Motivational Determinants of Illicit Drug Use: An Assessment of Underlying Dimensions and Their Relationship to Behavior

Abstract

Principal components analysis was used to delineate motivational patterns associated with illicit drug use in a population of U.S. Navy enlisted men (n = 867) undergoing drug rehabilitation. Patients indicated which of 31 reasons for drug use were associated with various drugs. Four components emerged from this analysis, labeled Insight-Seeking, Therapeutic Needs, Sentience, and Pleasure-Seeking. Higher order factor analysis revealed the presence of a general factor, labeled General Sensation-Seeking. Multiple regression procedures were used to relate the derived dimensions to actual drug use behavior. The significant relationships observed among the factor analytic patterns in predicting overall drug involvement were shown to lead to increased explanation concerning interrelationships among personality needs and social resources. The findings suggested a number of hypotheses pertaining to increased understanding of motivational patterns underlying initiation and continuation of illicit drug use.