Showing papers in "Journal of Clinical Psychology in 1995"
TL;DR: The results of the present study suggest that the total score of the BIS-11 is an internally consistent measure of impulsiveness and has potential clinical utility for measuring impulsiveness among selected patient and inmate populations.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study was to revise the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 10 (BIS-10), identify the factor structure of the items among normals, and compare their scores on the revised form (BIS-11) with psychiatric inpatients and prison inmates. The scale was administered to 412 college undergraduates, 248 psychiatric inpatients, and 73 male prison inmates. Exploratory principal components analysis of the items identified six primary factors and three second-order factors. The three second-order factors were labeled Attentional Impulsiveness, Motor Impulsiveness, and Nonplanning Impulsiveness. Two of the three second-order factors identified in the BIS-11 were consistent with those proposed by Barratt (1985), but no cognitive impulsiveness component was identified per se. The results of the present study suggest that the total score of the BIS-11 is an internally consistent measure of impulsiveness and has potential clinical utility for measuring impulsiveness among selected patient and inmate populations.
6,818 citations
TL;DR: Twenty-one-month follow-up data indicated sustained prevention of relapse in alcoholics who completed BWNT, and experimentally treated alcoholics with depressive syndrome showed sharp reductions in self-assessed depression (Beck's Depression Inventory).
Abstract: This was an experimental study of 14 alcoholic outpatients using the Peniston and Kulkosky (1989, 1991) brainwave treatment protocol for alcohol abuse. After temperature biofeedback pretraining, experimental subjects completed 20 40-minute sessions of alpha-theta brainwave neurofeedback training (BWNT). Experimentally treated alcoholics with depressive syndrome showed sharp reductions in self-assessed depression (Beck's Depression Inventory). On the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-I, the experimental subjects showed significant decreases on the BR scores: schizoid, avoidant, dependent, histrionic, passive-aggression, schizotypal, borderline, anxiety, somatoform, hypomanic, dysthmic, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, psychotic thinking, and psychotic depression. Twenty-one-month follow-up data indicated sustained prevention of relapse in alcoholics who completed BWNT.
169 citations
TL;DR: This study determined whether these two scales can be used reliably among psychiatric outpatients, in particular those with schizophrenia or a major affective disorder, and demonstrated high internal consistency and adequate internal consistency for the MSPSS and NOS.
Abstract: Prior research has demonstrated the utility of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Network Orientation Scale (NOS) as measures of perceived social support among nonpsychiatric samples. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether these two scales can be used reliably among psychiatric outpatients, in particular those with schizophrenia or a major affective disorder. Subjects were 144 outpatients, aged 21 to 67 years, who completed the MSPSS and NOS. Results demonstrated high internal consistency for the MSPSS and adequate internal consistency for the NOS. In addition, convergent validity was demonstrated. Scores on both scales for these psychiatric outpatients were found to be lower as compared to "normals."
140 citations
TL;DR: The present research explored the relationship of religious variables to death anxiety and death depression in 200 persons from the general population in what is apparently the first study to correlate religious variables with death depression.
Abstract: The present research explored the relationship of religious variables to death anxiety and death depression in 200 persons from the general population in what is apparently the first study to correlate religious variables with death depression. Persons with lower death depression had greater strength of conviction, greater belief in afterlife, and were less likely to say that the most important aspect of religion is that it offers the possibility of life after death. Persons with less death anxiety were found to have greater strength of conviction. The findings were discussed in relationship to previous research that has suggested that religious belief is associated more closely with death anxiety level than is religious practice.
138 citations
TL;DR: It was shown that child behavior problems and marital adjustment were predicted primarily by PTSD, rather than combat level, when observed individually.
Abstract: This study empirically investigated the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat level on Vietnam veterans' perceptions of their children's behavior, as well as its effects on their marital adjustment. Results indicated that the predictor variables of PTSD and combat level together explained 33.6% of the variance in perceived child behavior problems (p < .001) and 51.8% of the variance in marital adjustment (p < .001). In addition, PTSD and combat level, when observed together, reliably predicted internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in addition to four specific areas of marital adjustment. When observed individually, however, it was shown that child behavior problems and marital adjustment were predicted primarily by PTSD, rather than combat level.
