Sensation Seeking, Substance Abuse, and Psychopathology in Treatment-Seeking and Community Cocaine Abusers

Abstract

Sensation seeking, substance abuse severity, and psychiatric disorders were systematically assessed in a clinical and a community sample of 335 cocaine abusers. In contrast to low-sensation-seeking cocaine abusers, high-sensation seekers exhibited more severe symptoms of substance abuse, exhibited more severe psychosocial impairment, were more likely to be polysubstance abusers, and had an earlier age of onset for substance use and abuse. High-sensation seekers were more likely to report both a lifetime history and family history of antisocial personality, attention deficit disorder, and conduct disorder. Sensation seeking was related to several dimensions that are important for defining subtypes of substance abusers and was consistent with other features of a Type II classification.