Prognostic Significance of Antisocial Personality Disorder in Cocaine-Dependent Patients Entering Continuing Care

Abstract

This study examined the relationship of antisocial personality disorder (APD) to response to continuing care treatments in a sample of cocaine-dependent patients. Patients (N = 127) were randomly assigned to 20-week standard group or individualized relapse prevention continuing care interventions after the completion of an initial treatment episode and followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months. APD and non-APD patients did not differ on retention in continuing care, substance use outcomes, social function outcomes, or experiences before or during cocaine relapse episodes. A diagnosis of APD was also not a predictor of differential response to the two continuing care interventions in the study. However, APD patients had worse medical and psychiatric problem severity than non-APD patients at entrance to continuing care and during follow-up. These results suggest that cocaine patients with APD who are in the continuing care phase of outpatient rehabilitation might benefit from additional medical and psychiatric treatment services.