114 citations
TL;DR: The NEO-PI Openness domain was found to be the best predictor of WAIS-R FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ scores and the meaning and implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Abstract: WAIS-R and NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) scores obtained from 85 rehabilitation clients of the Evaluation and Development Center of Southern Illinois University's Rehabilitation Institute were utilized to examine the relationship between psychometric intelligence and personality. Correlational analyses revealed that the NEO-PI Openness domain and its six facets significantly correlated with WAIS-R FSIQ, VIQ, PIQ, and 9 of the 11 subtests. Multiple regression analyses showed that the five NEO-PI domains accounted for significant proportions of WAIS-R, FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ score variance. The NEO-PI Openness domain was found to be the best predictor of WAIS-R FSIQ, VIQ, and PIQ scores. The study concludes with a discussion of the meaning and implications of the findings and suggestions for future research.
100 citations
TL;DR: Partialling out perceived preventability reduced to nonsignificance the correlation between explanatory style and perceived risk, which suggests that perceived preventable may mediate this link.
Abstract: Eighty-six adults completed questionnaires that measure explanatory style and perception of health problems. Subjects on the average saw themselves as below average in risk for a variety of health problems. Those subjects with an optimistic explanatory style, who explained bad events with external, unstable, and specific causes, in particular saw themselves as less at risk (r = .30, p < .01). They also believed that they were more able to prevent these health problems. Partialling out perceived preventability reduced to nonsignificance the correlation between explanatory style and perceived risk, which suggests that perceived preventability may mediate this link.
77 citations
TL;DR: For males only, hopelessness predicted future depression severity scores, but not anxiety, and Beck's content specificity hypothesis predicts distinct cognitive content within specific psychological disorders.
Abstract: Beck's content specificity hypothesis predicts distinct cognitive content within specific psychological disorders. We evaluated whether the third component of the "cognitive triad", negative view of the future (hopelessness), would be related 4 weeks later to depressive symptoms, but not to anxiety. University student participants (83 females, 71 males) were tested on the Beck Depression Inventory and the Beck Anxiety Inventory at two points in time, separated by 4 weeks. The Hopelessness Scale was administered at time 1 and a Life Events Inventory at time 2. Concurrent cognitive content specificity was replicated. For males only, hopelessness predicted future depression severity scores, but not anxiety. Hopelessness predicted depressive symptoms over and above life event stressors, but not vice versa.
77 citations
TL;DR: Low perceived family support, previous suicide attempts, low perceived peer support, female gender,Previous psychiatric contact, low positive assertion skills, and a small number of friends for the Swedish group and previous psychiatric contact variables for the Turkish group were found to be significant predictors of current suicidal risk.
Abstract: Among 652 Swedish and 654 Turkish adolescents, the study found that 61 Swedish (9.4%) and 71 Turkish (10.9%) adolescents reported that they had made previous suicide attempts. Previous psychiatric contact, female gender, low perceived family support, and suicide attempts in the family for the Swedish group and suicide attempts in the family, low perceived family support, psychiatric disorder in the family, and previous psychiatric contact variables in the Turkish sample were found to be associated with previous attempts. Low perceived family support, previous suicide attempts, low perceived peer support, female gender, previous psychiatric contact, low positive assertion skills, and a small number of friends for the Swedish; and low perceived family support, previous suicide attempts, low perceived peer support, suicide attempts in the family, and previous psychiatric contact variables for the Turkish group were found to be significant predictors of current suicidal risk.
74 citations
TL;DR: This report covers 15 to 47 months of follow-up study of 66 obese women who participated in a 10-week weight reduction program and found the higher the self-esteem score, the lower the average weight regain during follow- up.
Abstract: This report covers 15 to 47 months of follow-up study of 66 obese women who participated in a 10-week weight reduction program. Subjects were divided into three self-esteem groups and into two groups of "internal" and "external" subjects. The average weight regain during the follow-up period was 3.1 kg, although all subjects remained below their pretreatment weight. The higher the self-esteem score, the lower the average weight regain during follow-up (1.7 kg, 2.6 kg, and 3.5 kg, respectively). For internals the average weight regain was 1.8 kg and for externals 3.4 kg. Implications are discussed, and suggestions for improved weight reduction programs are presented.
