The relationship between expressed emotion, personality traits and prognosis of alcohol and substance addiction: 6-month follow-up study

Abstract

Aim

Preventing relapses in addiction and related factors are still being investigated. There is inadequate data, specifically, on the effects of expressed emotion (EE) among key relatives of patients with alcohol and substance use disorder (ASUD), the personality traits of patients, and the clinical features of addiction on relapses.

Material and Method

This study was conducted with patients with ASUD (n = 102, 98 male) and their relatives (n = 102, 44 male). The Dependency Profile Index, and the Temperament and Character Inventory were applied to the patients, while the EE scale was applied to key relatives. Relapse rates were evaluated six months later.

Results

EE levels among key relatives of patients were found to be associated with early relapse rates (p = 0.002). In addition, the individuals the patients lived with (p = 0.041), income level (p = 0.048), working status (p = 0.039), time spent in profession (p = 0.007), and severity of addiction (p = 0.016) were all found to be significantly associated with relapses. The personality traits of patients were not related to early relapses. In logistic regression analysis, EE and time spent in a profession were found to be significantly associated with relapses (p = 0.014, 0.043 respectively), while other variables were not significant.

Conclusion

The relationship between relapse in the early period of abstaining from substance use and EE levels of key relatives seems to be a greater determinant for ongoing success than several other variables in patients with ASUD, including addiction severity. The research suggests that families be involved in programs that help prevent relapses.

Keywords:

• Alcohol addiction
• substance addiction
• prognosis
• expressed emotion
• personality traits

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ayşe Erdoğan Kaya

Ayşe Erdoğan Kaya, graduated at 2013 from Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine. She worked at Sakarya University Medical Faculty as a psychiatry research assistant between 2013 and 2019, still working at Çorum Hitit University Medical Faculty as a psychiartist. She conducted her thesis with ASUD patients.

Ahmet Bulent Yazici

Ahmet Bulent Yazici, graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty at 1996 and made the psychiatry residency between 1996-2002 at Istanbul University Istanbul Medical Faculty. He works on ASUD and he is the chef of Alcohol and Substance Addiction Research, Treatment and Education Center in Sakarya Training and Research Hospital-Turkey.

Muhammed Kaya

Muhammed Kaya, graduated at 2014 from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine. He worked at Sakarya University Medical Faculty and Derince Training and Research Hospital as a Internal Medicine research assistant between 2015 and 2019, still working at Çorum Hitit University Medical Faculty as an internal medicine specialist.

Esra Yazici

Esra Yazici, graduated from Ataturk University Medical Faculty at 2003 and made the psychiatry residency between 2005-2010 at the same university. She works on perinatal psychiatry, personality traits and biomarkers. She works at Sakarya University Medical Faculty and Sakarya Training and Research Hospital- Turkey till 2014.