Chronic Illicit Drug Abusers: Gender Comparisons

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Abstract
The hypothesis that female illicit drug abusers are more psychologically deviant than their male counterparts was explored by comparing groups of 121 male and 33 female therapeutic community residents on single and global measures of psychopathology and person characteristics relevant to drug abuse. Groups did not differ on such potentially confounding variables as education, intelligence, time in treatment, and ethnic composition. Gender groups were highly similar on measures reflecting extent and type of psychopathology and motives for and patterns of drug use. Women differed from men on several of the Adjective Check List dimensions, including self-confidence, aggression, heterosexuality, autonomy, and defensiveness and on a measure of attitudes toward women's rights. The notion that female drugabuse clients are “sicker” than those who are male is suggested to be counterproductive, as well as a position which perpetuates yet another negative stereotype for antisocial women to deal with in the therapeutic process.

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