Prevalence, severity and correlates of psychological morbidity among methadone maintenance clients

Abstract
A sample of 222 methadone maintenance clients was tested for levels of depression, anxiety, and anti‐social personality disorder. The prevalence of each type of psychopathology was high. There were large proportions of subjects exhibiting extremely severe depression, anxiety and a majority were classified as “psychiatric cases”. Depression and anxiety were strongly related, but anti‐social behaviour was unrelated to personal distress. Personal distress levels were predicted by benzodiazepine use, poorer social functioning and poorer health. Anti‐social personality disorder zoos predicted by younger age, being male, poorer social functioning, and current criminality.