71 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that facilitating staff satisfaction with colleagues may reduce burnout and some of its deleterious effects.
Abstract: To determine the correlates of burnout, 47 employees of a state psychiatric hospital completed measures of burnout, collegial support, prolonged anxiety, physical health, and job attitude. Results showed that burnout was associated positively with anxiety, frequency of illness, and contrary job attitudes, and correlated negatively with level of satisfaction with the collegial support network. Partial correlations showed that satisfaction with support systems diminished the effects of burnout on frequency of illness and job attitudes. Tests for divergent validity showed that these findings were specific to burnout and not other measures of job satisfaction or fulfillment. The results suggest that facilitating staff satisfaction with colleagues may reduce burnout and some of its deleterious effects.
TL;DR: Semi-partial correlation analyses showed that removal of the effect of depression resulted in a loss of initially significant relationships between suicidal ideation and the other variables except for alcohol use, drug use, and health satisfaction.
Abstract: English-Canadian high school students (129 boys, 117 girls) participated in a study of the relationship between suicidal ideation and selected personal variables, stress, and social support. Associations were found between suicidal ideation and the variables of gender, self-esteem, locus of control, depression, drug use, stress, perception of health, family status, academic performance, social support, and anomie. Multiple regression analysis identified depression and alcohol use as best individual predictors among these variables. Semi-partial correlation analyses showed that removal of the effect of depression resulted in a loss of initially significant relationships between suicidal ideation and the other variables except for alcohol use, drug use, and health satisfaction.
TL;DR: This study compared the discriminative utility of problem-solving and memory tasks in patients with Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease and in age-, education-, and gender-matched normal control subjects to highlight the importance of specific memory measures to differentiate between cortical and subcortical dementia.
Abstract: This study compared the discriminative utility of problem-solving and memory tasks in patients with Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease and in age-, education-, and gender-matched normal control subjects. Problem-solving was assessed with a modified version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. Memory was measured with a 10-item, 6-trial version of the Buschke Selective Reminding Test. Receiver Operating Characteristic curves were plotted to determine which measure provided the highest sensitivity (i.e., hit rate) and specificity (i.e., correct rejection rate). Both tests provided excellent detection of dementia (88 to 98% classification accuracy), but were less robust in differentiating between dementia groups. Findings underscore the suitability of both measures to detect mild dementia, but emphasize the importance of specific memory measures to differentiate between cortical and subcortical dementia.
TL;DR: Neither introversion nor depression mediated the relation between family socialization and self-esteem, but perceived "affectionless control" in both PRS and family climate accounted for about 13% of the variance in self- esteem, self-efficacy, and depression.
Abstract: This study examined associations among self-esteem and self-efficacy; perceived unfavorable Parental Rearing Style (perceived PRS) and unfavorable family climate in the family of origin; and depression in undergraduates still in frequent contact with their families (N = 186). Unfavorable perceived PRS and family climate were construed as "affectionless control," in which parents and family provide little affection, but excessive control. Constructs were measured by the Self-Esteem Inventory, the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Child Report of Parental Behavior Inventory, the Family Environment Scale, and the Beck Inventory. Perceived "affectionless control" in both PRS and family climate accounted for about 13% of the variance in self-esteem, self-efficacy, and depression. Neither introversion nor depression mediated the relation between family socialization and self-esteem.
TL;DR: Preliminary evidence for the development and validation of the Clinical Anger Scale (CAS) indicates that clinical anger was associated positively with several anger-related concepts and was related in predictable ways to people's psychopathological symptoms, personality traits, and early family environments.
Abstract: This article reports preliminary evidence for the development and validation of the Clinical Anger Scale (CAS), an objective self-report instrument designed to measure the syndrome of clinical anger. Factor analysis of the CAS confirmed a unidimensional item structure; reliability analyses also demonstrated adequate internal consistency and test-retest stability for the CAS; other results indicated that the CAS was unrelated to social desirability influences. Additional findings indicated that clinical anger was associated positively with several anger-related concepts (e.g., trait anger, state anger, anger-in, anger-out, anger-control) and that the CAS was related in predictable ways to people's psychopathological symptoms, personality traits, and early family environments. Implications for future research and therapeutic assessment with the Clinical Anger Scale are discussed.
