Temperament and attachment in alcohol addicted patients of type 1 and 2

OBJECTIVES: Our study first objective is the evaluation of the attachment to partner and affective temperamental traits in alcohol addicted patients; the second objective is the evaluation of differences between alcohol addicted patients of type 1 and 2 according to Cloninger and Sullivan. METHODS: The sample is composed of 40 adult patients with a alcohol addiction diagnosis enrolled at the Alcoholic Service of the Viterbo "Villa Rosa" Nursing Home. Patients have been submitted the semistructured interviews SCID I and SCID II and the self submitted TCI-R test. Furthermore they have completed the TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego) and the ECR (Experiences in Close Relationships). RESULTS: The attachment profile shows that 50% of patients have an insecure type of attachment so distributed: 25.5% of patients show a preoccupied type of attachment, 17.5% appear dismissing and 7.5% fearful. As for the affective temperament we observed a major frequency of elevated scores of Hyperthymic TEMPS-A (OR = 1.68; p < 0.01) compared to controls. At last type 2 compared to type 1 is characterized by a more elevated mid scores presence at the Avoiding dimension of Scale ECR. CONCLUSIONS: The alcohol addicted patients sample mainly show an attachment of insecure type and, with major frequency, a hyperthymic temperament. Moreover in type 2 patients there is a prevalence of the avoiding dimension in intimate relationships.