Pathways to Opiate Addiction: An Evaluation of Differing Antecedents

Abstract

Summary: This paper defines and tests a typology of addicts defined through assessment of the sequence of three types of key events: (a) traumatic childhood events such as death of a parent or child abuse; (b) onset of regular delinquent activity; and (c) initiation of illicit drug use. By evaluating the sequence of these events three groups are defined: (a) an initial childhood trauma group; (b) an early delinquency group; and (c) an initial drug use group. Data derived from a sample of treated opiate addicts are used to define and differentiate these three groups.