Predictors of individual differences in alprazolam self-medication

Twenty-seven patients with generalized anxiety or panic disorder participated in a 6-week outpatient study. Participants received capsules containing either alprazolam or placebo and were free to choose between them for anxiety treatment. Measures of drug use included alprazolam preference, amount, and frequency of use. Alprazolam clearly was preferred over placebo; however, there were large between-subjects differences in the amount of medication used. A variety of demographic, drug history, personality, mood, and expectational variables were examined for correlation with medication use. Findings indicated that a substantial amount of variance in medication use could be explained by patients' intake characteristics. Findings also suggested that the tendency to consume capsules frequently may signal a greater risk factor for dependence than does drug preference in and of itself.