Personality characteristics of treatment-seeking HIV+ pregnant drug dependent women

Dace S. Svikis, Sharon Gorenstein, Pat Paluzzi, Michael Fingerhood

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Pregnant, drug dependent women present for treatment with a variety of medical and psychosocial issues. When medical sequelae include HIV infection, effective medical and psychoso-cial management is essential for both mother and fetus/infant. To better understand and characterize this high-risk population, the present study examined personality features and psychopathology in a sample of HIV+, pregnant, drug dependent women. Personality was assessed using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Revised (MMPI-2). The mean MMPI-2 codetype, (6–8), although relatively rare in standard drug treatment settings, characterized nearly one-fifth of study participants. The 6–8 codetype is typically associated with unusual thought processes, feelings of hostility and suspiciousness as well as apathy, which may mask symptoms of nervousness, anxiety and depression. Treatment implications of study findings are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)91-111
Number of pages21
JournalJournal of Addictive Diseases
Volume17
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 24 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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