Abstract
BackgroundSubstance Use Disorder (SUD) causes a great deal of personal suffering for patients. Recent evidence highlights how defenses and emotion regulation may play a crucial part in the onset and development of this disorder.The aim of this study was to investigate potential differences in the defensive functioning between SUD patients and non-clinical controls. Secondly, we aimed at investigating the relationships between alexithymia and maladaptive/assimilation defenses.MethodsThe authors assessed defensive functioning (Response Evaluation Measure-71, REM-71), personality (MMPI-II), and alexithymia (TAS-20) of 171 SUD patients (17% female; mean age = 36.5), compared to 155 controls. Authors performed a series of ANOVAs to investigate the defensive array in SUD patients compared to that of non-clinical controls. Student t test for indipendent samples was used to compare clinical characteristics between the SUD group and the controls. To investigate the role of single defenses in explaining alexithimia’s subscores, stepwise multiple regression analysis were carried out on socio-demographic characteristics of participants (gender, age, and years of education), with REM-71 defenses as predictors.ResultsSUD patients presented a more maladaptive/assimilation (Factor 1) defensive array (p < .001). Among SUD sub-groups, Alcohol Use Disorder patients showed more disfuncional defenses. Factor 1 defenses were related to a worse psychological functioning. In addition, alexyhimia (particularly DIF) was strongly related to Factor 1 defenses, expecially Projection (38% of variance explained, β = .270, p < .001).ConclusionThe REM-71 and the TAS-20 might be useful screening instruments among SUD patients.
Highlights
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) [1], Substance Use Disorder (SUD) “describes a problematic pattern of using alcohol or another substance that results in impairment in daily life or noticeable distress”
Socio-demographic variables No significant differences between SUD and control group were found in socio-demographic variables
No significant differences regarding sociodemographic variables were found in MMPI II, Response Evaluation Measure-71 (REM-71), and TAS-20 scores except for the higher female score on REM-71 Somatization (p < .05)
Summary
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) [1], Substance Use Disorder (SUD) “describes a problematic pattern of using alcohol or another substance that results in impairment in daily life or noticeable distress”. SUDs cause a great deal of personal suffering for patients and families, and have devastating psychological, medical, and social effects [2]. Taurino et al BMC Psychiatry (2021) 21:337 has mostly investigated personality traits [3], psychopathology [4], and coping style [5], but recent evidence highlights how defense mechanisms and emotion regulation may play a crucial part in the onset and development of this disorder [6, 7]. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) causes a great deal of personal suffering for patients. Recent evidence highlights how defenses and emotion regulation may play a crucial part in the onset and development of this disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate potential differences in the defensive functioning between SUD patients and non-clinical controls. We aimed at investigating the relationships between alexithymia and maladaptive/assimilation defenses
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