Personality dimensions and main drug of use in dual disorders

© 2018, Pacini Editore S.p.A.. All rights reserved. Personality dimensions such as ‘novelty seeking’ (NS) and ‘impulsivity’ (I) have been reported as risk factors for drug experimentation, escalation of use, substance of choice, and maintenance of substance use disorder (SUD). The high prevalence of dual disorders signifies the need to study the influence of personality traits in these patients. Aim: To assess the relationship between personality dimensions and drug consumption types in patients with dual disorder. Methods: A sample comprising 215 patients was recruited from a dual disorder unit. Cloninger’s Revised Temperament and Character Inventory was administered for personality assessment. Results: Statistically significant differences in NS were observed between the number of SUD diagnoses and between the drug type groups both for the general sample and for the subgroup of personality disorders (PD) (where statistically significant differences were found in I). An increase was observed in the likelihood of: cocaine use if NS was high (1.67: CI 95% [1,20,2,3]) and cooperation low (1.379: CI 95% [1.026, 1.854]); opioid use if self-directedness was low (3.373: CI 95% [1.049, 10.845]) and I reduced (0.427: CI 95% [0.187,0.974]); and cannabis use if NS was high (1.80: CI 95% [1.047, 3.094]). Conclusions: The highest NS was associated with cocaine, cannabis, and polysubstance use, with more altered personality patterns, and greater SUD severity. Drug type groups only presented differences in impulsivity in the PD subgroup. When I was elevated, the risk of opioid use was reduced.