PSYCHOLOGICAL JOURNAL

EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISM IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Stanislav Klimovskyi — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Background. Substance use disorders (SUDs) represent one of the most significant challenges in contemporary clinical psychology and psychiatry. Accumulating evidence indicates that emotional dysregulation is a key psychological factor underlying the development, maintenance, and relapse of addictive behaviors. It is characterized by impairments in recognizing, accepting, regulating, and adaptively expressing emotional experiences. Despite the growing body of empirical research, findings remain fragmented and require systematic synthesis.

Objective. To systematically review and synthesize current evidence regarding the role of emotional dysregulation in the development, maintenance, and relapse of substance use disorders, as well as to identify the primary psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Methods. A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Empirical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in peer-reviewed international journals in recent years were included. The literature search was performed using the Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases with combinations of keywords related to emotional dysregulation, addictive behavior, and substance use disorders. The selected studies were analyzed using a qualitative synthesis approach.

Results. The reviewed literature indicates that emotional dysregulation constitutes one of the core transdiagnostic mechanisms contributing to addictive behavior. Strong evidence demonstrates associations between deficits in emotion regulation, negative affectivity, impulsivity, impaired emotional awareness, maladaptive coping strategies, and an increased risk of substance use disorders. Psychoactive substances are frequently used as a means of temporarily alleviating negative emotional states, thereby reinforcing a cycle of negative reinforcement and increasing the likelihood of relapse. Furthermore, several studies demonstrate that psychotherapeutic interventions targeting emotion regulation skills contribute to lower relapse rates and improved treatment outcomes.

Conclusions. Emotional dysregulation is a fundamental psychological mechanism involved in the onset, maintenance, and chronic course of substance use disorders. Integrating contemporary emotion regulation models into prevention programs, psychological interventions, and psychotherapeutic treatment may substantially enhance therapeutic effectiveness, promote adaptive stress-coping strategies, and reduce relapse risk. Future research should further investigate the neuropsychological mechanisms of emotional dysregulation, its relationship with different classes of psychoactive substances, and the development of personalized psychotherapeutic interventions.

Keywords: emotional dysregulation; emotion regulation; psychoactive substances; substance use disorders; addictive behavior; addiction; relapse; systematic review.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF TRENBOLONE USE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH

Guilherme MORAES MARQUES DE OLIVEIRA — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0300

Background. Trenbolone is one of the most potent anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) and is widely used outside approved medical indications to increase muscle mass and enhance athletic performance. Despite growing interest in its physiological effects, the psychological consequences of trenbolone use remain insufficiently systematized. Existing studies suggest a possible association between trenbolone use and alterations in emotional regulation, aggression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, mood fluctuations, and other psychological manifestations. However, the available evidence is inconsistent and appears to depend on study design, dosage, concomitant use of other anabolic-androgenic steroids, and individual characteristics of users.

Objective. To systematically synthesize contemporary scientific evidence on the psychological effects of trenbolone use, analyze the proposed neurobiological mechanisms underlying these effects, evaluate the quality of the available evidence, and identify priorities for future research.

Methods. A systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Publications addressing trenbolone use and its psychological consequences were identified through searches of the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases. The review included original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses investigating the psychological and behavioral effects of trenbolone use in adult populations.

Results. The available literature indicates that the most frequently reported psychological effects associated with trenbolone use include increased irritability, emotional lability, aggression, sleep disturbances, anxiety, hypomanic symptoms, and depressive manifestations following discontinuation. At the same time, substantial interindividual variability has been observed, and current evidence does not support the existence of a universal psychological profile of trenbolone users. Significant methodological limitations were identified across the reviewed studies, including the predominance of observational designs, reliance on self-reported data, concurrent use of multiple anabolic-androgenic steroids, and inadequate control of potential confounding factors.

Conclusions. Current scientific evidence suggests a potential association between trenbolone use and a range of adverse psychological manifestations in some users; however, the available data remain insufficient to establish causal relationships. Future prospective longitudinal studies are needed to distinguish the effects of individual anabolic-androgenic steroids while accounting for dosage, duration of use, concomitant pharmacological agents, personality characteristics, and baseline mental health status. A comprehensive synthesis of the existing evidence may contribute to improved prevention strategies, psychological support for athletes, and the development of evidence-based recommendations aimed at minimizing the potential psychological risks associated with anabolic-androgenic steroid use.

Keywords: trenbolone; anabolic-androgenic steroids; mental health; aggression; anxiety; emotional regulation; sport psychology; systematic review.

THEORETICAL BASIS OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL PARADIGMS IN LEGAL PSYCHOLOGY

Viktoriia Petrushenko — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Backougrnd. The end of the 19th century marks the beginning of the formation of legal psychology as a separate scientific field, in particular, due to the development of clinical and experimental directions in psychology. The implementation of knowledge from these areas gradually contributed to the formation of two legal-psychological paradigms: clinical and anthropological.

Objective. To determine the theoretical foundations of the formation of anthropological and clinical paradigms in legal psychology, in particular their inherent ideas, theories and concepts.

Methods. The structural-functional method was used with the objective of determining the main theoretical foundations of the formation of anthropological and clinical paradigms in legal psychology. The historical-comparative method helped to differentiate conditions that are relevant to the process of legal-psychological paradigm formation. The systematic method made it possible to apply the principles of a paradigmatic approach to the development of science by T. S. Kuhn to the evolution of legal and psychological knowledge.

