Individual and interpersonal emotion regulation among adults with substance use disorders and matched controls
Author(s)
Dingle, Genevieve A
Neves, Diana da Costa
Alhadad, Sakinah SJ
Hides, Leanne
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2018
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Objectives. Self-report studies show that negative emotional states and ineffective use
of emotion regulation strategies are key maintaining factors of substance use disorders
(SUD). However, experimental research into emotional processing in adults with SUD is
in its infancy. Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion regulation have shifted from a
focus on individual (internal) processes to one that encompasses social and interpersonal
functions – including the regulation of facial expression of emotion. The purpose of this
study was to examine the individual and interpersonal emotion regulation capacity of 35
adults in ...
View more >Objectives. Self-report studies show that negative emotional states and ineffective use of emotion regulation strategies are key maintaining factors of substance use disorders (SUD). However, experimental research into emotional processing in adults with SUD is in its infancy. Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion regulation have shifted from a focus on individual (internal) processes to one that encompasses social and interpersonal functions – including the regulation of facial expression of emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and interpersonal emotion regulation capacity of 35 adults in residential treatment diagnosed with a SUD compared to 35 demographically matched controls (both samples Mage = 25 years; 37% females). Design and methods. Participants completed a facial emotion expression flexibility task while viewing emotive images, as well as the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Social (Emotion) Expectancy Scale (SES). Results. Adults in SUD treatment experienced significantly more emotion regulation difficulties on all DERS subscales than controls. They also reported higher levels of negative self-evaluation and social expectancies not to feel negative emotions (anxiety and depression) compared to controls. Moreover, when viewing emotive images, the treatment sample showed significantly less flexibility of their emotional expression compared to the control sample. Conclusions. These findings demonstrate that the awareness, expression, and regulation of emotions are particularly difficult for people with SUD and this may maintain their substance use and provide an important target for treatment.
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View more >Objectives. Self-report studies show that negative emotional states and ineffective use of emotion regulation strategies are key maintaining factors of substance use disorders (SUD). However, experimental research into emotional processing in adults with SUD is in its infancy. Theoretical conceptualizations of emotion regulation have shifted from a focus on individual (internal) processes to one that encompasses social and interpersonal functions – including the regulation of facial expression of emotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the individual and interpersonal emotion regulation capacity of 35 adults in residential treatment diagnosed with a SUD compared to 35 demographically matched controls (both samples Mage = 25 years; 37% females). Design and methods. Participants completed a facial emotion expression flexibility task while viewing emotive images, as well as the Difficulties of Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Social (Emotion) Expectancy Scale (SES). Results. Adults in SUD treatment experienced significantly more emotion regulation difficulties on all DERS subscales than controls. They also reported higher levels of negative self-evaluation and social expectancies not to feel negative emotions (anxiety and depression) compared to controls. Moreover, when viewing emotive images, the treatment sample showed significantly less flexibility of their emotional expression compared to the control sample. Conclusions. These findings demonstrate that the awareness, expression, and regulation of emotions are particularly difficult for people with SUD and this may maintain their substance use and provide an important target for treatment.
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Journal Title
British Journal of Clinical Psychology
Note
This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
Subject
Psychology
Clinical and health psychology
Cognitive and computational psychology