Original article Determinants of personality in the scope of motivation for maintaining abstinence in the case of male alcohol-dependent individuals concluding therapy

• Main Author: Jan Chodkiewicz
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Termedia Publishing House 2014-12-01
• Series: Current Issues in Personality Psychology
• Subjects: alcohol dependence; motivation for maintaining abstinence; temperament and character in accordance with Cloninger; the TCI
• Online Access: http://www.termedia.pl/Original-article-Determinants-of-personality-in-the-scope-of-motivation-for-maintaining-abstinence-in-the-case-of-male-alcohol-dependent-individuals-concluding-therapy,75,24097,1,1.html
• ISSN: 2353-4192; 2353-561X

Background The results of numerous studies indicate strong associations of personality with the occurrence, and also with the treatment, of alcohol dependence. However, there is no agreement regarding the role of particular dimensions of temperament and character in the course of, and for the results of, alcohol rehabilitation therapy. The objective of the present research was to investigate the relationships between the dimensions of temperament and character as they are presented by Robert Cloninger and motivation for maintaining abstinence in the case of male alcohol-dependent individuals concluding the therapy. Participants and procedure Eighty-nine male alcohol-dependent individuals, concluding alcohol rehabilitation therapy in an outpatient setting, were studied. The following research tools were applied: the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) of R. Clo­ninger in the Polish adaptation of E. Hornowska (2003), and the Motivation for Maintaining Abstinence Inventory, the author of which is M. Ziółkowski. Results Two clusters, differing in the aspect of motivation for maintaining abstinence after the conclusion of the treatment, were distinguished: of individuals manifesting weaker motivation (n = 39) and those manifesting stronger motivation (n = 50). The patients with stronger motivation manifested the following major features: a lower level of harm avoidance, a higher level of reward dependence, and a higher level of cooperativeness. Conclusions Personality as it is presented by Cloninger manifests connections with motivation for maintaining abstinence. The research confirms the need for diagnosing addicted patients in the scope of temperament and character traits.