggression, sensation seeking, confidence to resist taking cocaine and risk taking tendency to use cocaine in different situations; psychiatric symptoms (e.g., depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, somatization, attention deficit); and social characteristics such as social adjustment. The sample consisted of men, mean age 35 years, who were veterans of the armed services. Canonical correlation analysis showed three significant canonical variates: The first indicated that verbal aggression, general sensation seeking, and a problem index for situations involving urges to use cocaine were positively related to number of times arrested and negatively related to age. The second revealed that experience seeking and problem indices for situations involving urges to use cocaine and for those involving pleasant times, were positively related to last cocaine use consumption level, total lifetime grams of cocaine used, and alcohol problems of the immediate family. The third showed that verbal aggression and a problem index for risk situations for use involving pleasant times were positively related, and experience seeking was negatively related, to number of times arrested, number of times incarcerated in the previous 30 days, age, and last cocaine use level. The implications of the associations found among these variables are discussed as they pertain to prevention, treatment, and future research.

Personality and psychopathology of drug addicts in Puerto Rico

Drug abuse is one of the most pressing sociomedical problems of society. The purpose of this study was to examine the personality and psychopathology of addicts. 229 addicts in treatment programs scored high on Neuroticism and on the Lie Scale and low on Psychoticism and Extraversion on the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire for Puerto Rico. An Addiction Scale, based on a factor analysis, showed a high component of Neuroticism items.

Sedative use disorders in opiate-dependent patients: association with psychiatric and other substance use disorders

Opiate-dependent patients (N = 231), classified by sedative disorder status, were characterized according to DSM-IIIR on substance use and psychiatric disorders. Twenty-one percent currently (CUR+) had sedative use disorder, 39% had a history (HX+) of sedative use disorder, and 40% had no history (HX-) of this disorder. Several group differences were found. The HX+ and CUR+ groups had more lifetime drug use disorders (means = 4.5 and 4.3 vs. 3.2 in the HX- group), including alcohol, cannabis, stimulants, cocaine, and hallucinogens. In contrast, other psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety and depression) were low in prevalence and did not differ across groups, with the exception of a higher prevalence of antisocial personality disorder in the HX+ and CUR+ groups (39.6% and 38.5% vs. 17.9% in HX- group). The results suggest that sedative use disorder is related more to a severe spectrum of multiple substance abuse than it is to self-medication of underlying mood or anxiety disorders.

Psychiatric symptoms in polysubstance abusers: relationship to race, sex, and age

The Symptom Check List 90R (SCL-90R) was administered to a sample of 94 polysubstance abusers seeking outpatient detoxification for opioid addiction. The relationships among race, sex, and age, and psychiatric symptoms were examined. Results obtained by an ANOVA indicated a significant effect only for race. White substance abusers reported significantly more psychiatric symptoms (on 9 out of 12 SCL-90R scales) than did Black substance abusers. A comparison of effect sizes between those found in the present study and those of related studies is also presented. Results suggest that race differences may be relevant to treatment resource and treatment planning.

Confounding factors in the measurement of depression in HIV

Our study investigates the nature of elevated depression scores on the MMPI-168 in human-immunodeficiency-virus- (HIV-)infected individuals. Comparison of MMPI scales, factor scores, and individual depression item endorsement rates were made between three groups of homosexual/bisexual men: asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositives (n = 156), symptomatic HIV-1 seropositives (n = 156), and a comparison group of HIV-1 seronegatives (n = 117). Elevated scores were found on the MMPI depression scale for all three groups, with HIV infection and the presence of symptoms being associated with significant elevations in depression. Analyses of these elevated scores through the use of factor scores and individual item analyses strongly suggest that endorsement of items related to physical symptoms and neuropsychological complaints accounted for much of the difference in overall depression scores between samples. Implications are discussed for measurement and diagnosis of depression in HIV populations.

Hispanic-American MMPI research (1949-1992): a comprehensive bibliography

The purpose of this article is twofold. The first is to outline key events in the history of Hispanic MMPI research. Since 1949, researchers have documented the MMPI performance of Hispanic-Americans in a variety of clinical and nonclinical settings. The second purpose is to present a comprehensive bibliography of Hispanic MMPI research by research setting. A total of 86 studies are listed in this bibliography.

MMPI comparisons of Hispanic- and white-American veterans seeking treatment for alcoholism

Scores of 29 Hispanic- and 46 white-American alcoholics, who voluntarily sought psychiatric treatment for their alcoholism, were compared on the MMPI. It was hypothesized that Hispanic-American alcoholics would be better adjusted than white alcoholics on the validity and clinical scales of the MMPI. The hypothesis was supported, with Hispanic-Americans obtaining significantly lower scores than white veterans on the Pd, Mf, and Si scales. Hispanic and white patients did not differ on the remaining MMPI scales. The mean two-point code for Hispanic subjects was 2-8 (Depression-Schizophrenia) and for white patients 8-2 (Schizophrenia-Depression).