Co-occurrence of obsessive-compulsive personality traits in young and middle-aged Japanese alcohol-dependent men
Kenji Suzuki1, Taro Muramatsu, Aya Takeda
1National Institute on Alcoholism, Kurihama National Hospital, 5-3-1 Nobi Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239-0841, Japan. h-susumu@db3.so-net.ne.jp
Background:
Previous studies may have underestimated the potential importance of the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive traits among persons with alcoholism. Although many studies have examined the characteristics of young alcoholics compared with middle-aged alcoholics, none has compared the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive traits in young and middle-aged alcoholics.
Methods:
This study compared the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive traits (Leyton Obsessional Inventory) and depressive symptoms (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale) among young (n=41) and middle-aged (n=34) hospitalized Japanese male alcoholics and in young (n=28) and middle-aged (n=25) nonalcoholic subjects.
Results:
Both young and middle-aged male alcoholics reported more obsessive-compulsive personality traits and depressive symptoms than their comparison groups. However, the alcoholic subjects' obsessive-compulsive personality traits were not related to their level of depressive symptoms.
Conclusions:
Young and middle-aged male Japanese alcoholics have more obsessive-compulsive personality traits than nonalcoholic males of similar ages. Their alcohol-related psychological and behavioral characteristics may derive, in part, from their obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
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