Dysfunctional Cognition and the Mental Health of Substance Abusers’ Family Members

Abstract

Background

Substance abusers’ family members tend to have a unique dysfunctional cognition, which may affect mental health. Objectives: This study investigated dysfunctional cognition’s effects on mental health in a sample of substance abusers' family members. Methods: A survey questionnaire was completed twice to obtain data on mental illness, wellbeing, and dysfunctional cognition. A hierarchical linear regression analysis tested the relationships net of the effects of control variables. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that dysfunctional cognition affected mental illness, but not wellbeing. Conclusion: Cognitive dysfunction should be incorporated into interventions to support the mental health of substance abusers’ family members.

Keywords:

• Substance abuse
• family member
• dysfunctional cognition
• mental illness
• wellbeing

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the families who participated in this study. Research Fellow of Japan Society forthe Promotion of Science (18J10535) supported this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).