Dimensions of Addict Life‐style after Treatment

A review of the literature suggests that there are life‐style patterns typical of addicts. However, these descriptions are usually based on limited samples of addicts. In the present study, systematic data were collected for a national sample of addict respondents who had applied for treatment under PL89–793 by the Narcotic Addict Rehabilitation Branch of NIMH. Twenty‐one dimensions representing the seven content areas of criminality, health, living arrangement, employment, heterosexual adjustment, drug use and social competence were entered into a principal component analysis. A ten‐factor solution which allowed for maximum interpretation was selected. The clustering of responses supports the view that life‐style dimensions exist which can describe the addict after treatment. Thus the popular stereotypes of association of behaviors among addicts are called into question.