Factores motivacionales protectores de la depresión y el consumo de drogas / Motivational protective factors for depression and drug abuse

ABSTRACT

As a part of a innovative research line on mental health and addictions focused to operationalize the clinical approach of Maslow's motivational theory, this study is focused to prove a theoretical multi-factorial model that presuppose a relationship between a set of psycho-social protective factors and affective disorders, attraction to drugs, and severity of legal and illegal drug use, all them mediated by the satisfaction degree of deficit needs and its pleasurable associated sensations. The study was implemented with a cross-sectional, ex-post-facto design, with a 241 sample made out by urban young adults that were actual illicit drug users, which used more than five times one of the next drugs marijuana, cocaine, crack, inhalants, heroin or metamphetamine. These subjects had a 24,5 mean age (SD= 5,1), with a ratio of almost eight men at of each woman. More than half of them were single, a third part was married or lived together and the fifth part was separated or divorced. Half of participants had high school studies, a fourth part had college and 8% had superior level. Half of the subjects were employed, 10% were students, 4% were housemakers, 5% studied and worked simultaneously, and a third part did not work. A fourth part were referred to previous treatment(s) for drug abuse. Based on the diagnosis, marijuana was identified as a drug of greater impact (29,9%), followed by cocaine (27,4%), inhalants (16,2%), heroin (12.0%), crack (10%) and crystal (4,6%). It was applied a battery of instruments that included a) A scale to test the Severity of drug abuse (alpha = .953), that included items to evaluate issues such as the incapacity to control drug use; intense desire to use; increase in the consumption; inability to reject drugs; changes in mood; transgression of the rules; residual symptoms; fights, and self injures. b) The Beck Depression Inventory (alpha = .918), conformed by two factors, Affective-cognitive depression (alpha = .867), with items related to feeling punished, failed and guilty, and Physiological-behavioral depression (alpha = .853) with items associated to insomnia, feeling tired, irritable, unsatisfied and hesitated. c) A multifactorial scale of Degree of Satisfaction of Deficit Needs of Health and security (alpha = .876), with items such as tranquility, confidence, order and education; authenticity (alpha = .878), with items like honesty, sincerity, respect and freedom; affective (alpha = .780), with items like affection, friendship and love; self esteem (alpha = .825), with items like recognition, work, success and money; and enjoyment (alpha = .910), with items like joy, amusement, happiness, play, laugh, sing and dance. d) A multi-factorial risk and protection scale of drug use and related syndromes (alpha = .794), with the following factors satisfactory family relations (alpha = .850), satisfactory relation with friends (alpha =927) and individual ability for satisfaction (alpha = .841). e) A multi-factorial scale related with the attraction for legal and illegal drugs (alpha = .949), with a factor for alcohol attraction (alpha = .933), other factor for tobacco attraction (alpha = .890) and a factor for alcohol attraction (alpha = .926). Furthermore, two models were developed with three antecedent manifest variables individual ability for satisfaction, satisfactory family relations and satisfactory relation with friends. Both models showed that individual ability for satisfaction predicts 17% of variance of the satisfactory family relations and 10% of the satisfactory relation with friends. The mediating latent variable Satisfaction degree of deficit needs showed different forms in each model because the first one included a) satisfaction degree of health and security needs, b) satisfaction degree of self esteem needs and c) satisfaction degree of enjoyment needs, whereas the second model, more parsimonious, kept the first two factors. Both models incorporate, as consequent latent variables, depression (explained in 53% of its variance in model 2) as well as the manifest variable of severity of drug abuse (explained in 45%) and the mediating latent variable attraction for legal and illegal drugs with an explained variance of 32% (for example <pleasure, they help you to have friends, to have fun, to make you laugh and to have joy>>). The models provide conceptual validity to the clinical approach of Maslow's theory, because it verifies that the unsatisfaction of deficit needs is related to the presence of affective disturbance like depression; the attraction by legal and illegal drugs; and the severity of alcohol consumption and drugs. Model one includes among others the mediating variable satisfaction of the needs of self esteem, showing the influence of Jonah's complex usually related to the fear of recognition, success, etc. Model 2 is more parsimonious and reaffirms the importance of satisfying physiological and security needs, and its associated enjoinment. In adittion, it stands out that the individual capacity of satisfaction is related to the satisfaction of deficit needs causing the appearance of moments of joy, amusement and happiness, possibly associated with the Reward Circuit Activation. On the other hand, the individual capacity of satisfaction also maintains a direct relation with satisfactory relations with family and friends. Both variables have as well a positive influence in the satisfaction of deficit needs. Moreover, the individual capacity of satisfaction is related to the satisfaction of the deficit necessities, causing the appearance of moments of joy, amusement and happiness possibly associated with the reward circuit activation. On the other hand, the individual capacity of satisfaction also maintains a direct relationship with satisfactory relations with family and friends, which have also a positive influence to the satisfaction of the deficit needs and their associated enjoyment sensations, such as laugh, singing and dancing, that usually take place in social interactions. Also, it was shown how the individual aptitudes as well as relationships with others were substantial sources for satisfaction of deficit needs. Additionally, it was observed that a deficient degree of needs satisfaction was related to an increment in affection disturbances and in the severity of drug use, supporting the Maslow's psycho-pathogenesis construct. Finally, it was observed how a deficient degree of satisfaction also shows a direct relationship with the attraction to legal and illegal drugs, and is stand out how the presence of affection disturbances increases the attraction to drugs, which at the same time increases the severity of drug use.

