DSM-III personality type and dose levels in methadone maintenance patients.

The authors report results from a psychiatric study of narcotic addicts using diagnostic criteria from DSM-III and other clinical data. Evidence is presented for a strong relationship between personality disorder and methadone dose, in which patients with schizoid-like disorders had significantly higher stabilization doses than patients with other types of diagnoses. The treatment implications of individual differences in drug and personality interaction are noted, and the findings are discussed in terms of a psychodynamic understanding of addiction.