RESUMEN
To identify variables that discriminate needle-sharing among drug abusers, 224 male drug abusers were studied. They had been admitted to a 30-day inpatient drug treatment program over a 19-month period (September 1983 through March 1985). The variables examined were divided into three categories: demographic (age, race, education), personality (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory [MMPI] scores and MMPI deviant scores), and drug use patterns (drug of choice, use of single or multiple [mixed] drugs, severity of drug use, and place of use). Three variables were identified that discriminated needle-sharers from other drug abusers. Compared with other drug abusers, needle-sharers used more multiple drugs, were more likely to use a "shooting gallery," and had more problems related to drug use. No demographic or personality variables discriminated needle-sharers from nonsharers. The data suggested that needle-sharing is widespread in the drug culture. Needle-sharing was not confined to a particular racial group, educational level, or personality type. These findings can be used to structure education programs about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) for drug abusers. Drug treatment programs appear to provide an important opportunity to educate drug abusers about AIDS and related health issues associated with needle-sharing.
Asunto(s)
Conducta , Agujas , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/psicología , Adulto , Anfetaminas , Cocaína , Demografía , Heroína , Humanos , Inyecciones Intravenosas , MMPI , Masculino , Personalidad , Factores SocioeconómicosRESUMEN
Trends in primary illicit drug use were monitored in an inpatient drug treatment program over a 10-year period, along with illicit drug used in a methadone maintenance program over a six-year period. The percentage of cocaine users admitted for inpatient treatment showed an increase for each six-month interval over the past three-year period. Cocaine was found to be the most frequently used illicit drug by methadone maintenance clients, and its continued use disrupted both inpatient and outpatient treatment. Implications for treatment are discussed.
Asunto(s)
Cocaína , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/rehabilitación , Cocaína/orina , Humanos , Metadona/uso terapéutico , Cooperación del Paciente , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/orinaAsunto(s)
Trastornos de Adaptación/psicología , Trastornos de Combate/psicología , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/psicología , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/psicología , Veteranos/psicología , Trastornos de Adaptación/rehabilitación , Adulto , Trastornos de Combate/rehabilitación , Humanos , Masculino , Evaluación de Procesos y Resultados en Atención de Salud , Trastornos Relacionados con Sustancias/rehabilitaciónAsunto(s)
Alcoholismo/psicología , MMPI , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Alcoholismo/rehabilitación , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Chronic psychiatric patients were Ss in a study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of contingent reinforcement to improve personal appearance and hygiene. Ss were divided into four groups matched on age and years of hospitalization. Group 1 was rated on personal appearance and received contingent material reinforcement and verbal reinforcement. Group 2 was rated and received only contingent verbal reinforcement. Group 3 was rated, but received no contingent reinforcement, and Group 4 was control. It was concluded that (1) both contingent verbal reinforcement and contingent material plus verbal reinforcement can be used to improve personal appearance; (2) contingent material plus verbal reinforcement is more effective for improving personal appearance than using only contingent verbal reinforcement; (3) rating patients without using contingent reinforcement does not result in significant improvement; and (4) simply presented video-taped information for improving personal appearance does not cause significant improvement.
Asunto(s)
Higiene , Refuerzo Verbal , Esquizofrenia/rehabilitación , Régimen de Recompensa , Actividades Cotidianas , Adulto , Terapia Conductista/métodos , Enfermedad Crónica , Estudios de Evaluación como Asunto , Humanos , Institucionalización , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
Hospitalized brain-damaged patients were Ss in a study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment technique used with contingent reinforcement to facilitate acquisition and retention of environmentally relevant information. Ss were divided into three groups that were equated diagnostically and demographically. Group I received the treatment technique with contingent material and verbal reinforcement. Group II received the treatment technique with only contingent verbal reinforcement, and Group III was a control. Both treatment groups showed significant acquisition of the experimental information, and 1 week after training the two treatment groups showed no significant loss of acquired information. None of the groups showed any significant change in ward behavior during the experiment. It was concluded that the treatment technique used with contingent reinforcement can be used in the retraining of memory in brain-damaged patients.
Asunto(s)
Logro , Daño Encefálico Crónico/rehabilitación , Memoria , Instrucciones Programadas como Asunto , Refuerzo Verbal , Retención en Psicología , Humanos , Trastornos de la Memoria/rehabilitaciónRESUMEN
A study was undertaken to identify psychological problems reported by workers in an industrial setting and the degree to which these problems (1) affected an individual's ability to carry out work and home responsibilities and (2) were related to physical and psychophysiological disorders. In addition, an analysis was made of various medical-psychiatric services that were needed to provide comprehensive understanding of individual health problems and good case management.
Asunto(s)
Trastornos Mentales , Medicina del Trabajo , Adulto , Evaluación de la Discapacidad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Trastornos Mentales/complicaciones , Trastornos Mentales/etiología , Trastornos Mentales/terapia , Persona de Mediana Edad , Trastornos Psicofisiológicos/complicaciones , Trastornos Psicofisiológicos/etiología , Derivación y ConsultaRESUMEN
Used MMPI Content Scale scores (Wiggins, 1966) to assess personality differences among black, white, and Hispanic-American heroin addicts. Ss were 423 male veterans who volunteered for the first time for treatment between 1972 and 1979 to an inpatient Drug Dependence Treatment Program (DDTP) of a Veterans Administration Medical Center. Two hypotheses were tested: First, that minority group heroin addicts (blacks and Hispanics) will show better adjustment than majority group (white) heroin addicts; second, that Hispanic-American heroin addicts will evidence personality characteristics unlike those of either whites or blacks. Both hypotheses were confirmed. Results were interpreted as supporting cultural theories of substance abuse and providing implications for diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse disorders among minority ethnic groups.
Asunto(s)
Etnicidad , Dependencia de Heroína/psicología , Trastornos de la Personalidad/psicología , Adulto , Dependencia de Heroína/rehabilitación , Humanos , Masculino , Psicometría , Ajuste SocialRESUMEN
This study asked, "What are the psychological characteristics of Vietnam combat veterans who claim Agent Orange exposure when compared with combat-experienced cohorts who do not report such contamination?" The question was researched among 153 heroin addicts, polydrug abusers, and chronic alcoholics who were seeking treatment: 58 reported moderate to high defoliant exposure while in combat; 95 reported minimal to no exposure while in Vietnam. The null hypothesis was accepted for measures of childhood and present family social climate, premilitary backgrounds, reasons for seeking treatment, patterns and types of illicit drug and alcohol use, interpersonal problems, intellectual functioning, and short-term memory. The null hypothesis was rejected for personality differences, however, those who self-reported high Agent Orange exposure scored significantly higher on MMPI scales F, Hypochondriasis, Depression, Paranoia, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia, Mania, and Social interoversion. The results suggest that clinicians carefully assess attributional processing of those who report traumatic experience.