The Investigation of Drug Addiction Potential among Medical Students: Role of Subjective Components of Anger

Given that drug addiction is not merely related to a specific individual or group, and few studies have investigated the role of anger in the development of drug addiction, this study was done to investigate the role of the components of anger in predicting addiction potential. A descriptive-correlation research design was used for the conduct of this study. The number of 309 medical students in Kermanshah city was selected using stratified cluster sampling and completed Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Scale (STAS) and Zargar’s addiction potential questionnaire. The results showed that ate anger, trait anger, anger expression-out (AXO), anger expression-in (AXI), the overall index for the expression of anger were significantly associated with addiction potential. Similarly, anger control-out (ACO), anger control-in (ACI) were correlated with addiction potential. In addition, the regression analysis results indicated that the components of state anger and anger expression-in (AXI) together can predict 35% of changes related to addiction potential. State anger and anger expression-in (AXI) as subjective components of anger have a significant role in predicting addiction potential among medical students. Anger management programs for medical students, as the most important segment of the society in the field of public health, are recommended to assign more credit to these two components.