EFFECT OF NEUROCOGNITIVE STATUS AND PERSONALITY FUNCTIONING ON LENGTHOF STAY IN RESIDENTIAL SUBSTANCE-ABUSE TREATMENT - AN INTEGRATIVE STUDY

Patients admitted to a long-term residential substance abuse treatment facility (N = 246) were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests and the Millon Clinical Multi-axial Inventory (MCMI-II). Those w ho displayed general cognitive impairment scored higher on the Avoidan t, Antisocial, Paranoid, and Thought Disorder scales than those who di d not have such impairment. Further analyses showed that cognitive sta tus and personality functioning, particularly an antisocial personalit y style, were independently and interactively related to program parti cipation. Patients with elevations on the MCMI-II scale measuring anti social personality style and who had cognitive impairment stayed in th e program a shorter amount of time, were rated as less positively part icipatory by clinical staff, and were removed more frequently from tre atment for rule violations than other residents. Clinical implications of these findings are discussed.