Psychodiagnostic Testing in a Therapeutic Community for Drug Abusers

Abstract

Drug abusers who are currently entering therapeutic communities for treatment show a wider range of psychopathology than the “hard-core” heroin addicts of previous generations. Many of the rigorous treatment methods which are employed in therapeutic communities, e.g., intensive encounter and confrontational techniques, were originally developed to treat the sociopathic personality. These procedures may be inappropriate and psychologically harmful to many drug abusers who enter treatment, particularly those who have a basically schizoidal personality makeup with features of behavioral withdrawal, alienation, weak ego structure and poor object relations. Sophisticated psychodiagnostic testing in the therapeutic community can be an effective tool in individualizing treatment planning, evaluating in-treatment progress and assessing psychotherapeutic outcome.