Investigating the Personality Profile of Substance Use Based on the NEO-120-IPIP Personality Inventory: A Latent Profile Analysis

Objective of the study: This study utilized Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) to identify distinct personality profiles in a sample of 523 adults with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) from Punjab, Pakistan. Methodology: Using the NEO-120-IPIP inventory, a statistically optimal four-profile solution demonstrated an excellent model fit (Entropy = 0.875). One-way ANOVA confirmed highly significant differences between profiles across all five personality domains (p < 0.001), with particularly large effect sizes for Conscientiousness (η² = 0.75) and Agreeableness (η² = 0.55). Results: The derived profiles were labeled as: (1) Conscious-Warrior (high neuroticism and conscientiousness); (2) Socially Expressive (high extraversion, lower agreeableness); (3) Highly Expressive and Emotionally Intense (extremely high extraversion, neuroticism, openness); and (4) Agreeable-Achiever (high conscientiousness and extraversion). These results reveal significant personality heterogeneity within the SUD population. Conclusions: The findings highlight the clinical utility of person-centered approaches for culturally informed assessment, individualized treatment planning, and targeted relapse prevention strategies.