Depression and Risky Alcohol Use: an Examination of the Role of Difficulties Regulating Positive Emotions in Trauma-exposed Individuals

Overview

Journal Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2019 Mar 9

PMID 30848960

Citations 11

Authors

Melissa R Schick

Nicole H Weiss

Ateka Contractor

Katherine L Dixon-Gordon

Nichea S Spillane

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The co-occurrence of depression and risky alcohol use is clinically relevant given their high rates of comorbidity and reciprocal negative impact on outcomes. Emotion dysregulation is one factor that has been shown to underlie this association. However, literature in this area has been limited in its exclusive focus on emotion dysregulation stemming from negative emotions.

Objectives: The goal of the current study was to extend research by exploring the role of difficulties regulating positive emotions in depression symptom severity, risky alcohol use, and their association.

Methods: Participants were 395 trauma-exposed adults recruited from Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) platform (56.20% female, M = 35.55) who completed self-report questionnaires.

Results: Zero-order correlations among depression symptom severity, the three subscales of difficulties regulating positive emotions, and risky alcohol use were positive. Two subscales of difficulties regulating positive emotions-nonacceptance of positive emotions and difficulties controlling impulsive behavior when experiencing positive emotions-accounted for the relationship between depression symptom severity and risky alcohol use.

Conclusion: Results suggest the importance of incorporating techniques focused on improving positive emotion regulation skills in interventions for risky alcohol use among individuals with depression.

Citing Articles

Emotional dysregulation in relation to substance use and behavioral addictions: Findings from five separate meta-analyses.

Gonzalez-Roz A, Castano Y, Krotter A, Salazar-Cedillo A, Gervilla E Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2024; 24(3):100502.

PMID: 39308782 PMC: 11416520. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100502.

Building a predictive model for depression risk in fracture patients: insights from cross-sectional NHANES 2005-2020 data and an external hospital-based dataset.

Liu X, Jin X, Cen W, Liu Y, Luo S, You J BMC Public Health. 2024; 24(1):2328.

PMID: 39192230 PMC: 11351293. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19696-z.

The Role of Emotion Dysregulation in the Association Between Substance Use Stigma and Depressive Symptoms Among Trauma-Exposed, Substance-Using Individuals.

Wang K, Schick M, Quinn D, Weiss N Stigma Health. 2023; 8(2):243-251.

PMID: 37577451 PMC: 10419118. DOI: 10.1037/sah0000313.

Depressive symptoms, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences: the moderating role of gender among American Indian adolescents.

Schick M, Hostetler K, Kirk-Provencher K, Spillane N J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2023; :1-17.

PMID: 37222686 PMC: 10667562. DOI: 10.1080/15332640.2023.2216162.

Depression and alcohol use in American Indian adolescents: The influence of family factors.

Schick M, Nalven T, Thomas E, Weiss N, Spillane N Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022; 46(1):141-151.

PMID: 35076972 PMC: 8988920. DOI: 10.1111/acer.14748.

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