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This investigation assumed that the proper combination of measures and mullivariate methods would identify homogeneous prototype subgroups of alcoholics with common diagnostic and prognostic characteristics and that these subgroups would reflect known clinical syndromes rather than specialized types. Data for a large sample (N "366) of inpatient alcoholic veterans on Murray need dimensions (on Jackson's Personality Research Form, PRF) and Cattell trait dimensions (on the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, 16 PF) were therefore gathered and initially examined by factor and canonical correlational analysis. The PRF and 16 PF showed substantial and appropriate convergences. Based upon these initial structural analyses, the Lorr correlational clustering procedure was applied to patient profiles composed of selected PRF scales. Contrasts among the seven obtained types, using the PRF and 16 PF scales as referents, led to an easy tentative characterization of each type in terms of known psychopathological syndromes (i.e., compulsive, impulsive, aggressive/paranoid, submissive, avoidant/schizoid, asocial/schizoid, and narcissistic/psychopathic types). These results clearly demonstrated that the means for a differential conceptualization of etiology and treatment for several distinct subgroups of alcoholics, in terms of known clinical syndromes, is presently at hand. The present types are highly suited for fulure studies of the Patient Type X Therapy Type variety.Traditional psychoanalytic writings referred to all addictions as a single disease, with alcoholics belonging to a single psychodynamic type (e.g., Zwerling & Rosenbaum, 1959). This early speculation led to a tradition of searching for the alcoholic personality

Inpatient alcoholics (N = 145) were followed at 6-month intervals for 18 months postdischarge. The drinking outcomes were compared based on overall degree of AA attendance. Results did indicate higher percentages of abstinence for AA attenders, but only at 18 months. AA attenders also indicated fewer days drinking during the first 6 months, with fewer days drunk for AA attenders at 18 months. Those subjects attending AA for the entire 18 months reported a total abstinence rate of 50%.

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