An examination of depressed vs. nondepressed alcoholics in inpatient treatment

This study was designed to: (1) identify subgroups of depressed and nondepressed alcoholics who were entering inpatient treatment; (2) compare the groups on the basis of various demographic, social, occupational, educational, health and drinking related variables; and (c) determine whether the groups can be differentiated on the basis of personality and clinical symptoms as measured by clinical diagnostic instruments (N = 243). In comparison with the nondepressed alcoholics, depressed alcoholics in this study were found to have longer histories of problem drinking, more previous treatments for alcohol misuse, more difficulty controlling alcohol consumption, more marital problems, and more physical symptoms related to alcohol abuse. In addition, results of the discriminant analysis suggest that the depressed alcoholics may be distinguished from their nondepressed counterparts on the basis of having a detached interpersonal style, distracted cognition, alienated self-image, and mixed depressed-anxious emotionality.