A Study On Traits And Factors Resulting In Stimulant Dependence Of Prisoners

Abstract

The number of stimulant(methamphetamine) abusers in our country is on a continuous increase now and this tendency is one of our serious social problems.

There are two purposes in this study; One is to clarify the traits of stimulant-dependent prisoners and another is to understand the psycho-social factors of stimulant dependence.

On this study fifty male prisoners were used as subjects who had used stimulant drurgs more than five hundred times for a period of over five years.

The statistical data on the subjects was analyzed by making a comparison with two different control groups of prisoners; First, a group with experience in the occasional use of stimulant drugs, secondly, a group with no experience in the use of stimulant drugs.

The results of this research were summarized as follows;

(1) The major conditions that prisoners involved with stimulant abuse were; their connection with violent gangs(YAKUZA), living in idleness, having early criminal careers, and/or personality traits of over-activity.

(2) The personal factors causing stimulant dependence were; their abuse of stimulants to avoid unpleasant feelings, abuse at a young age, involvement with first delinquency during late teens, and vanity or lack of strong will type of personality.

The following personal factors for people in general, with stimulant dependence were found to be important; a socially immature personality(i.e. dependent and/or narcissistic), contact with delinquent subculture in adolescence(confusion of self-identification), and the lack of ability to control their emotions during difficult times.