RESUMEN

Con el fin de someter a prueba un modelo teórico multifactorial basado en la aproximación clínica de la teoría de la motivación de Maslow -modelo en el que se presupone una relación entre un conjunto de variables psicosociales protectoras y algunos trastornos afectivos, la atracción por las drogas y la severidad de su consumo, mediadas por el grado de satisfacción de ciertas necesidades deficitarias (salud, seguridad y autoestima) así como sensaciones de disfrute asociado- se llevó a cabo un estudio transversal, ex post facto, con una muestra de 241 adultos jóvenes urbanos, consumidores actuales de drogas ilícitas. Se desarrollaron dos modelos estadísticos con base en las variables antecedentes capacidad individual de satisfacción, relaciones satisfactorias con la familia y relaciones satisfactorias con los amigos. En ambos modelos se encontró que la capacidad individual de satisfacción predice en cierta medida las relaciones satisfactorias con la familia y con los amigos. La variable mediadora satisfacción de necesidades deficitarias se manifestó en forma distinta en ambos modelos, pues el primero incluyó a) grado de satisfacción de las necesidades de salud y seguridad, b) grado de satisfacción de necesidades de estima y c) grado de satisfacción de necesidades de disfrute, mientras que el segundo, más parsimonioso, conservó sólo las dos primeras variables manifiestas. Ambos modelos incorporan como variables consecuentes la depresión (explicada en 53% en el modelo 2), así como la severidad del consumo de drogas (explicada en 45% de su varianza en el modelo 2). Además, el modelo incorpora como una variable mediadora la atracción por las drogas con una varianza explicada de 32% en el segundo modelo. Los dos modelos aportan validez conceptual a la vertiente clínica de la teoría de Maslow, pues se verificó que la insatisfacción de las necesidades de deficiencia se relaciona con el surgimiento de trastornos afectivos como la depresión, con el gusto por las drogas legales e ilegales y con la severidad del consumo de alcohol y drogas. Además, se destaca que en el modelo 1 se incluye entre otras la variable mediadora satisfacción de las necesidades de estima, verificándose con ello la influencia del <>, relacionado con el temor al reconocimiento, éxito, etc. El modelo 2, es más parsimonioso y reafirma la importancia de resarcir las necesidades fisiológicas y de seguridad y de su disfrute asociado, antes que proponerse incrementar la satisfacción de necesidades deficitarias de niveles más elevados. Así pues, fue evidente cómo la Capacidad individual de satisfacción se relaciona con la Satisfacción de las necesidades deficitarias, y propicia la aparición de momentos de alegría, diversión y felicidad, posiblemente asociados con la Activación del Circuito de Recompensa (ACR). Del mismo modo, la Capacidad Individual de Satisfacción también mantiene una relación di recta con las relaciones satisfactorias con la familia y con los amigos. Ambas variables tienen, a su vez, una influencia positiva en la satisfacción de las necesidades deficitarias y sensaciones de disfrute asociadas como la risa, el canto y el baile, que se producen en la interacción social. Además, se aprecia cómo en las aptitudes individuales y en las relaciones con el medio se encuentran fuentes sustantivas para la satisfacción de las necesidades deficitarias. También se observa congruencia con respecto al constructo de psicopatogénesis, dado que un grado deficiente de satisfacción de las necesidades se relaciona con un incremento en los trastornos del afecto y en la severidad del consumo de drogas. Finalmente, se detectó cómo un grado deficiente de satisfacción en las necesidades también presenta una relación directa con la atracción por las drogas y se destaca cómo la presencia de trastornos del afecto incrementa el desarrollo de la atracción por las drogas, lo cual aumenta la severidad del consumo de sustancias.