Distress intolerance in the parents of substance dependent patients

The purpose of this study was to determine levels of Distress Tolerance (DT) and to compare levels of DT, depression, and anxiety in the parents of substance dependent patients. This sample included 40 parents of inpatients undergoing treatment for substance dependence (SDPP) in the Balıklı Rum Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. A healthy control group was recruited of 40 individuals with no Axis I diagnoses that were counterbalanced with the SDPP group in terms of age and sex. All study participants completed a sociodemographic data form and the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the State & Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Distress Tolerance Scale. DSM-IV-TR Axis I diagnoses were evaluated by psychiatrists through face to face interviews in which a Structured Clinical Interview (SCID I) was administered. We found a statistically significant lower level of distress tolerance (DT) in our SDPP group. A negative relationship was found between levels of DT, depression and anxiety. The results of our study suggested that negative emotional symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and distress tolerance were frequently seen in parents of substance dependent patients. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed.