David Baron1, Samir AbolMagd2, Salwa Erfan2, Mona El Rakhawy21Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA; 2University of Cairo School of Medicine, Cairo, EgyptAbstract: 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 ps5 price new jersey 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 here 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.