The Connection Between Personality and Addiction: The Value of the Personality Assessment Screener (PAS)

Addiction is a complex, multifaceted condition, making it difficult to treat with one-size-fits-all solutions. Effective treatment requires more than addressing substance use alone; it demands a deeper understanding of the individual behind the behavior. Increasingly, research and clinical practice point to personality as a critical factor in both the development and treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs).

Studies have shown that certain personality traits are strongly associated with increased risk for substance misuse and relapse. For example, individuals with high levels of neuroticism or low conscientiousness may be more vulnerable to using substances as a coping mechanism. Moreover, co-occurring personality disorders, such as borderline or antisocial personality disorder, are frequently observed in clinical populations with SUDs, complicating both diagnosis and treatment.

This is where tools like the Personality Assessment Screener (PAS) can make a meaningful difference. Developed by PAR, the PAS offers addiction professionals like substance abuse counselors, certified recovery support specialists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and others a quick, empirically grounded way to screen for personality traits that may influence a client’s treatment trajectory. When used early in the treatment process, the PAS can help identify underlying psychological patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed—enabling more personalized, effective care.

In this blog, we will cover the traits that define an individual’s personality, the connection between these traits and certain behaviors, and how the PAS can help addiction professionals and their clients with navigating the treatment journey.

Understanding the Link Between Personality and Addiction

A person’s personality—or the distinctive patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving that shape how they experience and respond to the world—plays a foundational role in nearly every aspect of their life. These patterns are often described through the lens of the “Big Five” traits, or factors, of personality. These are:

• Neuroticism: Individuals high in neuroticism may experience more negative emotions and be more prone to anxiety, depression, mood swings, and emotional reactivity.
• Extraversion: Describes the degree to which a person is outgoing, energetic, and sociable.
• Openness to Experience: This trait captures imagination, creativity, curiosity, and a preference for novelty and variety. People high in openness are often open-minded and willing to explore new ideas and experiences. 
• Agreeableness: Reflects interpersonal tendencies such as cooperation, compassion, and trust.
• Conscientiousness: This trait involves self-discipline, organization, and goal-directed behavior. 

Together, these five dimensions provide a comprehensive framework for understanding individual differences in behavior, emotional regulation, and interpersonal dynamics.

Research consistently shows that certain personality traits can increase vulnerability to substance use disorders and complicate treatment outcomes. Traits such as impulsivity, sensation-seeking, emotional dysregulation, and low conscientiousness are frequently associated with higher risk for addiction. Individuals exhibiting these traits may struggle with delayed gratification, risk assessment, and emotional coping—factors that can drive both initial substance use and relapse during recovery.

Identifying the Root of Addiction: The Role of Personality Assessments

Understanding the psychological underpinnings of addiction requires more than just identifying behaviors; it demands insight into the personality traits that drive them. This is what makes tools like the Personality Assessment Screener (PAS) so invaluable for anyone working with individuals struggling with addiction or substance use.

Developed by Dr. Leslie C. Morey, the PAS is a 22-item screening tool designed to quickly assess for emotional and behavioral problems of clinical significance. It covers the same major domains as the gold-standard Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), providing key information that leads to tailored treatment planning or determining whether more comprehensive evaluation is warranted.

The PAS evaluates 10 distinct clinical domains, including:

• Alcohol Problems
• Acting Out
• Suicidal Thinking
• Anger Control
• Negative Affect
• Social Withdrawal
• Psychotic Features
• Health Problems
• Alienation
• Hostile Control

Each domain is scored individually and contributes to a total score that reflects the likelihood of clinically significant issues. This structure allows addiction professionals to pinpoint specific areas of concern early in the treatment process, enabling more targeted and effective interventions.

Applying the PAS in Addiction Settings

What makes the PAS particularly useful for addiction professionals is its efficiency and accessibility. It can be administered in under 10 minutes and is available in both hand-scorable and digital formats via PARiConnect, PAR’s free online platform. This flexibility ensures that clinicians can integrate the PAS into a variety of workflows, from intake assessments to ongoing treatment planning. It can also be administered and interpreted by addiction professionals who may not hold advanced psychological credentials, making it especially valuable in fast-paced or resource-limited treatment settings. Introductory kit options, observer questionnaires (PAS-O), and Spanish-language forms help to support users and their diverse client populations.  

The PAS can be used as a standalone tool or alongside additional ones, such as the NEO which measures the five domains of personality as described earlier. When used in combination, these two tools can provide a comprehensive view of an individual on a multitude of levels, allowing clinicians to better understand their clients and personalize their recommendations accordingly.

Empowering Addiction Professionals and Their Clients

The true value of the PAS lies not just in identifying psychological risk factors, but in how those insights can be used to shape more effective, individualized care. It acts as a conversation starter between addiction professionals and their clients, as identifying patterns can help to guide meaningful discussions about specific behaviors and underlying motivations. This can be especially valuable in cases where clients may be reluctant to disclose substance use or emotional distress.

In practice, elevated scores in domains such as “Acting Out” or “Negative Affect” may signal the need for behavioral interventions like impulse control training or emotion regulation strategies. Similarly, high scores in “Social Withdrawal” or “Alienation” might prompt clinicians to incorporate group therapy or peer support to rebuild social connection.

Overall, addiction is a complex condition that is difficult to navigate alone. By aligning treatment plans with a client’s unique psychological profile, professionals can improve engagement, reduce relapse risk, and foster more sustainable recovery outcomes. The PAS provides a roadmap—not just for diagnosis, but for genuine, client-centered change. In doing so, it supports both addiction professionals and their clients on the path to recovery.