Opiate Addiction: A Study Identifying Three Systematically Related Psychological Correlates

Abstract

The present study attempted to make a contribution to the badly needed body of systematic psychological knowledge about the contemporary heroin addict. Addicts and nonaddict controls were contrasted in terms of three psychological dimensions: self-esteem (SE), future time perspective (FTP), and locus of control (LC). These constructs were chosen on the basis of their status as important personality and rehabilitation variables. When contrasted with nonaddict controls, heroin addicts were clearly shown to have low SE, a foreshortened FTP, and an external LC. While further empirical studies are necessary, these constructs, as a group, may have utility as addiction criterion or rehabilitation variables for the understanding, treatment, and prevention of opiate addiction.