Personality and behavior patterns of heroin-dependent American servicemen in Thailand

The authors compared a groups of heroin-dependent American servicemen stationed in Thailand with a matched control groups of men not dependent on heroin. The data gathered regarding social history, attitudes, work record, previous drug use, personality, and intelligence show significant differences between the heroin-dependent men and the control group in four areas: intelligence, work record, number of years of schooling and number of drug used before using heroin. The data suggest that many of the heroin-dependent men had difficulties related to a distant or negative relationship to their fathers; however, in contrast to previous studies of heroin addicts, they do not confirm a relationship between heroin dependence and any particular personality pattern.