skip to content
Dovepress - Open Access to Scientific and Medical Research
View our mobile site

8852

Personality of mothers of substance-dependent patients

Original Research

(2079) Views  (502) Full article downloads

Authors: David Baron, Samir AbolMagd, Salwa Erfan, et al

Published Date April 2010 Volume 2010:3 Pages 29 - 32
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S5693

David Baron1, Samir AbolMagd2, Salwa Erfan2, Mona El Rakhawy2

1Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2University of Cairo School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract: Drug addicts often come from dysfunctional families. The prevailing view in the literature is that mothers of drug-dependent patients can be characterized by strong emotional bonds and overprotection. Studies suggest that maternal rejection could be a major risk factor of developing drug addiction. This work is a continuation of our previous study of childhood parenting experiences of substance-dependent patients. The aims were to compare the personality profile of mothers of substance-dependent patients and that of mothers of matched control subjects; and to examine the relation between the personality of mothers of addicts, and severity of their offspring’s addiction. The study group consisted of 20 mothers of substance-dependent patients and a control group of 35 mothers of non-dependent subjects; mothers of both groups were age matched. Patients were diagnosed according to DSM IV criteria. Personalities of mothers of both groups were assessed using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI). Substance-dependent patients (sons) were administered the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). The mean scores of the MMPI Scales were higher for mothers of dependent patients compared to mothers of non-dependent subjects. Scores on the depression, hysteria and paranoia scales were significantly higher for mothers of patients (P = 0.03, 0.02, and 0.03, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between scores of hysteria, and psychopathic deviance and the ASI (P = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). There were significant negative correlations between scores of social introversion and the ASI drug/alcohol use status (P = 0.007), and family history dimensions (P = 0.003). Mothers of substance-dependent patients showed disturbances in aspects of personalities that might be related to initiation of perpetuation of substance dependence.

Keywords: substance-dependent patients, personality, mothers








Readers of this article also read:

Role of aliskiren in cardio-renal protection and use in hypertensives with multiple risk factors
Levels of circulating homocysteine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folate in different types of open-angle glaucoma
Traditional and new strategies in the primary prevention of eating disorders: a comparative study in Spanish adolescents
Obesity and respiratory diseases
Reorientation to more health promotion in health services – a study of barriers and possibilities from the perspective of health professionals
The noradrenergic symptom cluster: clinical expression and neuropharmacology
Is serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor related to craving for or use of alcohol, cocaine, or methamphetamine?
APRESS: apical regulatory super system, serotonin, and dopamine interaction
Cumulative clinical experience from over a decade of use of levofloxacin in community-acquired pneumonia: critical appraisal and role in therapy
Critical analysis of the use of onabotulinumtoxinA (botulinum toxin type A) in migraine
  • Testimonials

    "You do a tremendous job!!" Ruben Restrepo, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio