Modeling Behavioral Brain Systems and Emotion Dysregulation with Psychological Vulnerability in Substance-Dependent Individuals in Recovery

The aim of this study was to investigate the modeling of behavioral brain systems and emotion dysregulation with psychological vulnerability in substance-dependent individuals in recovery.

The present study was descriptive-correlational of structural equation modeling type. The statistical population of this study consisted of all substance-dependent individuals in recovery in residential centers (medium- and long-term) covered by Gorgan Welfare Organization in 2020. In this study, according to the number of 19 observed variables and the allocation of a coefficient of 10 for each variable, 250 people were selected by convenience sampling method as the sample size. Research tools included the psychological vulnerability questionnaire, the difficulties in emotion regulation scale, and the behavioral brain systems scale. The data were analyzed by Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling.

The results showed that behavioral brain systems and emotion dysregulation had significant relationships with psychological vulnerability. Also, emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between behavioral brain systems and psychological vulnerability. The research model was confirmed and 66% of the variance of psychological vulnerability was explained by behavioral brain systems and emotion dysregulation.

This study emphasized the roles of cognitive and emotional factors in the degree of psychological vulnerability in substance-dependent individuals, which may have practical implications for therapists to reduce psychological vulnerability given the components of emotion dysregulation and behavioral brain systems.