Attributional analysis of drug abuse and gender: effects of treatment and relationship to rehabilitation

The present study examined the utility of an attributional approach to the cognitive processes of male and female drug abusers, and the predictive power of attributional style and self-esteem for subsequent rehabilitation. As they entered treatment, female drug abusers exhibited a maladaptive attrib...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of social and clinical psychology 1988-06, Vol.7 (2-3), p.176-191
Main Authors: GUTIERRES, S. E, REICH, J. W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcoholism
Biological and medical sciences
Drug abuse
Failure
Females
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender differences
Illness and personality
Males
Psychology and medicine
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Rehabilitation
Self esteem
Substance abuse treatment
Success
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Summary:The present study examined the utility of an attributional approach to the cognitive processes of male and female drug abusers, and the predictive power of attributional style and self-esteem for subsequent rehabilitation. As they entered treatment, female drug abusers exhibited a maladaptive attributional pattern for a manipulated success/failure experience (external and stable for failure; internal and unstable for success) compared to male drug abusers and nondrug abusing controls. Male drug abusers' attributional pattern did not differ significantly from the other three groups, although means were in the predicted direction. Both male and female drug abusers' self-esteem scores were significantly lower than controls. After several months in treatment, neither male nor female drug abusers showed significant attributional change, although both groups showed a positive change in self-esteem. Several months after leaving treatment, change in attributional measures was shown to be a better predictor of rehabilitation than positive self-esteem change for males and females. The predictive efficacy of attributional measures over self-esteem measures for rehabilitation is discussed.
ISSN:0736-7236
1943-2771
DOI:10.1521/jscp.1988.7.2-3.176