CO-MORBIDITY OF LIFETIME PSYCHIATRIC-DISORDER AMONG MALE ALCOHOLIC PATIENTS

The lifetime co-morbidity of major psychiatric disorders among male al coholics was examined with the structured Psychiatric Diagnostic Inter view (PDI), which was administered to 928 patients undergoing alcoholi sm treatment at six Veterans Administration Medical Centers. Thirty-ei ght percent were positive for alcoholism only; 62% fulfilled inclusive lifetime diagnostic criteria for at least one other additional psychi atric syndrome. Thirty percent satisfied criteria for one additional s yndrome; 16% for two additional syndromes; 12% for three; and 4% for f our or more disorders in addition to alcoholism. Depression and antiso cial personality were the most frequently identified cc-occurring synd romes (36% and 24%, respectively) followed by drug abuse and mania (17 % each). The additional psychiatric syndromes in this sample were clea rly not randomly distributed; instead, certain disorders tended to clu ster together such as: drug abuse and antisocial personality; mania an d depression; depression and anxiety disorder; and schizophrenia and a ffective disorder. Implications for classification and treatment are d iscussed.