Untreated IV drug users: Behavioral and personality differences among those at risk for AIDS.
Item
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Title
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Untreated IV drug users: Behavioral and personality differences among those at risk for AIDS.
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Identifier
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AAI9119635
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identifier
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9119635
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Creator
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Grunebaum, Andrew Moyer.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Steven Tuber
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Date
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1991
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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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The present study investigated the role of personality functioning in HIV risk-taking behaviors among a community sample of intravenous drug users (IVDUs). Differences in how cautiously or carelessly an IVDU used their needles, either protecting themselves or others from HIV exposure or not, were expected to be associated with differences on several personality measures.;In the context of a National AIDS Demonstration Research Project, 99 IVDUs were assessed on baseline measures of drug use, sexual practices, health and substance abuse treatment experiences. Subjects were then assessed on the following measures of personality: the Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale; the Blatt et al., Depressive Experiences Questionnaire, (DEQ); the Loevinger Sentence Completion Test; the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II, MCMI-II; and the Westen Object Relations & Social Cognition Scales for the Thematic Apperception Test. Using a needle-risk index (Myers et al., 1989), subjects were classified into three groups according to self-reported needle-use behaviors on the initial interview: Low risk, N = 40; Intermediate risk, N = 22; High risk, N = 37.;Group differences emerged on three of the personality measures (i.e. the TAT scales, the DEQ and the MCMI-II) and on sex risk, drug use, and health outcome variables. Low risk takers appeared to function at a neurotic level with antisocial features and employed a counterdependent stance which appeared to help maintain adequate control over HIV risk-taking behaviors. Intermediate risk takers met the criteria for antisocial/borderline disorders with a dependent orientation, were found to experience the greatest conflict over risk-taking behaviors, manifesting anxiety and dysthymia yet, were able to limit risk-taking by the formation of a strong interpersonal attachment with another person. High risk takers also met the criteria for antisocial/borderline disorders but instead exhibited a counterdependent orientation. Severe antisocial/borderline personality disorder when combined with a counterdependent stance, precludes the formation of mutual relationships which were seen to circumscribe HIV risk-taking for the intermediate risk group. The greatest liability for this community sample of IVDUs was the inability to establish trust, tolerate feelings of dependency and establish genuine interpersonal relationships which in turn may serve a relatively protective function with respect to HIV needle-use risks.
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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.
