The relationship between lifetime stress and addiction severity in cocaine-dependent participants

The primary focus of the current report was to determine if there was an association between LSC-R and ASI-Lite scores in cocaine-dependent individuals. The secondary focus was to determine if any demographic/drug use variables or comorbid psychiatric diagnoses (e.g. alcohol-dependence, mood disorders) were associated with higher LSC-R or ASI-Lite scores. We hypothesized that scores on the LSC-R would be positively correlated with ASI-Lite scores.

The sample included 239 cocaine-dependent individuals. The primary assessments administered were the LSC-R, the ASI-Lite, and the demographic/drug use questionnaire.

Simple linear regression revealed that total lifetime stress was positively and significantly correlated with total ASI-Lite scores; however, the r(2) value was very low indicating that this relationship is more likely explained by other factors. It was also determined that participants with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence versus those that did not had significantly higher ASI-Lite scores (even when the alcohol composite score was included as a covariate). Participants with a diagnosis of a mood disorder versus those who did not had significantly higher LSC-R scores and females had significantly higher LSC-R scores when compared to males. After performing a median split, those cocaine users with High LSC scores had significantly higher Beck Depression Inventory-II scores, total ASI-Lite scores, and Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence scores when compared to those individuals with Low LSC scores. Further analysis of the ASI-Lite demonstrated that composite scores in the domains of Medical, Drug, Legal, Family and Social Status, and Psychiatric were all significantly elevated in the High LSC group.

Overall, those with higher lifetime stress demonstrated higher addiction severity and depressive symptoms versus those that endorsed lower lifetime stress. Thus, additional research should be conducted investigating the impact stressful life events has on drug use patterns and characteristics.