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Aim and Background: Personality traits are among the factors affecting the tendency to substance abuse. Personality evaluations have shown sensation seeking to be a particularly strong predictor of initial substance abuse across a variety of drug use categories. The aim of this study was to determine levels of sensation seeking in addicted and normal subjects while considering gender. Methods and Materials: The present causal comparative study was performed on 90 individuals (60 male and 30 female addicts with an age range of 20-40). Accessible sampling was used to randomly select the subjects from referrers to welfare centers and outpatient addiction treatment centers in different parts of Tabriz and Marand in 2009. Based on DSM-IV-TR criteria, this group (the case group) suffered amphetamine substance abuse or dependence. The other group (control group) included 60 male and 30 female non-addicts who were among the relatives, neighbors and friends of the subjects in the case group. Overall, the study population consisted of 180 people. Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale was used to collect data. Finally, data was analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and least significant difference (LSD) post-hoc test Findings: The results revealed a significant difference between addicts and non-addicts in terms of total sensation seeking and its subscales including thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, and boredom susceptibility. The addicted participants scored higher than non-addicts in total sensation seeking and its subscales. In addition, the scores of male addicts were higher than female addicts in total sensation seeking and the subscales of thrill and adventure seeking, experience seeking, and sensation seeking. However, there was no significant difference between female and male addicts in experience seeking, boredom susceptibility, and disinhibition. Conclusions: Although addiction, as a social pathology, would never be eradicated completely, it can be controlled through management, thinking and devoted attempts. Assessment of personality traits and sensation seeking in addicts provides important information for better definition, recognition, and treatment of addicts.

Keywords: Sensation seeking, Subscales of sensation seeking, Substance abuse, Gender.

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