Prediction of Substance Abuse Potential Based on Alexithymia and Executive Dysfunctions in Employees

The negative consequences of addiction among employees for individuals and organizations is severe, so understanding the underlying factors of substance abuse potential in these individuals are very important. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of alexithymia and executive dysfunctions on employees' addiction potential. It was a cross-sectional study. Using self-report tools and random sampling, 128 employees participated based on Cochran's sample size formula in this research. To collect the data, the Addiction Potential Scale (APS-1992), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20: 1994), Stroop tests and Dual two back Computerized Test were used. Based on statistical analysis, there was a significant correlation between the variables of difficulty in emotion recognition, difficulty in emotion description, selective attention, working memory(reverse) and substance abuse potential (p<.05). The multiple regression results indicate that the predictor variables together explain 17% of the variance of the adjusted addiction potential index. According to the results, the speed of selective attention (p <.05, t = -2.11, t=-.10), accuracy of working memory (p <.05, t = -.247, B= -.053), and emotion recognition difficulty (p = .05, t = 2.07, B= .157), predict significantly the addiction potential index. examining the simultaneous correlation of alexithymia and executive dysfunctions with the employees’ addiction potential can be a practical step in predicting substance abuse in workplaces.