A possible contribution to improving the therapeutic potentials of Babor's Typology of Alcohol Dependent Patients

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to replicate Babor's Typology and to explore clinical features related to personality traits that may underlie this classification, in order to improve its therapeutic possibilities. Methods: Observational prospective study on a group of 273 male alcoholics. After a replication of Babor's variables, Cluster Analysis, Chi-Square -applied on clinical variables related to a Lappda Tipology -and Kappa tests were performed. Results: The study identified two distinct clusters that held similar features to those described for the Type A/Type B classification. Besides presenting a lower socio-economic situation, Cluster 2 patients were associated with higher vulnerability and severe clinical features and also differed from Cluster 1 in their response to treatment. These replicated clusters retained connections and also differences in relation to the variables derived from the Lappda Typology. Conclusion: Considering that each of the two replicated clusters seem to be associated to different personality traits -according to their correlations to the affective, cognitive and behavioral dimensions brought forward by the Lappda Typology -it is acceptable that this study may contribute to the development of more comprehensive and effective therapeutic strategies specifically tailored to target more specific personality traits of these subgroups of alcoholic patients. REsuMOObjetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi replicar a tipologia do Babor e explorar características clínicas relacionadas a traços de personalidade que podem estar subjacentes a essa classificação, a fim de melhorar suas possibilidades terapêuticas. Métodos: Estudo observacional prospectivo em um grupo de 273 alcoolistas masculinos. Depois de uma replicação das variáveis de Babor, foram realizados Análise de Cluster, testes de Qui-quadrado -aplicados em variáveis clínicas relacionadas com uma tipologia desenvolvida pelo Lappda -e testes Kappa. Resultados: O estudo identificou dois clusters distintos que mantiveram características semelhantes àquelas descritas na classificação Tipo A/Tipo B. Além de apresentar uma pior situação socioeconômica, os pacientes do Cluster 1 foram associados a maior vulnerabilidade e a características clínicas de maior gravidade; e também diferiram do Cluster 2 em sua res-