TL;DR: Preliminary evidence is presented that social status, and its associated features of negative self-other comparisons and submissive behavior, may be particularly relevant to depression.
Abstract: Dependency associated with depression involves at least two forms of social behavior: (a) needs for nurturance/protection and close attachment, and an inability to function independently and (b) being (de)valued, fear of disapproval, and social status. In many studies, measures of dependency combine these two dimensions. This paper argues that this has led to confusion on the salient dimensions related to depression. It is suggested that behaviors currently regarded as dependent, and linked to depression, are better understood as forms of involuntary subordination that involve judgments of personal inferiority, and submissive-appeasement behavior. This paper presents preliminary evidence that social status, and its associated features of negative self-other comparisons and submissive behavior, may be particularly relevant to depression.
TL;DR: A scale that measures self-efficacy reliably and validly is developed and results indicate that this scale is both valid and reliable and support the validity of two underlying subscales.
Abstract: Self-efficacy constructs recently have been incorporated into a model of social functioning for schizophrenics. This model proposes that self-efficacy mediates patients' coping efforts. To assess this hypothesis accurately, it is critical to have a scale that measures self-efficacy reliably and validly. Such a scale was developed in this research, which used two independent samples of schizophrenic-spectrum patients. Results indicate that this scale is both valid and reliable. The data support the validity of two underlying subscales, one that measures positive symptom self-efficacy and one that measures negative symptom/social interaction self-efficacy. Future directions of psychosocial constructs in schizophrenic-symptom development are discussed, including the need for concurrent tracking of symptom development and self-efficacy.
TL;DR: The dimensional characteristics of the SCL-90-R were assessed for both male and female dually diagnosed inpatients, consistent with previous research that has suggested a primary global distress factor and in contrast to studies that have demonstrated factorial invariance across gender.
Abstract: The dimensional characteristics of the SCL-90-R were assessed for both male and female dually diagnosed inpatients. Subjects included 402 males and 227 females who presented with concurrent psychiatric and substance use disorders at a private psychiatric hospital. Confirmatory factor analyses resulted in the rejection of four previous measurement models for both genders including the original nine symptom dimensions. Subsequent principal component analyses resulted in four- and seven-component solutions for males and females, respectively; the majority of item covariation was accounted for by the first component. These results are consistent with previous research that has suggested a primary global distress factor and are in contrast to studies that have demonstrated factorial invariance across gender.
TL;DR: The authors urge that evaluating psychologists consider the base rate of these symptoms in litigating populations and use caution in relying on self-reported symptoms as evidence of injury when patients are in litigation.
Abstract: This study reports base rate data for 113 family practice patients with no history of head trauma or toxic exposure, 68 family practice patients with a history of head trauma or toxic exposure, and 156 personal injury claimants with no history of toxic exposure or head trauma who presented for a psychological evaluation due to emotional distress. Personal injury claimants reported suffering from significantly more neurotoxic and neuropsychologic symptoms than subjects with a reported history of head trauma and/or toxic exposure. The authors urge that evaluating psychologists consider the base rate of these symptoms in litigating populations and use caution in relying on self-reported symptoms as evidence of injury when patients are in litigation.
TL;DR: This study intended to differentiate among worker's compensation claimants with psychological problems who presented with work-related harassment and non-harassment complaints on the basis of their MMPI-2 profiles, finding no evidence that the Harassment group was more likely to exaggerate or malinger than the Non-har harassment group.
Abstract: This study intended to differentiate among worker's compensation claimants with psychological problems who presented with work-related harassment and non-harassment complaints on the basis of their MMPI-2 profiles. Analysis of MMPI-2 mean scores revealed that the Harassment group scored significantly higher than the Non-harassment group on scale 6 of the MMPI-2. This was interpreted to mean that the Harassment group was more oversensitive, suspicious, and angry than the other group. There was no evidence that the Harassment group was more likely to exaggerate or malinger than the Non-harassment group. The profile pattern for both groups was otherwise very similar to those found in previous studies that have used MMPI worker's compensation claimants who present with psychological problems.
