Psychopathology of drug abusers: sex and ethnic considerations

A cross-validation approach was used to explore potential differences in degree and type of psychopathology among sex and race subgroups of 428 drug abusers applying to two geographically distant tratment programs. Dimensions of psychopathology were measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), and analyses of covariance and chi-square procedures were used to compare subgroups on scale elevations and types of psychopathology. Personality characteristics were highly similar across treatment programs, and applicants were characterized by antisocial, passive-dependent, and psychotic symptomatology. Men and women differed little in extent or type of psychopathology, suggesting that women were no more psychologically aberrant than men. White drug abusers were more antisocial, behaviorally deviant, and neurotic than Blacks, but subgroups did not differ in type of psychopathology. Interpreted in the context of other research, results suggest that there are important differences in personality, motivational, drug use, and value system characteristics between Black and White drug abusers.