Prediction of Proneness to Addiction Based on Emotion Regulation Strategies and Brain Behavioral Systems in Adolescents

The aim of the present study was to predict proneness to addiction based on emotion regulation strategies and brain behavioral systems in adolescents. The research was a correlational-descriptive study. The statistical population of this study involved all adolescent boys in the city of Tehran. 220 adolescent boys were selected by convenient sampling and completed the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnire, the Behavioral Inhibition/Aprroach Systems Scales, and the Addiction Potential Scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis with stepwise methods. The results reveald that proneness to addiction was significantly and negatively related to adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies such as acceptance, positive refocusing, and refocus on planning and had significant positive association with all maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies (self-blame, other-blame, rumination, and catastrophizing). Also, there is significant and positive relation between BAS and proneness to addiction. The results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that cognitive emotion regulation strategies and behavioral approach system predicted 24% of total variance of proneness to addiction. Therefore, it can be concluded that cognitive emotion regulation strategies and brain behavioral systems play important roles in predicting proneness to addiction. As a result, it can be expected that by training emotional regulation skills and identifying individuals with high behavioral approach system, the use of drugs in individuals would be prevented.