[Emotion regulation and quality of life in consumption of cocaine and amphetamines Results of an online survey]
BACKGROUND The online study presented surveyed occasional users, high risk users and non consumers of psychotropic substances for relationships between consumer type and emotion regulation (ER) health related quality of life (HRQOL) and coping strategies. METHODS A total of 199 people participated in the survey. The sample was split into three groups depending on a substance list and a detailed questionnaire regarding the consumption habits: 28 individuals had no illicit drug experience, 127 were occasional users and 44 frequent (high risk) users. The sample set was tested using the (1) emotion regulation inventory, (2) the coping inventory for stressful situations and (3) the medical outcomes study (MOS) 36 item short form health survey. RESULTS Regarding ER the occasional users showed no significant differences to the two reference groups, except for the scale of re evaluation where the high risk consumers scored higher than the occasional users. Regarding HRQOL no significant differences were observed between the three groups; however, significant differences were observed between persons with strong and weak physical and mental HRQOL scores and satisfaction with own emotion regulation. The search for predictors showed a significant predictive value for gender, the number of inhabitants at the place of residence and the ER strategy of re evaluation in negative emotions for the allocation to a consumer type. Neither substance consumption as an ER strategy nor a relationship between consumer type and coping strategy and/or HRQOL could be observed. DISCUSSION With respect to ER the only significant difference observed was that of high risk users employing the strategy of re evaluation more often than occasional users. A possible explanation is reality embellishment and a down playing function of this strategy associated with drug consumption. Therefore, the assumed relationship between affective dysfunction and drug addiction could not be observed.
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