Effect of major depression and antisocial personality on alcoholism: course and motivational patterns.

Major depression and antisocial personality are two diagnoses often associated with alcoholism. The relationship of these two diagnoses to the course of alcoholism and on the motivation for alcohol use was examined in a sample of 321 persons receiving inpatient treatment for alcoholism. Major depression did not alter the course of alcoholism in either men or women. However, patients with a history of major depression more frequently reported drinking to relieve symptoms related to depression than patients without a history of major depression. Patients with antisocial personality had an earlier onset of alcohol-related problems than patients without antisocial personality. The motivational patterns for drinking did not distinguish patients with antisocial personality from patients without antisocial personality. These findings indicate the etiological logical importance of antisocial personality for the development of alcoholism and highlight the patients' perception of depression as an explanation for their drinking.