Self-Representations and Negative Affect in Cocaine-Dependent Individuals

Abstract

In an application of self-discrepancy theory to addiction, the self-representations of cocaine users ( n = 29) were compared to those of methadone-maintained patients ( n = 30) and non-drug-users ( n = 27). Cocaine users had higher Beck depression scores than non-users, and the content of their self-representations was more dysphoric than either non-users or methadone patients. They also reported being most vulnerable to cocaine use when depressed. Given the predominance of dejection-related emotions experienced by cocaine users, self-discrepancy theory would hypothesize that these patients would have higher actual:ideal self-discrepancies than either of the other two groups, and that they would have higher actual:ideal than actual:ought self-discrepancies. Both of these hypotheses were supported. Furthermore, cocaine use was found to be positively related to actual:ideal self-discrepancy scores and to Beck depression scores. Additional drug-related self-representations were also explored using a modified version of the Selves Questionnaire.