Childhood Traumas, Attachment Styles and Related Clinical Factors in Opioid Use Disorder

Introduction: The study aims to compare childhood traumas, attachment styles, impulsivity, and quality of life of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) patients in remission with healthy controls and to reveal the relationships between these parameters.

Methods: The study included one hundred patients diagnosed with OUD and one hundred healthy volunteers. Sociodemographic data form, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders Clinician Version, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Relationship Scales Questionnaire, Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11, World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Brief Version and Substance Craving Scale were administered.

Results: Emotional abuse, physical abuse, physical neglect, and emotional neglect scores were higher in the OUD group (p<0.001, p=0.004, p<0.001, p=0.005, respectively). Attachment styles were found to be similar in the OUD and healthy control groups. A comparison of quality of life scores revealed that general health, physical health, and social relationships subscale scores were lower in the OUD group (p=0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). Unplanned impulsivity scores were higher in the OUD (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis found strong associations between age, smoking, physical neglect, and unplanned impulsivity with opioid use.

Conclusion: The patients with OUD have a lower quality of life and experience more childhood trauma. Attachment styles in OUD appear similar to healthy controls. Age, smoking, physical neglect, and unplanned impulsivity have strong associations with opioid use.