Personality, Drug Preference, Drug Use, and Drug Availability

• NCJ Number: 235076
• Journal: Journal of Drug Education Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Dated: 2011 Pages: 45-63
• Author(s): Marc Feldman; Bret Boyer; V. K. Kumar; Maurice Prout
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: This article is based on the PsyD Dissertation of the first author at Widener University.

Annotation

This study reexamined the relationship between personality and drug preference.

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between drug preference, drug use, drug availability, and personality among individuals (n = 100) in treatment for substance abuse in an effort to replicate the results of an earlier study (Feldman, Kumar, Angelini, Pekala, & Porter, 2007) designed to test prediction derived from Eysenck's (1957, 1967) theories. Drug preference was measured by the method of paired-comparison and personality was measured with the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire-50 CC. Contrary to expectations, high compared with low scorers on Sociability and Impulsive-Sensation Seeking preferred depressants. Surprisingly, low compared with high scorers on neuroticism did not differ in preference for alcohol. As in the previous study, drug preference, use, and availability were highly correlated, although ease of availability was slightly more predictive of drug use than drug preference. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed. (Published Abstract)