Results of Data Analysis

2019

In this book a story is told about the psychological traits associated with drug consumption. The book includes: • A review of published works on the psychological profiles of drug users. • Analysis of a new original database with information on 1885 respondents and usage of 18 drugs. (Database is available online.) • An introductory description of the data mining and machine learning methods used for the analysis of this dataset. • The demonstration that the personality traits (five factor model, impulsivity, and sensation seeking), together with simple demographic data, give the possibility of predicting the risk of consumption of individual drugs with sensitivity and specificity above 70% for most drugs. • The analysis of correlations of use of different substances and the description of the groups of drugs with correlated use (correlation pleiades). • Proof of significant differences of personality profiles for users of different drugs. This is explicitly proved for benzodiazepines, ecstasy, and heroin. • Tables of personality profiles for users and non-users of 18 substances. The book is aimed at advanced undergraduates or first-year PhD students, as well as researchers and practitioners. No previous knowledge of machine learning, advanced data mining concepts or modern psychology of personality is assumed. For more detailed introduction into statistical methods we recommend several undergraduate textbooks. Familiarity with basic statistics and some experience in the use of probabilities would be helpful as well as some basic technical understanding of psychology.

Springer, Cham, 2019

This book discusses the psychological traits associated with drug consumption through the statistical analysis of a new database with information on 1885 respondents and use of 18 drugs. After reviewing published works on the psychological profiles of drug users and describing the data mining and machine learning methods used, it demonstrates that the personality traits (five factor model, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) together with simple demographic data make it possible to predict the risk of consumption of individual drugs with a sensitivity and specificity above 70% for most drugs. It also analyzes the correlations of use of different substances and describes the groups of drugs with correlated use, identifying significant differences in personality profiles for users of different drugs. The book is intended for advanced undergraduates and first-year PhD students, as well as researchers and practitioners. Although no previous knowledge of machine learning, advanced data mining concepts or modern psychology of personality is assumed, familiarity with basic statistics and some experience in the use of probabilities would be helpful.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2004

As personality may predispose, precipitate or perpetuate substance abuse and/or dependence, and as it is considered to remain stable across the years in a given subject, potential links with the drug of choice may help screen future patients before drug consumption. The present study compared three groups: 42 patients with heroin dependence (mean age: 31.2; standard deviation (SD): 5.5; 10 females), 37 patients with alcohol dependence (mean age 44.2; SD: 9.1; 9 females) and 83 subjects from a random population sample (mean age: 38.8; SD: 6.9; 20 females). Personality was measured by Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Pillai's MANCOVA with age as a covariate and gender as a cofactor was highly significant. Univariate ANOVA analyses using TCI dimensions as dependent variable showed most variables to vary in parallel for the two patient groups in comparison with controls. Post-hoc tests showed heroin patients to score higher in Novelty-Seeking and Self-Directedness than alcohol patients. Sub-dimensions Exploratory Excitability, Fear of the Uncertain, Responsibility, Congruent Second Nature and Transpersonal Identification were also significantly different in the two patient samples. Logistic regression showed Exploratory Excitability to segregate up to 76% of heroin patients from alcohol patients. In conclusion, personality profiles were linked to some preferential choice of drug and personality screening might be tested in preventive strategies.

Addiction, 1987

An accurate evaluation of the effectiveness of substance abuse treatment depends largely upon the construction of measures which will capture the complexity of multiple substance use patterns. Of 256 subjects assessed for a drug abuse treatment programme, 90% had used drugs from four or more of eight classes (Alcohol, Cannabis, Hallucinogens, Narcotics, Sedative Hypnotics, Solvents, Stimulants, Tranquillizers) during the past year. A principal components analysis of frequency data from the drug classes indicated four orthogonal factors, explaining 72% of the variance. Cluster analysis (Ward's method) grouped subjects into five clusters, provisionally labelled A (predominantly alcohol), ADR (combining high use of alcohol,‘depressant’ and ‘recreational'drugs), D (predominantly ‘depressant’ drugs), R (mainly ‘recreational’ drugs) and S (very high use of solvents). Four of the clusters (A, D. R. S) combined drugs similar to the principal component factors, with a fifth cluster (ADR) indicating high use of all drug classes except solvents. The clusters also differed in several important ways, including age, social class, social stability, age at onset of drug problem, number of drug classes used, and present severity of drug and alcohol problems.

