The self-reported effects of PCP on human aggression

Area of Science:

• Psychopharmacology
• Behavioral Psychology
• Forensic Psychiatry

Background:

• Phencyclidine (PCP) is known to induce psychotic and violent behaviors.
• Individual differences in responses to PCP suggest a role for user characteristics.
• Limited research exists on how personality and background factors modulate PCP's behavioral effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between personality traits, psychiatric history, and behavioral responses to phencyclidine (PCP) in male jail inmates.
• To examine how factors like age, frequency of use, and prior hospitalizations influence PCP-related behaviors.
• To explore the association between self-reported behavioral changes and specific user characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Study involved 35 male jail inmates with a history of PCP use.
• Data collected on drug use patterns, psychiatric hospitalizations, and personality traits using a modified Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory.
• Behavioral responses were assessed under simulated conditions of 'No PCP' and 'PCP' use.

Main Results:

• PCP use was associated with increased hostility, suspicion, and assaultive behavior.
• These increases were significant even when controlling for age, age of first use, and frequency of PCP use.
• Subjects with a history of psychiatric hospitalizations reported higher levels of assault during PCP use compared to those without such histories.

Conclusions:

• Self-reported behavioral effects of PCP are linked to specific personality traits and background features.
• Individual differences, including psychiatric history, play a role in modulating PCP's impact on behavior.
• These findings highlight the importance of considering user characteristics in understanding PCP-induced behavioral changes.