Investigating the relationship between emotional intelligence and smokingseverity in patients referred to substance abuse treatment centers in BandarAbbas city in ۲۰۱۸

Background: In recent years, studies have been conducted on the relationship between emotionalintelligence and smoking, and it has been shown that smokers have lower emotional intelligencethan non-smokers. On the other hand, the low level of emotional intelligence, which is caused bythe inability to effectively deal with emotions and manage them, plays a role in the initiation ofdrug use. Therefore, in this study, we examined the relationship between emotional intelligenceand smoking severity in patients referred to drug abuse treatment centers in Bandar Abbas city.Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the clients of Bandar Abbas drug abuse treatmentcenters were examined in ۲۰۱۸. In addition to the general questionnaire including demographiccharacteristics such as age, gender, marital status, education level and the type of last substanceconsumed and the amount of methadone received, two emotional intelligence questionnaires, Bar-Ann and Fagerström questionnaire were completed by the participants. Incomplete questionnaireswere excluded from the study. The information obtained from the questionnaires was entered intospss software version ۲۵ for statistical analysis.Results: The average age of ۸۷ subjects was ۴۳.۱۳ ± ۹.۹۶ years. ۸۲ people (۹۴.۳%) were men andonly ۵ people (۵.۷%) were women. Low dependency on smoking was seen in ۴۳.۷%, moderate in۳۵.۶% and severe in ۲۰.۷%. There was no significant difference in smoking intensity according toage, gender, marital status, education, the type of the last substance consumed, and the amount ofmethadone received (p>۰.۰۵). The average overall score of emotional intelligence, the dimensionsof interpersonal competences and interpersonal competences, and the subscales of emotional selfawareness,interpersonal relationships, and problem solving in people with moderate and severedependence on smoking were significantly lower than those with low dependence (p < ۰.۰۵). Themean of bad adjustment and social responsibility subscale was significantly higher in people withlow addiction to smoking than people with moderate addiction (p < ۰.۰۵). No significantdifference was found in terms of other dimensions and subscales of emotional intelligence betweenpeople with different intensities of dependence on smoking.Conclusion: The average overall score of emotional intelligence, dimensions of individualcompetences, interpersonal competences and adaptability and subscales of emotional selfawareness,social responsibility, interpersonal relationships and problem solving, there is a relationship with the intensity of smoking in drug users. Emotional intelligence training can beuseful for these people.

Keywords:

Emotional Intelligence , Smoking , Drug Abuse