Inpatient cocaine abusers: an analysis of psychological and demographic variables

One hundred cocaine abusers were evaluated with a full battery of psychological tests (Shipley Institute of Living Scale, MMPI, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Rorschach, Beck Depression Inventory) by Norman J. Lesswing, Ph.D. These patients were treated in a 6-week program on a chemical dependency unit at the Benjamin Rush Center in Syracuse, New York, from 1984 to 1986. Information was gathered across a wide range of demographic and clinical variables (age, sex, marital status, race, education, family history, and cross addiction), and psychological features (MMPI profile types, intellectual functioning, personality disorders, depression ratings, and Rorschach variables). Results are presented through comprehensive description of the sample across these patient and psychometric characteristics with use of summary statistics. Support was not found for the notion that cocaine abusers are self-medicating affective disorders, but evidence for high frequency of personality disorders was revealed. Cross addiction and abuse of alcohol and other substances were very frequent.