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Profiles of distress intolerance in a substance-dependent sample
R Kathryn McHugh1, Michael W Otto
1Department of Psychology, Boston University, MA, USA. kmchugh@mclean.harvard.edu
Background:
Distress intolerance (DI) - the perceived inability to tolerate distressing states - is an important variable in substance abuse, with links to coping motives and return to use following a quit attempt. Recent research suggests that DI is a heterogeneous construct that varies based on the domain of distress (e.g., pain, anxiety).
Objective:
To evaluate whether elevations in DI in substance-dependent (SD) patients varied based on the domain of distress.
Methods:
Individuals (N = 55) with a diagnosis of illicit drug dependence and an affective disorder equated comparison (CO) group were administered three measures of DI - assessing pain, frustration, and respiratory discomfort.
Results:
The SD group demonstrated significantly greater frustration intolerance, but not greater pain intolerance or respiratory discomfort intolerance relative to the CO group.
Conclusion:
When controlling for the presence of an affective disorder, SD patients exhibited elevated frustration intolerance, suggesting that this may be a particularly difficult type of distress for this group.
Scientific Significance:
DI is linked to important clinical outcomes and can be modified with treatment. Identification of intolerance of specific domains of distress associated with select disorders may help to better target such interventions.
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