The alcohol expectancies and personality characteristics of driving while intoxicated (DWI) offenders as compared to other legal offenders: A test of problem behavior theory

Alcohol education and treatment programs aimed at the drinking driver appear only marginally effective (Mann, Leigh, Vingilis, & deGenova, 1983; Foon, 1988). Research (Wells-Parker, Anderson, Landrum, & Snow, 1988; Miller & Windle, 1990) has suggested that effectiveness may be partly dependent upon offender characteristics which are often not taken into account when they are designed, such as personality and criminal propensity. The present study further proposes that expectancies for alcohol held by offenders may also be important defining characteristics. In addition, Problem Behavior Theory (Jessor & Jessor, 1977) has been suggested as a framework for increasing our understanding of drinking drivers (Jonah, 1990; Wilson & Jonah, 1988; Swisher, 1988; Jessor, 1987b). Problem Behavior Theory predicts that those who engage in one form of problem behavior are more likely to engage in other forms as well. Therefore, the overriding question addressed by the present study was: Is the drinking driver similar to other types of legal offenders, in terms of personality and expectancies for alcohol? This hypothesis was tested using archival data generated from files of 269 college students who completed alcohol evaluations. The subjects were divided into three groups based upon reason for referral: (1) nonlegal reasons, (2) DWI arrests, and (3) arrests other than DWI. Data were collected from the following measures: the Demographic Data Sheet, the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Linear discriminant function analyses indicated that AEQ responses were not able to discriminate the two legal groups from one another. However, discriminant analyses of the MMPI indicated that these scales were able differentiate all three groups. On the univariate level, one-way ANOVA\u27s failed to find significant differences between the two legal groups on four AEQ and 12 of 17 MMPI scales. However, differences were found between these two groups and the nonlegal group on each of these scales. The present study demonstrates the existence of significant similarities between drinking drivers and other types of legal offenders. Furthermore, it provides support for using Problem Behavior Theory as a framework for understanding these similarities. These results have implications for designing interventions with drinking drivers