Alcoholism: Antisocial Traits in Male Alcoholics
M. SCHUCKIT M.D.1,
J. RIMMER M.S.W.2,
T. REICH B.Sc., M.D., C.M.3, and
G. WINOKUR 4
1 Resident in Psychiatry, Van Amerigen Fellow of the Foundations' Fund for Research in Psychiatry in Population Genetics at the University of Edinburgh
2 Research Instructor in Psychiatric Social Work, Department of Psychiatry
3 Van Amerigen Fellow of the Foundations' Fund for Research in Psychiatry in Population Genetics at the University of Edinburgh
4 Professor of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes and Renard Hospitals, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63110
Alcoholics who were screened to remove patients with definite personality disorders, and who had an age of onset of alcoholism before age 20, showed significantly more antisocial behaviour than those who became alcoholic at age 30 or later. Early onset alcoholics as individuals have limited spheres of anti-social behaviour and cannot as a group be considered sociopaths. We caution against labelling each early onset alcoholic with limited antisocial behaviour an antisocial personality. Such an assumption may lead to assigning a poor prognosis where it is not warranted.
Submitted on January 12, 1970
