Personality traits of cocaine-dependent patients associated with cocaine-positive baseline urine at hospitalization

Abstract

Background: Cocaine abstinence at treatment entry is considered a predictor of good response in cocaine dependence treatment. Therefore, identification of factors facilitating pretreatment cocaine abstinence could be useful for developing new therapeutic strategies.

Objective: This retrospective chart review study examines the association between personality traits and cocaine-positive baseline urinalysis (CPB) in cocaine-dependent inpatients.

Methods: All 107 participants met DSM-IV criteria for cocaine dependence, and were admitted consecutively to a closed addiction unit for detoxification treatment. Personality was assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-II).

Results: CPB was detected in 80 patients (74.8%). The logistic regression model solely based on personality dimensions showed that only the MCMI-II avoidant traits were significantly associated with a decreased probability of cocaine-dependent patients presenting CPB. The logistic regression model based on both personality dimensions and substance use-related variables alike retained the number of days of cocaine use during the last 30 days as a risk factor, and alcohol dependence and the MCMI-II schizoid dimension as protective factors in predicting CPB results.

Conclusion and scientific significance: Avoidant and schizoid traits are personality dimensions of cocaine-dependent patients that are associated with cocaine abstinence prior to inpatient admission. These findings suggest an inverse relationship between social isolation and CPB. Notwithstanding, more research is needed, not only to assess the generalizability of these findings, but also to enrich the personality and substance use model with variables related to readiness to change.