Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 2, 2026
05:40
The Motivation for Alcohol Reward: Predictors of Progressive-Ratio Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration in Humans
Published on: April 28, 2022
3.4K
Subtypes of Alcoholics Based on Psychometric Measures
1John P. Allen, Ph.D., is chief of the Treatment Research Branch, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland.
Alcohol Health and Research World
|December 5, 2019
Summary
Psychometric tests aid in classifying alcoholics based on personality and psychological traits. Further research is needed to refine these tools for broader clinical application in treatment planning.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Alcoholism subtyping is crucial for effective treatment planning.
- Psychometric tests offer a quantitative approach to understanding individual differences in alcoholism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of psychometric tests in subtyping alcoholics.
- To review existing psychometric measures used in alcoholism research.
Main Methods:
- Review of psychometric instruments like the Personality Research Form (PRF).
- Examination of measures assessing personality traits, psychological characteristics, and intelligence.
- Inclusion of diagnostic inventories (e.g., Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory) for co-occurring disorders.
- Consideration of tests evaluating treatment motivation.
Main Results:
- Various psychometric tests are utilized for alcoholism subtyping.
- Instruments assess personality, psychological status, intelligence, co-occurring psychiatric disorders, and treatment motivation.
- Established typologies exist based on these psychometric assessments.
Conclusions:
- Psychometric tests provide valuable data for alcoholism subtyping.
- Further research is necessary to validate these instruments and typologies for widespread clinical use.
- Improved treatment planning and monitoring are potential benefits of refined psychometric approaches.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Self-Report Tests of Personality
715
Self-report inventories are objective personality assessments that use multiple-choice items or numbered scales, typically ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). They are often called Likert scales after Rensis Likert. These inventories are widely used due to their ease of administration and cost-effectiveness. One of the most prominent examples is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), initially developed in the 1940s to assess abnormal personality traits.
715
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
43.4K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
43.4K
01:29Personality Theory by Eysenck and Eysenck
1.1K
Hans and Sybil Eysenck developed a widely recognized theory of personality, which emphasizes the role of temperament and genetically based differences in shaping individual traits. Their theory posits that biological factors primarily determine personality and can be understood through two main dimensions: extroversion/introversion and neuroticism/stability.
In the extroversion/introversion dimension, highly extroverted people are sociable, outgoing, and easily connect with others. In contrast,...
In the extroversion/introversion dimension, highly extroverted people are sociable, outgoing, and easily connect with others. In contrast,...
1.1K
01:27CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine
949
Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
949
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
343
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
343
01:24Strategies of Self-Presentation III: Self-Monitoring
162
Self-monitoring is a central construct in understanding individual differences in self-presentation strategies across social contexts. It refers to how individuals observe, regulate, and control their expressive behavior and self-presentation following situational cues. Self-monitoring reflects a person's sensitivity to social appropriateness and willingness to adapt behavior to fit varying interpersonal demands.High vs. Low Self-Monitoring IndividualsIndividuals high in self-monitoring are...
162