Metadehumanization, fundamental needs and coping strategies: A comparison of drinkers at low versus high risk of alcohol use disorder

• Published in: Alcohol (Fayetteville, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2024-03, Vol.115, p.61-67
• Main Authors: Fontesse, Sullivan, Creupelandt, Coralie, Bollen, Zoé, Pabst, Arthur, Maurage, Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol use; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - diagnosis; Alcoholism - epidemiology; Anxiety; Coping; Coping Skills; coping strategy; Dehumanization; dehumanization emotion; Drinking behavior; Emotions; excessive drinking; fundamental needs; Humans; Mental depression; Mental disorders; mind attribution; Self esteem
• ISSN: 0741-8329; 1873-6823; 1873-6823
• DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.09.007

The interpersonal difficulties documented in chronic excessive drinking might foster the progression toward severe alcohol use disorder (SAUD). Characterizing these interpersonal difficulties and their commonalities with patients already presenting a diagnosed SAUD is needed to develop targeted prophylactic interventions. Patients with SAUD present metadehumanization (i.e., the perception of being considered as less than human by others), which is associated with deleterious consequences (e.g., reduced fundamental needs satisfaction, increased negative emotions, reduced self-esteem, disrupted coping strategies) involved in the persistence of this disorder. No study has investigated metadehumanization among individuals not diagnosed with SAUD but at high risk of alcohol use disorder. We measured metadehumanization, emotions, self-esteem, coping strategies, and fundamental needs threat among such high-risk drinkers (N = 86; AUDIT score higher than 15), and matched low-risk drinkers (N = 100, AUDIT score