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Emotional dependence as a mediating factor in the relationship between addiction and drug and alcohol abuse in young people

abstract

Emotional dependence is the extreme emotional need of a person that leads to an addictive
relationship in which the object of dependence is another person. Emotional dependence is
related to the attachment formed in childhood, which can possibly turn out in alcohol and drug
abuse. The objectives of this study are consequently to analyze the relationship between types
of attachment and the consumption of substances and alcohol and emotional dependence, to
study the predictive role of attachment and emotional dependence related to alcohol and drug
abuse, to analyze the mediating role of emotional dependence in the relationship between attachment
and drug and alcohol abuse, and to study if there are gender differences in substance
and alcohol abuse, attachment and in emotional dependence. The sample consisted of 150
participants (36 men and 114 women) between 18 and 35 years old (M = 27.81, SD = 3.508).
The results showed that the type of attachment formed as well as emotional dependence
predict alcohol and drug abuse. In addition, emotional dependence mediates the relationship
between childhood trauma and drug abuse.

Keywords:

Emotional dependence; Attachment; Drug abuse; Alcohol abuse.

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Authors

Olatz Barbarias - Universidad de Deusto
Ana Estévez - Universidad de Deusto
Paula Jáuregui - Universidad de Deusto