Alcoholic subtypes: psychosocial functioning in Vietnam era men.

Data from the Vietnam Experience Study (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 1988a) were used to investigate differences in sociodemographic characteristics, psychological functioning, and social support among five groups: (a) controls; (b) alcohol use disorder only; (c) alcohol use disorder and major depression; (d) alcohol use disorder and generalized anxiety, and (e) alcohol use disorder and antisocial personality (ASP). Consistent with prior findings, alcoholics with co-occurring disorders were more pervasively dysfunctional across the domains measured than the controls, and in some instances, than the alcohol use disorder only group. Differences among alcohol-comorbid groups also were found. The alcohol-depression group had the highest number of elevated MMPI scores, the highest levels of negative affect, and along with the alcohol-ASP group, the lowest levels of perceived social support. The alcohol-ASP group had the highest school dropout rate and, along with the alcohol-depression group, the earliest onset of problem drinking. Results were discussed regarding the importance of identifying distinctive psychosocial variables associated with alcoholic subtypes that may enhance perspectives on etiology, prevention, and treatment.