Screening for antisocial personality disorder in drug users--a qualitative exploratory study on feasibility

Knowledge about co-occurring personality disorders in drug users is important for planning therapy and prevention. The objective of this study was to assess whether the SCID-II (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R) Screen for antisocial personality disorder was feasible and acceptable in a population of opioid users. A qualitative study on veridicality and emotional quality in responses to SCID-II Screen was carried out by personal interview in a multifunctional addiction centre. The subjects were 10 outpatient participants (six female, four male) in methadone substitution treatment. The SCID-II Screen triggered a high level of emotions. Some questions were mainly interpreted from a victim's perspective, even though the intention was the perpetrator's view. Questions were seen as sex-biased. Provision of support to deal with potential emotional problems should be supplied. Potential revision should be considered to include the female perspective in the screen.