THE EARLY EMERGENCE OF NARCOTIC ADDICT TYPES

Providing retrospective self-reports of their activities, perceptions, and experiences during their early adolescent years (ages 12 to 14), 255 narcotic addicts were classified into four distinct types on the b asis of a clustering technique applied to risk factor information deri ved from five major descriptive domains: family; peer deviance; person al deviance; psychological status; and protective factors. Differentia tions among the types largely involved the extent of early drug and ot her behavioral deviance and family dysfunction. The predictive utility of the typology was examined in terms of outcome over the first ten y ears of the addiction career, including age at first narcotic addictio n, amount of time incarcerated, and percentage of time addicted while in the community. The implications of the typology for both substance abuse prevention and treatment are discussed.