Study Role of Different Dimensions of Emotional Self-Regulation on Addiction Potential

Abstract

Objective

To investigate relationship between addiction potentiality and different dimensions of emotional self-regulation.

Materials and methods

This descriptive and correlational study included students of Sistan and Baluchistan University, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran. Participants were selected by random sampling method. We applied Addiction Potential Scale (APS) and Difficult in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) for this study. For statistical analysis, Pearson correlation and regression analysis methods were used.

Results

The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between the addiction potential and all dimensions of emotional self-regulation (excepting lack of awareness). The enter regression analysis for prediction of the APS by the DERS shows that the DERS predicts 16% of the APS variances.

Conclusion

Regard to the results, it is necessary to introduce an especial program in emotional self-regulation for the youth with addiction potential.

Introduction

Addiction is a multidimensional disease that social, familial, psychological, biological and pharmacological factors play main roles in its emergence. However, they are not separately considered as determinant factors, whereas the social factor poses more in beginning of drug abuse, and the biological factor is important in continuing (1). In the recent decades, the statistical analysis showed that, rates of drug abuse have increased among different societies, especially among adolescents and youths (2). Drug-abusing adolescents and youths involve in several problems, such as: burglary, violence, school drop-outs, social-psycho inconsistency, problem- solving disabilities, social isolation and depression (3). The risk taking behaviors peaks during adolescence. Therefore, among different age group, adolescence involve in high risk behaviors, such as drug abuse, alcohol consumption, smoking and unsafe sexual activities (4).

Self- regulation refers to attempt for changing of situation by changing thinking, emotions, imposes, desires and processes of attention (5). Trentacosta and Shaw (6), Calkins, and Fox, (7) and Hofmann, Schmeichel, and Baddeley (5) urgue that self- regulation has a multidimensional instruction including intentional, cognition, incitement, emotional, social, and physiological processes placing next to behavior efforts in order to manage internal or external stats of emotion.

Emotional regulation is an unsegregated particle of self- regulation. Emotional-regulation has been referred to effective psychology processes on emotional control. Emotional –regulation is composed of responsible investigation of external and internal processes, assess and change of emotional reactions based on the time traits and their intensity in order to implement for certain goals (8). Deficiency in cognition- executive performance and emotional self- regulation can cause substance abuse problems (9). Deficiency in self- regulation not only affects the substance abuse disorders, but also influences the eating disorder, affective disorders, coitus disorder, impulsive disorder, school drop-outs, crime and delinquency, violence, misbehavior, obesity, gambling, and smoking (10).

In respect of social and personal problems, the substance abuse causes economic, personal and social costs, so the aim of this research is to predict the addiction potential according to different dimensions of emotional self- regulation. Meanwhile, this research intends to answer whether the emotional self- regulation predicts addiction potential or not.

Materials and methods

This is a descriptive and correlation study. The statistical population was comprised of 452 students of Sistan and Baluchistan University, selected by the cluster sampling method. They completed the questionnaires in the classes. All of undergraduate students could select as subject and no another criteria were applied for this selection. The subjects filled up the questionnaires anonymous. If any of the students was non consent to cooperate in this study they could leave the session.

Two questionnaires were used in this study. The first questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), is a self-report questionnaire, designed to assess multiple aspects of emotion deregulation. It consists of 36 items and six subscales including: (i) no acceptance of emotional responses, (ii) difficulties of engaging in purposive behaviors, (iii) impulsivity, (iv) lack of emotional awareness, (v) limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and (vi) lack of emotional clarity. The Cornbach alpha coefficient showed that the internal consistency for all subscales was more than 0.80 (11). Test–retest reliability for the DERS was 0.88, while the coefficient for each of the DERS subscales was between 0.57 and 0.89. The validity of the scale was obtained by the construct and predictive validity (11). Our study revealed good internal consistencies for all subscales (α ≤ 0.88). The second questioner, Inventory of Addiction Potential Scale (APS), was used to evaluate addiction potential. It consists of 39 items. The response of “yes” or “no” obtains the reliability coefficient of the ARS in a normal sample for men (0.69) and women (0.77) (12). Our study also showed good internal consistencies for all subscales (α ≤ 0.66).

