title: Emotion Regulation in Alcohol Dependence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main aim of this study was to investigate, in alcohol-dependent (AD) patients, the use of the 5 emotion regulation strategies specified in Gross's (1998, Rev Gen Psychol, 2, 271) process model of emotion regulation with the use of a semi-structured interview allowing a detailed and high-quality assessment of emotion regulation strategies. A secondary aim was to examine the possible influence of protracted abstinence and detoxification on emotion dysregulation. Finally, the association between the level of craving and the types of regulation strategies was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-four treatment-seeking AD patients with varying time spent in rehabilitation, and 26 healthy controls were interviewed using a version of the Emotion Regulation Interview (Werner et al., 2011, J Psychopathol Behav Assess, 33, 346) adapted to alcohol dependence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, AD patients reported significantly greater use of response modulation and attentional deployment, but lesser use of cognitive change. Among patients, (1) rehabilitation duration was positively correlated with the use of cognitive change and (2) the use of response modulation was positively associated with the level of craving.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings clarify the specific pattern of emotion dysregulation associated with alcohol dependence. They also suggest that (1) abstinence is associated with a shift toward more adaptive emotion regulation patterns and that (2) inefficient regulation strategies may lead to craving and the maintenance of alcohol use. If these findings are confirmed through longitudinal and mediation designs, they will have important clinical implications.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychological Medicine and Addictology, ULB Neuroscience Institute (UNI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Petit
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Luminet
authors.affiliation: Hopital Psychiatrique du Chêne aux Haies, Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maurage
authors.affiliation: Hopital Psychiatrique du Chêne aux Haies, Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tecco
authors.affiliation: Hopital Psychiatrique du Chêne aux Haies, Mons, Belgium.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lechantre
authors.affiliation: Clinique Psychiatrique du Beauvallon, Saint-Servais, Belgium.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferauge
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Psychiatry, Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Timary
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D066249:Craving; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000639:trends; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000639:trends
keywords: Abstinence; Alcohol Dependence; Craving; Emotion Regulation