Psychological functioning of tobacco dependents : the authors' own research

Abstract

Autorzy prezentują interesującą analizę cech osobowości osób uzależnionych od tytoniu. Wskazują na istnienie dwóch grup - o cechach ekstrawertywnych i neurotycznych, w których funkcja palenia tytoniu wydaje się różna.Introduction. Personality and tobacco-dependence researches enlarge the knowledge of smoking behaviours and they are clinically significant in improving prevention methods and treatment of tobacco dependence. Aim. Analysis of psychological functioning of tobacco dependent smokers. Method. In the research 145 patients (96 females and 49 males, average age: 46.2) with tobacco-dependence diagnosis answered the 16 PF Questionnaire measuring 16 personality factors in the Polish adaptation of T. Kucharski. Results. The Anova test showed the differences in psychological functioning between the investigated group outcomes and norms for the Polish population. The studied group is characterized by higher psycho-physiological tension, preference of independence in thinking, action and traditional behaviours, reserve and carefulness in interpersonal relationships. Cluster analysis showed two different profiles of psychological functioning. The first one concerns smokers who are active with extrovert features, the second one deals with smokers who react in a neurotic way. Conclusion. The research showed two different tobacco-smokers groups: one more extrovert, the other one more neurotic. Psychological smoking reasons can differ in each group. For the extroverts it could be a need for stimulation while for the neurotic persons it may be a need for tension and anxiety reduction, particularly in social situations

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