Personality Structure of Alcoholics in Outpatient Psychotherapy

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Abstract
An obverse factor analysis design was employed to test the hypothesis that a number of psychopathological personality types exist within an alcoholic population. Thirty-six alcoholics were rated by psychotherapists on scales which descr. personality traits and psychopathology. Person-to-person correlations were computed and five personality type factors were isolated by Thurstone''s centroid method of factor analysis. The personality types isolated were descr. and were identified as follows: (A) A schizoid personality. (B) A relatively normal personality. (C) An uncontrolled personality with an anxiety reaction to stress and frustration. (D) An emotionally unstable personality. (E) A psychoneurotic personality with pronounced sexual conflict and feelings of inadequacy. Social and occupational adjustment seemed to be related to the personality types isolated, but age of onset of alcoholism and drinking behavior were not clearly related to type membership. The isolation of an apparently normal personality type suggested that alcoholism may not invariably be a symptom of current personality conflict or psychopathology.

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