COCAINE ABUSE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING: AN EXPLORATORY COMPARISON OF RECREATIONAL AND COMPULSIVE COCAINE USERS (DRUG ADDICTION, OBJECT RELATIONS, REALITY TESTING, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMATOLOGY).
Item
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Title
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COCAINE ABUSE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING: AN EXPLORATORY COMPARISON OF RECREATIONAL AND COMPULSIVE COCAINE USERS (DRUG ADDICTION, OBJECT RELATIONS, REALITY TESTING, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMATOLOGY).
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Identifier
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AAI8614707
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identifier
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8614707
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Creator
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TATARSKY, ANDREW.
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Contributor
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Herb Nechin
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Date
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1986
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Clinical
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Abstract
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This study investigated the relationship between cocaine use and psychological functioning. Descriptive group profiles of controlled-recreational, compulsive and quasi-compulsive cocaine users were generated and compared on demographic variables, quantitative and qualitative cocaine use variables, other drug use, psychosocial consequences of cocaine use, object relations and reality testing and psychiatric symptomatology. Object relations and reality testing impairment was assessed by the Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Self-Report Inventory and psychiatric symptomatology was measured by the Symptom Checklist-90. Object relations subscale means from the recreational and compulsive cocaine user groups were also compared to three psychopathological and two normal criterion groups studied by Bell, Billington and Becker (1985a). Comparisons between the recreational and compulsive cocaine user groups yielded two distinct cocaine use profiles which corresponded to previous descriptions of these use patterns. The psychological profile of the recreational user group was not significantly different from normal comparison groups while the compulsive user group profile was most similar to major affective disorder and neurotic character disorder groups. The quasi-compulsive user group appeared most similar to the compulsive user group in cocaine use and psychological impairment but had less intensity in both areas. These findings are most consistent with formulations by Spotts and Schontz (1975) regarding the personality of compulsive cocaine users. This study provides support for the theory that object relations impairment may constitute a psychological vulnerability to developing the compulsive cocaine use pattern.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Psychology