TL;DR: Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found sociotropy to predict anxiety at T2, but not depression, and the issue of cognitive vulnerability marker specificity is discussed.
Abstract: Previous cognitive vulnerability studies have identified sociotropy/dependency as a personality characteristic related to depression. We evaluated sociotropy in differential prediction of depression vs. anxiety. Participants (70 females, 42 males) were tested on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) at two points in time (T1 and T2), separated by an interval of 4 weeks. The Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale (SAS) was administered at T1. Sociotropy was related moderately to the BDI at T1 and T2, but also to the BAI. Autonomy was related to neither. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses found sociotropy to predict anxiety at T2, but not depression. The issue of cognitive vulnerability marker specificity is discussed.
TL;DR: Responses to deficiencies reflected appropriate due process concepts and were most likely to include terminating students and psychotherapy referral, and research on the reliability and validity of screening and evaluation mechanisms is made.
Abstract: Seventy-one doctoral programs in professional psychology were surveyed with respect to the incidence of students' professional deficiencies and related procedures. Professional deficiencies, particularly limited clinical skills and personality/emotional problems, were reported by 89% of the respondents, twice the number that have official policies for dealing with such problems. Incidence of limited clinical skills was related positively to interviewing applicants and use of practicum grades for evaluation and related negatively to using recommendation letters and reliance on clinical supervisor's assessment. Responses to deficiencies reflected appropriate due process concepts and were most likely to include terminating students and psychotherapy referral. Recommendations are made for definitions of professional competencies, development of policies, and research on the reliability and validity of screening and evaluation mechanisms.
TL;DR: The psychometric properties of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI) in two nonclinical samples of college undergraduates and the relations between the SPAI subscales and measures of social fear and anxiety, social desirability, and general psychopathology are examined.
Abstract: The present study reports on the psychometric properties of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI; Turner et al., 1989a) in two nonclinical samples of college undergraduates. Exploratory principal-components analysis with varimax rotation replicated the five-factor solutions reported for the 32-item Social Phobia subscale (SP) in sample 1 (N = 200). Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the five-factor structure of the SP and the two-factor structure of the SPAI were appropriate for the second sample (N = 210) data. Coefficient alpha values were high for all the SP and the SPAI subscales. Furthermore, we examined the relations between the SPAI subscales and measures of social fear and anxiety, social desirability, and general psychopathology. Results support the research use of the SPAI in our undergraduate samples.
TL;DR: The authors found that both single-cue and sequence anchoring manipulations produced medium-size effects on personality trait ratings and generalized to predictions of behavior, while bias inoculation and diagnosticity debiasing was marginally successful at reducing singlecue anchoring.
Abstract: Primacy (or anchoring) effects in clinical judgment occur when information presented at an early stage unduly influences a judgment compared to the effect of the same information presented at a later stage. Using recent theoretical models of these effects, three debiasing methods were developed and tested for their efficacy. Contrary to some recent failures to find anchoring effects, both single-cue and sequence anchoring manipulations produced medium-size effects on personality trait ratings and generalized to predictions of behavior. A consider-the-opposite procedure that involved cue sorting by diagnosticity debiased single-cue anchoring, but comparable results were obtained by subjects who simply took notes while reviewing each cue prior to judgment. Bias inoculation was marginally successful at reducing single-cue anchoring. Methodological issues as well as suggestions for future research are discussed.
TL;DR: This study investigated the impact that meditation has on Fordyce's Personal Happiness Enhancement Program (PHEP) and found that the meditation plus PHEP group significantly improved on all dependent measures over both the PHEP only group and the control group.
