Common personality patterns among alcoholic males: A multivariate study.

Abstract

This investigation assumed that the proper combination of measures and mullivariate methods would identify homogeneous prototype subgroups of alcoholics with common diagnostic and prognostic characteristics and that these subgroups would reflect known clinical syndromes rather than specialized types. Data for a large sample (N "366) of inpatient alcoholic veterans on Murray need dimensions (on Jackson's Personality Research Form, PRF) and Cattell trait dimensions (on the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, 16 PF) were therefore gathered and initially examined by factor and canonical correlational analysis. The PRF and 16 PF showed substantial and appropriate convergences. Based upon these initial structural analyses, the Lorr correlational clustering procedure was applied to patient profiles composed of selected PRF scales. Contrasts among the seven obtained types, using the PRF and 16 PF scales as referents, led to an easy tentative characterization of each type in terms of known psychopathological syndromes (i.e., compulsive, impulsive, aggressive/paranoid, submissive, avoidant/schizoid, asocial/schizoid, and narcissistic/psychopathic types). These results clearly demonstrated that the means for a differential conceptualization of etiology and treatment for several distinct subgroups of alcoholics, in terms of known clinical syndromes, is presently at hand. The present types are highly suited for fulure studies of the Patient Type X Therapy Type variety.Traditional psychoanalytic writings referred to all addictions as a single disease, with alcoholics belonging to a single psychodynamic type (e.g., Zwerling & Rosenbaum, 1959). This early speculation led to a tradition of searching for the alcoholic personality

Outcomes of inpatient group psychotherapy associated with dispositional and situational affiliativeness

“…Both the convergent and discriminant validity of this scale were clearly supported by its .43 (p < .001) correlation with the need affiliation scale from the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule (EPPS; Edwards, 1957), which exceeded all correlations of need affiliation with the 20 remaining PRF scales as well as those of all 14 other EPPS scales with PRF affiliation (Edwards et al, 1972). This PRF affiliation scale's validity for a sample, much like the present one, of 366 detoxified male VA patients was also supported by Nerviano's (1976) finding that it contributed prominently to the primary canonical variate derived from the convergences of all PRF scales with those of the 16 Personality Factor inventory (Cattell et al, 1970).…”

Statistical Approaches to the Classification of Alcohol and Drug Addiction

“…Goldstein and Linden [3] identified and replicated four types: (a) psychopathic personality and emotional instability, (b) psychoneuroses with severe alcoholism, (c) alcoholism with secondary psychopathic personality, and (d) alcoholism with secondary drug addiction and paranoia. In a later study, Whitelock et al [10] replicated the first three types, and found that more severe histories of alcohol abuse were significantly associated with neurotic profiles and Nerviano [18] Helter [19] Repogle & Hair [20] Warner [21] Gostello, Lawlis [23] reported that higher levels of drinking-related impairment were associated with neurotic tendencies, whereas lower levels of impairment were related to psychopathic features among patients hospitalised primarily for alcoholism. However, there was also a suggestion that certain response styles (e.g.…”

Trazodone, a New Avenue in the Treatment of Depression

“…and Winokur, 1972;Eshbaugh ct al., 1978;Goldstein and Linden, 1969; Kielholz, 1970;Kraeplin, 1968;Lawlis and Rubin, 1971;Mayfield and Coleman, 1968;Nerviano, 1976;Nerviano and Gross, 1973;Partington and Johnson. 1969;Pottengeret al, 1978;Reich et al, 1974;Skinner et al.…”