Variations in psychosocial functioning associated with patterns of progression in cocaine-dependent men

This study examined the relationship between patterns of progression of cocaine use and psychosocial functioning in a sample of cocaine-dependent men who were veterans. Four patterns of progression were examined: mild-severe, moderate-severe, mild-moderate-severe, and severe only. Analysis of variance and post hoc analysis with Duncan grouping revealed significant differences among cocaine users with different patterns of progression in terms of negativism, problem index for situations involving unpleasant emotions, problem index for situations involving urges, depression, somatic anxiety, and medical problems in the family. However, there were no significant differences on sensation seeking, confidence to resist taking cocaine in different situations, obsessive compulsiveness, somatization, attention deficit, and social adjustment. Cocaine users with a severe-only pattern of progression were significantly more dysfunctional than those with mild-moderate-severe progression in terms of negativism, problem index for situations involving unpleasant emotions, depression, and somatic anxiety. Cocaine users with mild-moderate-severe progression had significantly less somatic anxiety than those with mild-severe progression and had less negativism and a lower problem index for urges than those with moderate-severe progression. Logistic regression analysis revealed unique behavioral variables associated with different patterns of progression. The implications of these findings for treatment are discussed.