PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMATOLOGY IN CRACK COCAINE ABUSERS

Many substance abusers present with elevated scores on self-report mea sures of psychopathological symptoms. We decided to examine this in a sample of 194 crack cocaine abusers. Results indicated that these indi viduals reported significantly greater psychopathological distress tha n manual-provided norms, and that this distress was not related to rec ency of cocaine use. Rank order correlation suggests that a pattern of scores specific to cocaine abusers may exist. Finally, while intake s cores of psychopathological distress did not predict treatment retenti on/outcome, those successfully completing 12 weeks of outpatient treat ment were both cocaine abstinent and less psychiatrically distressed.