Covariation in addictive behaviours: a study of addictive orientations using the Shorter PROMIS Questionnaire.

Previous research has suggested that different addictive behaviours are linked, such that decreases in one may lead to compensatory increases in another, or even that one addiction may lead to another. Such views on "cross addiction" are encouraged by the prevailing tendency amongst researchers from very different theoretical backgrounds to view different addictions as serving a common function, such as mood alteration, or the "management of hedonic tone." Previous studies have suggested that different addictions may usefully be grouped according to how they covary. The present study, using factor and cluster analyses, confirms the importance of a division between "hedonistic" and "nurturant" addictions, but with the need for further subdivisions within those categories. Hedonism comprises a "drug use" factor and an "interpersonal dominance" factor. Nurturance comprises both "self-regarding" and "other-regarding" factors. Theoretically, the results suggest that different addictions illustrate contrasting techniques of interpersonal manipulation. Clinically, the results indicate the drawbacks of addressing addictive behaviours singly, and the potential importance of addictive orientations in treatment, and relapse prevention.