Personality and symptom characteristics of continuous vs. episodic drinkers

This study was designed to identify clinically meaningful differences between Continuous and Episodic Drinkers who were entering inpatient treatment on the basis of demographic, social functioning, and drinking information, as well as scores based on an intake administration of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory. A discriminant analysis correctly classified 79% of patients into Continuous and Episodic Drinking groups. Variables that had both interpretable loadings on the discriminant function and scores that were associated positively with membership in the Continuous Drinking group include the Psychotic Thinking, Passive-Aggressive, Avoidant, and Psychotic Depression scales of the MCMI and a questionnaire item, "Drinking helps me to work better." In contrast, scores on the Conforming-Compulsive scale of the MCMI were associated positively with membership in the Episodic Drinking group.