Hostility and anger in patients dependent on different psychoactive drugs

Abstract

We assessed 311 participants with dependence on opioids, stimulants, alcohol, polysubstance dependence, and a control group with no dependence using clinical structured interview, Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, and State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI). Our study results demonstrated that in all groups of dependent participants anger, verbal, physical and indirect aggression are significantly higher than in control group. We found that severity and forms of aggressive behaviour in dependent patients are correlated with the type of substance abused; aggressive behaviour appeared to be correlated with the characteristics of anger. Higher level of aggressiveness, anger and irritation were in groups of polysubstance and stimulant abusers. We also found specific predictors of anger and aggression for groups of subjects dependent on different drugs.