MMPI patterns of physically and psychologically dependent drug abusers

Comparison of the MMPI profiles of psychologically dependent (N = 20) and physically dependent drug abusers indicated that as compared to control groups the former group were characterized by high anxiety scores and the latter group by low scores on the same MMPI scale. The MMPI subtest patterns also suggest that the major defense mechanisms of the psychologically dependent group were denial and repression whereas those of the physically dependent drug abusers were hypochondriacal and hypomanic in nature. Tentative evidence suggests that the former drug-abuse group tends to respond more favourably to psychotherapeutic intervention than does the latter group.