Relationship of alcoholic personality subtypes to treatment follow-up measures

The present study investigated the relationship of a multivariate classification of alcoholic patients based upon Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory profiles taken at admission to psychopathology and drinking behavior at a 6- to 12-month follow-up interval. It was found that a subtype of patients characterized as psychoneurotic, with reactive anxiety and/or depression, evidenced significantly higher levels of psychopathology at follow-up than the remaining three subtypes. Furthermore, this subtype demonstrated higher levels of physical, social, and psychological impairment from post-treatment drinking episodes. No differences were found among the four subtypes with respect to outpatient therapists' ratings of personality change and adjustment. The findings suggest that such a multivariate classification of Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory profiles has predictive utility. The results also suggest that the present subtypes would be useful in investigating the potential utility of differential therapeutic intervention strategies for different patients.