Aue Tatjana, Kexel Ann-Kathrin, Kluwe-Schiavon Bruno, Bührer Stephanie, Baumgartner Markus R, Soravia Leila M, Quednow Boris B
Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Front Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 1;13:879016. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.879016. eCollection 2022.
Earlier research revealed that cocaine users display impairments in emotional but not necessarily in cognitive empathy. However, no study to date has tested whether empathy is generally altered or whether impairments are restricted to specific social targets. The current investigation addresses this open question. In addition, we examined whether attributions of warmth and competence as well as personal future expectancies differed between cocaine users and substance-naïve controls. Twenty-two chronic cocaine users and 40 stimulant-naïve controls specified their perceived warmth and competence for four social targets [in-group member, opposite consumption out-group member (cocaine user for controls and non-user for cocaine user), opposite consumption out-group member of opposite gender, and elderly person]. They also specified their cognitive and emotional empathy for these four targets facing eight desirable and eight undesirable events. Finally, they rated the likelihood of these scenarios happening to themselves. Both cocaine users and controls attributed lower warmth to cocaine-using than non-using targets. Comparably, no in-group preference was observed in cocaine user's emotional empathy ratings, and greater denigration of the in-group was associated with higher frequency and doses of cocaine consumption. In addition, cocaine users rated both desirable and undesirable events as more likely to happen to themselves than did controls. Results show that substance-naïve individuals stigmatize cocaine users. They further point to compromised self-esteem in cocaine users resulting from such stigmatization. Interventions should address stigmatization processes to break the vicious circle of mutual social distancing and stronger dedication to the drug.
早期研究表明，可卡因使用者在情感共情方面存在缺陷，但认知共情不一定有问题。然而，迄今为止尚无研究测试共情是否普遍改变，或者缺陷是否仅限于特定的社会对象。当前的调查解决了这个悬而未决的问题。此外，我们还研究了可卡因使用者与未使用过毒品的对照组在温暖和能力归因以及个人未来期望方面是否存在差异。22名慢性可卡因使用者和40名未使用过兴奋剂的对照组人员针对四个社会对象（内群体成员、消费习惯相反的外群体成员（对照组为可卡因使用者，可卡因使用者组为非使用者）、消费习惯相反的异性外群体成员以及老年人）明确了他们感知到的温暖和能力。他们还针对这四个对象面对八个积极事件和八个消极事件时的认知和情感共情进行了明确。最后，他们对这些情景发生在自己身上的可能性进行了评分。可卡因使用者和对照组人员都认为使用可卡因的对象比不使用可卡因的对象更缺乏温暖。同样，在可卡因使用者的情感共情评分中未观察到对内群体的偏好，对内群体的更多诋毁与更高的可卡因消费频率和剂量相关。此外，可卡因使用者认为积极和消极事件发生在自己身上的可能性都比对照组人员更高。结果表明，未使用过毒品的个体对可卡因使用者存在污名化现象。研究结果还进一步指出，这种污名化导致可卡因使用者的自尊受损。干预措施应针对污名化过程，以打破相互社会疏远和对毒品更强依赖的恶性循环。
