Prediction of College Drug Use from Personality and Inner Experience

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Abstract
The extent to which subjects comprising substance use criterion groups (nonusers, alcohol only users, marihuana only users, polydrug users) could be differentiated on the basis of theoretically relevant personality and inner experience constructs was studied. The test battery included variables from the domains of needs, daydreaming and mental style, optimal level of stimulation and locus of control. Separate stepwise discriminant analyses were computed for males and females to predict drug-use pattern. The analyses were replicated, and the best set of predictor variables was used to predict classifications in different samples. It is possible to differentiate among the criterion groups in a statistically reliable manner on the basis of well-conceived assessment instruments with an accuracy of 60-65%. The consistency of the obtained discriminant results across 4 different samples suggests that rather than seeking some superordinate personality trait to differentiate substance users from nonusers, a general cluster of variables which may be described under the rubric hang loose ethic will best separate the groups.