Selective Cocaine-Related Difficulties in Emotional Intelligence: Relationship to Stress and Impulse Control

Emotional Intelligence (EI) comprises the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions and may potentially contribute to variability in risk‐related factors such as stress perception and impulse control in cocaine dependent individuals. The main objective of the current study is to be...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe American journal on addictions Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 151 - 160
Main Authors Fox, Helen C., Bergquist, Keri L., Casey, James, Hong, K. Adam, Sinha, Rajita
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.03.2011
Subjects
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

Loading…
More Information
Summary:Emotional Intelligence (EI) comprises the ability to perceive, use, understand, and regulate emotions and may potentially contribute to variability in risk‐related factors such as stress perception and impulse control in cocaine dependent individuals. The main objective of the current study is to better define EI in cocaine dependent individuals compared with healthy controls, using the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Secondary analysis investigates the association between EI, IQ factors, perceived stress, and impulse control in both populations. Seventy‐two abstinent treatment‐seeking cocaine patients and 52 healthy controls were administered the MSCEIT as well as measures of IQ, perceived stress, and impulse control. Findings showed that cocaine dependent participants demonstrated highly selective EI difficulties compared with healthy controls, specifically with regard to higher‐level emotional reasoning including the understanding, management, and regulation of emotion. These EI problems were associated with increased perceived stress and impulse control difficulties. IQ was significantly associated with all MSCEIT measures in the cocaine dependent participants, but not controls. Findings indicate that specific aspects of EI may be of clinical importance to cocaine dependent populations, impacting relapse‐related factors such as stress dysregulation and impulse control. (Am J Addict 2010;00: 1–10)
Bibliography:ArticleID:AJAD108
istex:9AAE724291EFF1942BE71227D12F913B821E436D
ark:/67375/WNG-FH89XFHD-2
ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 23
ISSN:1055-0496
1521-0391
DOI:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2010.00108.x