Dimensions of Self-Concept: A Comparison of Heroin and Cocaine Addicts

Two groups of drug users on an inner-city inpatient drug detoxification unit were studied: 42 heroin addicts and 47 cocaine addicts. The two groups were compared on personality disorder diagnoses, personality traits, and demographic variables. Cocaine and heroin addicts scored similarly on: 1) numbe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse 1995-01, Vol.21 (3), p.315-326
Main Authors: Fieldman, Nancy P., Woolfolk, Robert L., Allen, Lesley A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Animals
Cocaine
Comorbidity
Crack Cocaine
Female
Heroin
Heroin Dependence - psychology
Heroin Dependence - rehabilitation
Humans
Male
Mice
Middle Aged
Patient Admission
Personality Assessment
Personality Disorders - diagnosis
Personality Disorders - psychology
Personality Disorders - rehabilitation
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Self Concept
Self image
Substance abuse treatment
Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - diagnosis
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - psychology
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - rehabilitation
Substance-Related Disorders - psychology
Substance-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Two groups of drug users on an inner-city inpatient drug detoxification unit were studied: 42 heroin addicts and 47 cocaine addicts. The two groups were compared on personality disorder diagnoses, personality traits, and demographic variables. Cocaine and heroin addicts scored similarly on: 1) number and kind of personality disorder diagnoses, with the exception of antisocial personality; 2) all personality traits measured; 3) positive and negative temperament; 4) description of self-concepts; and 5) positivity and negativity of self-concepts. It was also found that heroin addicts showed significantly higher levels of social deviance than the cocaine group, with significantly more antisocial personality disorder diagnoses, higher levels of social deviance, and lower scores on a Propriety Scale. Character pathology was more heterogeneous among cocaine users. Heroin addicts had used significantly longer and showed less educational and occupational achievement than the cocaine group. Our results also suggest that personality psychopathology in drug addicts is associated with lower self-esteem, more negative self-valuation, and longer duration of use.
ISSN:0095-2990
1097-9891
DOI:10.3109/00952999509002700