title: Profiles of distress intolerance in a substance-dependent sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Distress intolerance (DI) - the perceived inability to tolerate distressing states - is an important variable in substance abuse, with links to coping motives and return to use following a quit attempt. Recent research suggests that DI is a heterogeneous construct that varies based on the domain of distress (e.g., pain, anxiety).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether elevations in DI in substance-dependent (SD) patients varied based on the domain of distress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individuals (N = 55) with a diagnosis of illicit drug dependence and an affective disorder equated comparison (CO) group were administered three measures of DI - assessing pain, frustration, and respiratory discomfort.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The SD group demonstrated significantly greater frustration intolerance, but not greater pain intolerance or respiratory discomfort intolerance relative to the CO group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When controlling for the presence of an affective disorder, SD patients exhibited elevated frustration intolerance, suggesting that this may be a particularly difficult type of distress for this group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DI is linked to important clinical outcomes and can be modified with treatment. Identification of intolerance of specific domains of distress associated with select disorders may help to better target such interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Boston University, MA, USA. kmchugh@mclean.harvard.edu
authors.forename: R Kathryn
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Otto
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*