Am J Psychiatry 1988; 145:1265-1269
Copyright © 1988 by American Psychiatric Association
Social networks and psychopathology among substance abusers
J Westermeyer and J Neider
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
The authors studied the social networks and psychopathology of 168 patients
with diagnoses of substance abuse. Small network size was correlated with
higher scores on the Modified Michigan Alcohol-Drug Screening Test, higher
symptom reports on the SCL-90 and the Beck Depression Inventory, and more
observed psychopathology according to the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.
Larger network size was correlated with better functioning according to the
Global Assessment Scale and DSM-III axis V. The authors conclude that such
symptom complexes as paranoia and phobia may undermine the social networks
of substance abusers more than such symptom complexes as anxiety and
depression.
