Jan Chodkiewicz

Hitting rock bottom? Resource loss as a predictor of alcoholism treatment completion

Abstract Background Efforts to better understand the phenomenon of the ‘bottom’, the beginning of the process of turning away from alcohol, are important for both theoretical and practical goals. The conservation of resources theory by Hobfoll may represent a suitable framework to base these attempts around. Aim The aim of the study was to examine the role of resource loss in completing alcoholism treatment on the basis of Hobfoll’s conservation of resources theory. Methods The study included 86 patients undergoing inpatient alcoholism treatment. An assessment of resource loss and gain during the previous year, as well as of the decisional balance regarding the pros and cons of drinking alcohol, took place at the beginning of therapy. Results The results of hierarchical binary logistic regression confirmed that resource loss was the only significant predictor of therapy completion, after adjustment for decisional balance, demographics and basic clinical data. Additionally, gender moderated the relationship between resource gain and therapy completion: while an increase in gain was related to a decreased chance of completing therapy in men, the opposite effect was noted in women. Conclusions Resource loss has more influence than decisional balance in predicting therapy completion, which can be translated into clinically valid recommendations based on gender differences.

Głód alkoholu – konceptualizacja, wybrane modele i metody pomiaru

Abstract For a long time researchers have been interested in alcohol cravings, which may be defined as a strong desire or sense of compulsion to take the substance. The need for further research and reflection on the issue has at the same time been emphasised in the literature. The article presents various terms and models of alcohol craving. The paper describes the most important categories of craving model highlighted by Skinner and Aubin (2010), namely models arising from the theory of conditioning, and cognitive, psychobiological and motivational models. The advantages and limitations of the described models are pointed out. The paper also describes the most important tools for measuring alcohol craving and their psychometric properties. The need to develop research tools based on empirically verified theory of craving is highlighted. The article also contains reflections on directions for further research on craving.

Maladaptive Schemas Among People Addicted to Alcohol: Heterogeneity but not Specificity?

Aims Early maladaptive schemas described by Young theoretically underlie the development of psychopathology, including substance use. The key assumption is that the schemas do not act in isolation but create configurations that are, at least to a certain extent, distinctive for specific disorders. Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine whether a schema profile specific to alcohol addiction can be identified when compared to profiles obtained from a non-clinical sample. Short Summary Early maladaptive schemas are cognitive and behavioral patterns related to a wide spectrum of psychopathology, including alcohol addiction. However, the assumption that the configuration of schemas varies across disorders still needs verification. In the sample of alcohol-addicted people, only heterogeneity was noted, without any specific profile that may differentiate them from healthy adults. Methods The study included two samples: 108 alcohol-dependent patients beginning stationary treatment and 1529 healthy adults. All participants completed the Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 (YSQ-S3). Results Multiple-group latent profile analysis was used to compare clinical and non-clinical sample profiles. In both groups, four profiles were identified. These were similar in terms of schema means and variances across groups, differing only in size. Specifically, people addicted to alcohol were over-represented in the highest profile and under-represented in the lowest profile. Also, the only distinguishable difference between profiles was their height, not shape. Conclusion The findings indicate a heterogeneity but not specificity of maladaptive schema profiles within the studied sample of people addicted to alcohol.

Suicidal thoughts in persons treated for alcohol dependence: The role of selected demographic and clinical factors

Greater knowledge is needed of potential predictive factors for suicide in cases of alcohol addiction. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify the socio-demographic variables and clinical factors associated with alcohol dependence which may have an influence on the occurrence of suicidal thoughts in alcohol-dependent patients. A group of 510 patients (396 male and 114 female) diagnosed with alcohol dependence syndrome were interviewed during the third week of therapy according to the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) and the Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD). Socio-demographic data was also collected. The results of a binary logistic regression with suicidal thoughts as a dependent variable show that 63 out of the 510 participants (12% of the sample) reported the presence of suicidal thoughts. Alcohol dependence and alcohol craving appear to increase the likelihood of suicidal thoughts, and participants presenting psychiatric disorders were twice as likely to demonstrate suicidal ideation as those who did not. Alcohol dependence, alcohol craving and psychiatric comorbidity may be regarded as risk factors for suicidal ideation in the studied sample, with the only protective factor being living in a relationship.

Polish Adaptation of the Psychache Scale by Ronald Holden and Co-workers

OBJECTIVES The conducted study was aimed at making a Polish adaptation of the Scale of Psychache by Ronald Holden and co-workers. The scale is a self-assessment method which comprises 13 statements and is designed to assess subjectively experienced psychological pain. METHODS 300 persons were examined - undergraduates and postgraduates of the University of Lodz and the Technical University of Lodz. The group of the study participants consisted of 185 women and 115 men. Moreover, there were examined 150 alcohol addicted men, 50 co-addicted women and 50 major depressive episode (MDE) patients. RESULTS The Polish version of the Scale is a reliable and valid tool. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis has proved the existence of one factor. The internal consistency, assessed on the basis of Cronbachs alpha, equalled 0.93. The method displays positive and statistically significant relationships to levels of depression, hopelessness, anxiety, anhedonia and negative relations to levels of optimism, life satisfaction, and positive orientation. Alcohol addicted men with presently diagnosed suicidal thoughts were characterised by a significantly higher level of psychological pain as compared to alcoholics without such thoughts. A higher level of psychache was also reported in people with depression who have a history of attempted suicide compared with those who have not attempted suicide. CONCLUSIONS The effect of the conducted adaptation works on the Psychache Scale speaks for recommending the method for scientific research and use in therapeutic practice.