Personality characteristics of heroin addicts: a review of the empirical literature with critique--part II.

This paper is the second part of a two-part series reviewing the empirical literature on personality characteristics of heroin addicts. It focuses on MMPI-based studies, personality differences between addict subgroups, and changes during the addiction cycle and following treatment. Several personality characteristics of heroin addicts have been consistently validated experimentally, but it is impossible to determine whether these traits comprise the "addictive personality" and predated drug use, or whether they are the result of drug addiction. Most research in this area has proceeded without the benefit of a theoretical premise on which to generate hypotheses and build models of heroin addiction. It is recommended that more study-based research occur that tests postulates.