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Emotion Regulation in Alcohol Dependence
Author(s) -
Petit Géraldine,
Luminet Olivier,
Maurage François,
Tecco Juan,
Lechantre Stéphane,
Ferauge Marc,
Gross James J.,
Timary Philippe
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.12914
Subject(s) - craving , abstinence , mediation , psychology , alcohol dependence , cognition , association (psychology) , clinical psychology , rehabilitation , developmental psychology , psychiatry , alcohol , addiction , psychotherapist , neuroscience , biochemistry , chemistry , political science , law
Background The main aim of this study was to investigate, in alcohol‐dependent (AD) patients, the use of the 5 emotion regulation strategies specified in Gross's (1998, Rev Gen Psychol, 2, 271) process model of emotion regulation with the use of a semi‐structured interview allowing a detailed and high‐quality assessment of emotion regulation strategies. A secondary aim was to examine the possible influence of protracted abstinence and detoxification on emotion dysregulation. Finally, the association between the level of craving and the types of regulation strategies was investigated. Methods Forty‐four treatment‐seeking AD patients with varying time spent in rehabilitation, and 26 healthy controls were interviewed using a version of the Emotion Regulation Interview (Werner et al., 2011, J Psychopathol Behav Assess, 33, 346) adapted to alcohol dependence. Results Compared to controls, AD patients reported significantly greater use of response modulation and attentional deployment, but lesser use of cognitive change. Among patients, (1) rehabilitation duration was positively correlated with the use of cognitive change and (2) the use of response modulation was positively associated with the level of craving. Conclusions These findings clarify the specific pattern of emotion dysregulation associated with alcohol dependence. They also suggest that (1) abstinence is associated with a shift toward more adaptive emotion regulation patterns and that (2) inefficient regulation strategies may lead to craving and the maintenance of alcohol use. If these findings are confirmed through longitudinal and mediation designs, they will have important clinical implications.