Abstract: This study investigated the impact that meditation has on Fordyce's (1977, 1983) Personal Happiness Enhancement Program (PHEP) Experimental subjects were divided into two groups, both of which received instruction on the PHEP Subjects in one experimental group were taught a meditation exercise in addition to the PHEP A control group received no instruction The Happiness Measure, Psychap Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Scale were dependent measures The three (groups) x two (pre-post) mixed ANOVAs with Student Newman-Keuls found that the meditation plus PHEP group significantly improved on all dependent measures over both the PHEP only group and the control group The PHEP only group improved significantly over the control group on all measures except state anxiety
TL;DR: The Chinese version of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (C-DAS) was administered to 1,501 married adults, along with other instruments that assessed their psychosocial adjustment, and factor structures based on the male and female samples were highly similar and stable.
Abstract: The Chinese version of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (C-DAS) was administered to 1,501 married adults, along with other instruments that assessed their psychosocial adjustment. Factor analysis showed that four factors were abstracted from the C-DAS (Dyadic Consensus, Dyadic Cohesion, Dyadic Satisfaction, and Affectional Expression); the factors extracted could be reproduced reliably in two random subsamples, as well as in the male and female samples. Although some areas of refinement are suggested, the present data generally support the universality of the concept of dyadic adjustment as indexed by the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Contrary to the data reported previously, the present factor structures based on the male and female samples were highly similar and stable.
TL;DR: Assessment of a sample of children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder as compared to normal control children showed that the ADHD children had significantly higher external locus of control, were significantly less persistent, and reported an elevated level of "concentration/social worry" (an anxiety subscale).
Abstract: The present research was designed to assess several potentially important factors in the personality structure of a sample of children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) as compared to normal control children. Three questionnaires were administered to a group of 28 ADHD boys and to a control group of 83 boys: (1) The Locus of Control Scale for Children; (2) The Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale; and (3) The Persistence Scale for Children. Results showed that the ADHD children had significantly higher external locus of control, were significantly less persistent, and reported an elevated level of "concentration/social worry" (an anxiety subscale). Such findings can help to clarify both the personality structure and the coping styles of the ADHD child.
TL;DR: The ADHD group demonstrated significantly more intense feelings of isolation and discomfort, less social involvement, avoidance of decision-making, and more dependence, while the clinical control group demonstrated a significantly higher level of psychological disorganization and thinking problems.
Abstract: This study investigated Rorschach Inkblot Test response patterns in a group of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and compared them to matched samples of clinical control and normal control groups. The findings indicated that the ADHD and clinical control groups both demonstrated markedly limited coping capacities, an avoidance of affect-laden stimuli, difficulties with self- and interpersonal perceptions, problems in perceiving reality accurately, and a vulnerability to depression. The ADHD group demonstrated significantly more intense feelings of isolation and discomfort, less social involvement, avoidance of decision-making, and more dependence, while the clinical control group demonstrated a significantly higher level of psychological disorganization and thinking problems.
TL;DR: Four separate analyses of covariance showed the main effects of living arrangement and form to be significant on each of the four lists of Set 1 of the Depression Adjective Check Lists (DACL).
Abstract: Depressive affect in assisted living (n = 351) and community dwelling (n = 102) elderly was compared by means of the state and trait forms of Set 1 of the Depression Adjective Check Lists (DACL). Four separate analyses of covariance (age as covariate) showed the main effects of living arrangement and form to be significant on each of the four lists. Assisted living and the state form were significantly higher. Sex was not significant on any of the lists, and none of the two-way and three-way interactions reached significance. Implications of the findings for program planning for the elderly in assisted living arrangements are discussed.
TL;DR: The study examined whether eight characteristics attributed to adult children of alcoholics by Woititz (1983) were supported by personality measures and found that easygoingness, independence, self-assurance, and self-directedness are associated with status as an ACOA for women.
Abstract: The study examined whether eight characteristics attributed to adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) by Woititz (1983) were supported by personality measures. The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST) and nine scales from the California Personality Inventory and the 16-PF were administered to 166 undergraduates. Forty-nine (29%) of these subjects were identified as ACOAs. ACOAs' scores on the personality measures were compared to an age- and gender-matched control group. No differences were identified between ACOA men and control men. ACOA women were found to be more flexible, impulsive, and pessimistic, with a sense of less wellbeing than control women. A significant discriminant function correctly classified 77.6% of the women subjects. This function indicated that easygoingness, independence, self-assurance, and self-directedness are associated with status as an ACOA for women.