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Pathways to Opiate Addiction: An Evaluation of Differing Antecedents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Bruce J. Rounsaville
Affiliation:
Yale University Department of Psychiatry and Director of Research, Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center, 100 Park St, New Haven, Connecticut 06511
Myrna M. Weissman
Affiliation:
Departments of Psychiatry and Epidemiology, Yale University School of Medicine; Director, Depression Research Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center
Charles H. Wilber
Affiliation:
Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center
Herbert D. Kleber
Affiliation:
Yale University Department of Psychiatry and Director of Substance Abuse Treatment Unit, Connecticut Mental Health Center

Summary

This paper defines and tests a typology of addicts defined through assessment of the sequence of three types of key events: (a) traumatic childhood events such as death of a parent or child abuse; (b) onset of regular delinquent activity; and (c) initiation of illicit drug use. By evaluating the sequence of these events three groups are defined: (a) an initial childhood trauma group; (b) an early delinquency group; and (c) an initial drug use group. Data derived from a sample of treated opiate addicts are used to define and differentiate these three groups.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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