The personality of alcoholic middle-class women: a comparative study with the MMPI

Alcoholic personality patterns have been derived largely from studies of institutionalized lower-class males. To determine whether similar patterns prevail among other alcoholic populations, 30 middle-class, white, married women who were undergoing treatment for alcoholism in a private clinic were compared with 30 nonalcoholic women of similar background, referred for various personality problems. Mean MMPI scores of both groups fell between 40 and 60, and the profiles showed an overall similarity. Alcoholism women scored significantly higher on F, PD and SC, but not on D. Both groups scored lowest on MF. The results show that data derived from institutionalized alcoholics of lower socioeconomic background have only limited applicability to this group.