Emotional reactivity and difficulties in emotional regulation in drug users: a study in adolescents undergoing treatment in a therapeutic community
Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities
ISSN: 0964-1866
Article publication date: 3 December 2021
Issue publication date: 6 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate which emotions and difficulties in the emotional regulation of adolescents with illicit substance consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 41 adolescents undergoing treatment for the use of alcohol and drugs were recruited. The instruments used were the emotional rating scale and the difficulties in the regulation of emotions scale.
Findings
Emotional reactivity showed significant differences in the sadness dimension in relation to the number of cannabis cigarettes smoked daily and length of stay, and in the surprise dimension in relation to the number of cannabis cigarettes smoked daily. There was a significant correlation between happiness and age, surprise and number of siblings, sadness and school absenteeism and fear, school absenteeism and number of substances consumed. In regard to difficulties in emotional regulation, there were significant differences between the groups, in strategies regarding the gender of the participants and the number of substances consumed, in non-acceptance and impulses and in the number of substances consumed and in the awareness of the type and number of substances consumed. There was a significant correlation between strategies, non-acceptance, awareness and impulses and the number of substances consumed.
Originality/value
This study demonstrated that the emotional problems of adolescents admitted to a therapeutic community are predictors of illicit substance use.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
CLISSIS, Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa; Directors and all other collaborators in the TC.There are no conflicts of interest in this work.
Citation
Serra, L., Silva, L. and Vilar, D. (2022), "Emotional reactivity and difficulties in emotional regulation in drug users: a study in adolescents undergoing treatment in a therapeutic community", Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 43 No. 1, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/TC-08-2021-0018
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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