Results

Table 1 presents the descriptive results of correlation between dimensions of emotional self- regulation and addition potential.

Table 1.

Descriptive results of correlation between dimensions of emotional self- regulation and addiction potential (n = 452)

Variables	Mean	SD
APS	15.58	4.35
No acceptance of emotional responses	15.79	5.93
Difficulties of engaging in purposive behaviors	15.67	4.05
Impulsivity	16.77	5.07
Lack of emotional awareness	15.28	4.04
Limited access to emotion regulation strategies	20.68	6.96
Lack of emotional clarity	11.45	3.93

Results of Table 1 indicate the highest mean value belongs to the variable of limited access to emotion regulation strategies, while lowest mean value belongs to the variable of lack of emotional clarity.

The Pearson correlation and analysis of regression methods were used to answer whether the emotional self- regulation predicts addiction potential or not. Table 2 demonstrates the correlation between scale of the addiction potential and all scales of different dimensions of the self- regulation (except lack of awareness) is significant. The result confirms that the emotional self- regulation is the best tool in order to predict addiction potential

Table 2.

Results of the correlation between dimensions of emotional self- regulation and addiction potential (n = 452)

Variables	2	3	4	5	6	7
APS	0.241a	0.269a	0.351a	-0.009b	0.394a	0.224a
No acceptance	1	0.497	0.511	-0.089	0.608	0.274
Dif. purposive		1	0.67	-0.089	0.663	0.213
Impulsivity			1	-0.07	0.694	0.261
Lack of awareness				1	0.05	0.416
Limited strategies					1	0.365
Lack of clarity						1

^ap ≤ 0.01

^bp ≤ 0.05

The enter regression analysis for prediction of the APS by the DERS is presented in Table 3. The finding also indicates that the DERS predicts 0.16 of the APS variances (F = 15.88, df = 6, 445; p≤ 0.001). Also, it is shown that multi correlation of the DERS variables with the APS is 0.42.

Table 3.

Summary of the regression model for prediction of addiction potential

R	Adjusted R2	R Square Change	F Change	df1	df2	p value	Durbin Watson
0.42	0.16	0.18	15.88	6	445	0.000	2.00

Predictors are the different dimensions of emotional self- regulation (non acceptance, goals, impulse, awareness, strategies, and clarity) Dependent Variable: addiction potential

Discussion

The results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between the addiction potential and all dimensions of emotional self-regulation (except lack of awareness). Also, the results reveal that all dimensions show the positive emotion, while they are considered as the significant predictors for addiction potential.

Our results are supported by Aldao et al. (2010) that has indicated self- regulation is conscious attempt for change thoughts, affections and behaviors for reaching target (13). On the other hand, self-regulation is important in studies about progress, internal motivation, actions control, evaluation processes, self- determination, and metacognition applications. The self-regulation concept has been overlapped with different concepts, like free will, maturity, freedom, independence, awareness, voluntary actions, self-strength, and self- discipline (14) Schreiber et al (2012) have investigated the relationship between emotional self-regulation with impulsive disturbances and substance abuse. These studies have indicated that smoking and eating disorders increase along the stressful situations. Stress, loss of endurance, or sadness induces alcohol drinking and substance abuse (15). This problem has been accepted that alcohol and substance abusers want to regulate and to control their emotional experiences. Alcohol addicted often use alcohol in order to decrease or control distress, as well as to improve their exciting experiences (16). Urschel and Alterman (2006) have found out that decrease of negative affection is usually main reason for alcohol abusers to seek treatment. Such results indicate that alcohol and other substance usually are used for regulation of affections, especially negative emotion (17). Also, Cheethama et al (2010) reported that abuse of alcohol and other substance are due to high level of depression and anxiety (17). Therefore, ability in emotional regulation has a positive relationship with effective coping styles. It also has a negative relation with levels of negative moods such as stress, anxiety, depression (16). Looking for emotional disturbance in self-regulation is one of the most important stimulation for abuse of alcohol and other drugs (18).

According to the role of emotional self-regulation, it is necessary to introduce an especial program in emotional self-regulation for the youth with potential addiction, by which they can learn some techniques for regulating emotions.