Citation

Chen G, Gueta K, Ronel N. J. Psychoactive Drugs 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Haight-Ashbury Publications in association with the Haight-Ashbury Free Medical Clinic)

DOI

10.1080/02791072.2020.1767832

PMID

32490757

Abstract

The aims of the current study were to examine differences between self-changers (SC) and treatment-changers (TC) in sociodemographic, personal characteristics, severity of substance use disorders (SUDs), and psychiatric problems, and to predict the severity of SUDs, psychiatric problems, and belonging to the SC group. The sample included 229 Israeli respondents (134 SC and 95 TC). Significant differences between the two groups were found. The SC were younger, had a higher sense of coherence, and reported more cannabis use. The TC were involved more in crime and had experienced more child abuse and severe psychiatric problems compared with the SC. No significant group differences were found in the severity of substance dependence. The findings suggested that severity of SUDs did not differentiate between the groups, but the severity of psychiatric problems and history of child abuse did. This indicates a need for treatment interventions targeting all three issues of childhood trauma, SUDs, and psychiatric problems.

Language: en

Keywords

treatment; childhood abuse; psychiatry severity; Self-change; severely dependent