Psychological Distress, Emotional Regulation, and Demographic Profile of Patients with Substance-Related Disorders

Abstract

The main objective of the present research was to study psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress) and its relationship with emotional regulation in patients with substance-related disorders. Emotional regulation and psychological distress are directly linked as psychological distress takes place when an individual has difficulties with regulating their emotions. It was a correlational study that followed a cross-sectional research design. G power analysis with a medium effect size suggested a 153-sample size. A sample of 155 men in the age range of 18 to 55(M=30.39, SD=7.97) was drawn from government hospitals admitted for the treatment of the substance-related disorders through purposive sampling. Demographic information sheet, Drug History Performa, Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale-42 (DASS 42), and Emotional Regulation scale were used to collect data. Descriptive analysis, for demographic and social variables, depicted most of the participants belonged to a lower socioeconomic class. The mean duration of drug addiction was 12 years (SD =2.45). Most of the participants were multiple drug abusers. Peer pressure, failure in love affairs, and stress were reasons for drug addiction while reasons for relapse were peer pressure along with withdrawal symptoms and cessation of treatment. Descriptive analysis revealed that expressive-suppression emotional regulation strategies were common in study participants. Pearson product-moment correlational analysis demonstrates a significant positive relationship between psychological distress and expressive-suppression emotional regulation. In the present population, both social (peer pressure and bad company of friends) and psychological (stress, loneliness, curiosity and failure in love affair) factors are proven related to drug addiction problems. It is important to consider them for assessment as well as therapeutic intervention plans for patients with substance-related disorders.