The American Journal on Addictions, 2012

Background: Drug addiction and alcoholism involve a complex etiopathogenesis with a variable degree of risk contributions from the host (person), environment, and addictive substances. In this work, temperament and character features of individuals addicted to opiates or alcohol are compared with normal controls to study personality factors in the overall risk for drug addiction. Methods: The study was done in a permissive environment, with easy access to alcohol and heroin, which facilitated analyses of personality factors in drug choice. Participants included 412 consecutive patients (312 opiate addicts, 100 alcohol addicts) treated at the Specialized Hospital for Chemical Dependency in Belgrade, Serbia, and a community sample of 346 controls. Results: Opiate addicts manifested antisocial temperament configuration (high Novelty Seeking, low Reward Dependence) coupled with high Self-transcendence (ie, susceptibility to fantasy and imagination). Alcohol addicts manifested sensitive temperament configuration (high Novelty Seeking coexisting with high Harm Avoidance). Immature personality was observed far more frequently in opiate addicts than in alcoholics or normals. Conclusions: Novelty Seeking appears to be a general risk factor for drug addiction. High Harm Avoidance appears to channel individuals with high Novelty Seeking towards alcoholism. Immature character traits and probable Personality Disorder increase the risk of illegal drugs. Based on equivalent research in nonpermissive environments, at least a portion of our opiate addicts could have developed alcoholism instead in environments with more limited access to opiates. Personality factors provide useful guidelines for preventive work with young individuals with personality risk factors for drug addiction.

Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling, 2007

Using H. J. Eysenck's (1957, 1967) theory of temperament, this study examined the relationship between drug preference, drug use, and personality among incarcerated inmates. Analysis indicated a general preference for marijuana and alcohol over 8 other commonly used drugs across different personality types. Theoretical and clinical implications are offered. Hans J. Eysenck (1957), a pioneer of alcohol and other drug (AOD) research, postulated that temperament can be modified by AOD use and serves as a predictor of drug preference. His early research has stimulated generations of studies on personality and vulnerability to drug use. Whereas drug preference may or may not be implied by the use of particular drugs (as actual drug use may be a function of cost, availability, and peer influence), the majority of research (

Addictive Behaviors, 1998

The current study sought to test the utility of matching law in predicting drug use occurring in the natural environment. Participants were 206 college students. Behavioral allocation was measured across two concurrently available sets of activities: those engaged in while using or under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol (drug related) and those engaged in when drug free. Results from regression analyses indicate that predictions of drug use are improved with the addition of reinforcement received from drug-free activities, which enters the model with a negative coefficient value. The addition of a reinforcement ratio, based on matching law equations, also accounted for unique variance. Results demonstrate the utility of applying behavioral theories of choice to drug use and highlight the importance of viewing behaviors within their broader environmental context.

Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, 2015

Objectives: To evaluate how personality traits are associated with occasional use, abuse, and dependence of alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, benzodiazepines, and hallucinogens in a large availability sample of adults via online questionnaires. Methods: The sample consisted of 8,646 individuals (24.7% men and 75.3% women) who completed an anonymous web survey. Involvement with drugs and temperament/character traits were assessed through the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the Temperament and Character Inventory -Revised (TCI-R), respectively. Interactions among variables were analyzed using MANOVA with Bonferroni adjustment. Results: Novelty seeking was the trait most associated with increased involvement with alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine. There was a significant association between harm avoidance and benzodiazepine use. Persistence was lower in cannabis-, benzodiazepine-, and cocaine-dependent subjects, as well as in hallucinogen abusers. Self-directedness was reduced in dependents of all drug classes. No strong relationships were found between other temperament or character dimensions and the severity of drug use. Conclusions: Novelty seeking was associated with increased involvement with all drugs studied in this sample, although to a lesser extent with benzodiazepines and hallucinogens. The temperament and character profile for benzodiazepine use was different from that of other drugs due to the relationship with higher harm avoidance and self-transcendence and lower self-directedness.

2010

We sought to evaluate the risk factors and personality traits associated with specific drug use and drug addiction in general. Design: We compared the temperament and character traits of people addicted to opiates or alcohol to healthy controls. Participants: In total, 412 consecutive patients (312 people addicted opiates; 100 to alcohol) treated at the Specialised Clinic for Chemical Dependency in Belgrade, Serbia and a community sample of 346 healthy controls participated in this study. Measurements: We employed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the DSM-IV criteria for opiate addiction and alcoholism. Findings: Participants addicted to opiates manifested "antisocial" temperaments (i.e., high novelty seeking and low reward dependence), whereas participants addicted to alcohol had "sensitive" temperaments (i.e., high novelty seeking, high harm avoidance). We observed immature personalities and personality disorders far more frequently in people addicted to opiates than those addicted to alcohol or healthy participants. Conclusions: Novelty seeking appears to be a risk factor for drug addiction. High harm avoidance may direct high novelty seeking people toward alcoholism. Personality disorders increase the risk of illegal drug use. Personality factors may provide useful indicators for drug addiction preventive work with young people.

Two empirical typologies of multiple drug use are developed employing self-reported drug use data from a national youth panel of adolescents aged 11 to 17 in 1976. The first typology is based upon reported use of seven drugs (alcohol, marijuana, hallucinogens, amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, and heroin) by the youth panel in 1976. The second is an integrated typology based upon reported use of an expanded set of twelve drugs (including tobacco; angel dust and inhalants) by the youth panel in 1977 and 1978. The latter typology is of special significance since it involves a stable set of drug-use t~;~s observed 1n both 1977 and 1978 and thus permits a detailed analysis of changing patterns of drug :tse over this two year period.