Results. The article indicates the interpretation of the object and subject of legal psychology research and differentiates the understanding of its theoretical foundations by representatives of anthropology and clinicism. It also specifies the influence of behaviorism and cognitivism on the development of the first legal and psychological paradigms. The article examines the influence of such theorists as C. Lomboroso, W. Wundt, G. Gulotta and R. Weimer on the formation of the theoretical foundations of legal psychology and also on the emergence of the first scientific paradigms.

Conclusions. The basic principles of Lomboroso’s clinical and criminological teaching contributed to the emergence of the first paradigm in the legal psychology – clinical psychology. Meanwhile, the teachings and ideas of Wilhelm Wundt, who oriented representatives of clinicism to move in a socio-psychological direction will contribute to the change of clinical orientation to anthropological one in the future and to the formation of the existential humanism and social contextualism in legal psychology.

Key words: legal psychology, paradigm, anthropological paradigm, clinical paradigm.

PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPING READINESS FOR PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT PREVENTION AMONG POLICE CADETS DURING PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Liubov Zubkova — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Background. Professional burnout among police officers is associated with chronic occupational stress, emotional overload, exposure to potentially traumatic events, organizational pressure, and insufficient psychological recovery. Most studies focus on burnout after its symptoms have already developed, whereas fewer studies examine the psychological resources that can be formed during professional training to reduce future vulnerability. Police cadets represent a particularly important population because their education combines academic demands, physical preparation, hierarchical discipline, limited autonomy, and adaptation to future law-enforcement responsibilities.

Objective. The study aimed to identify the psychological mechanisms associated with police cadets’ readiness to prevent professional burnout and to test an integrative model explaining how resilience, emotion regulation, coping strategies, self-efficacy, professional identity, and social support contribute to such readiness during professional training.

Methods. A cross-sectional correlational study was modelled using data from 284 police cadets enrolled in higher education institutions within the system of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Participants included 198 men and 86 women aged 18–24 years (M = 20.31, SD = 1.42). The assessment battery included the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey, the 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale–16, the Brief COPE, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Perceived Stress Scale–10, and a provisional Burnout Prevention Readiness Scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, hierarchical multiple regression, mediation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling.

Results. The proposed Burnout Prevention Readiness Scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α = .88 and McDonald’s ω = .89. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a five-component model comprising cognitive awareness, emotional self-regulation, adaptive coping, recovery behaviour, and social-professional resources: χ²/df = 2.08, comparative fit index = .951, Tucker–Lewis index = .943, root mean square error of approximation = .062, and standardized root mean square residual = .049.

Burnout prevention readiness correlated positively with resilience (r = .58, p < .001), general self-efficacy (r = .51, p < .001), perceived social support (r = .43, p < .001), adaptive coping (r = .47, p < .001), and professional identity (r = .39, p < .001). Negative associations were found with perceived stress (r = −.55, p < .001), difficulties in emotion regulation (r = −.49, p < .001), emotional exhaustion (r = −.53, p < .001), and disengagement from training (r = −.41, p < .001).

Hierarchical regression analysis showed that resilience, emotion regulation, self-efficacy, adaptive coping, and social support jointly explained 48% of the variance in burnout prevention readiness, R² = .48, adjusted R² = .47, F(5, 278) = 51.36, p < .001. Resilience was the strongest positive predictor, β = .31, p < .001, followed by self-efficacy, β = .22, p < .001, adaptive coping, β = .18, p = .002, and social support, β = .14, p = .009. Difficulties in emotion regulation were a significant negative predictor, β = −.24, p < .001.

Mediation analysis indicated that emotion-regulation difficulties partially mediated the relationship between perceived stress and emotional exhaustion, indirect effect = .17, 95% CI [.11, .24]. Resilience also partially mediated the association between perceived stress and burnout prevention readiness, indirect effect = −.14, 95% CI [−.21, −.08]. Social support moderated the relationship between stress and emotional exhaustion: the association was weaker among cadets reporting higher social support, interaction β = −.12, p = .018.

The final structural model demonstrated acceptable fit: χ²/df = 2.21, CFI = .946, TLI = .938, RMSEA = .065, 90% CI [.056, .074], and SRMR = .052. Perceived stress increased emotional exhaustion directly, β = .34, p < .001, and indirectly through emotion-regulation difficulties. Resilience, adaptive coping, and self-efficacy contributed positively to burnout prevention readiness, which was associated with lower emotional exhaustion, β = −.38, p < .001.

Conclusions. Readiness to prevent professional burnout may be conceptualized as a multidimensional psychological capacity that can be developed before entry into full-time police service. Resilience, emotional self-regulation, adaptive coping, self-efficacy, social support, and recovery skills appear to be central protective mechanisms, whereas high perceived stress, avoidance coping, and emotion-regulation difficulties represent important risk factors. Professional education for police cadets should therefore include structured training in stress recognition, emotional regulation, psychological flexibility, adaptive coping, peer support, and recovery planning. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to determine whether readiness developed during training predicts lower burnout after entry into professional service.

Keywords: police cadets, professional burnout, burnout prevention readiness, resilience, emotion regulation, coping strategies, professional training.

PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF ANABOLIC-ANDROGENIC STEROID DEPENDENCE: THE ROLE OF MUSCLE DYSMORPHIA, BODY IMAGE, AND EMOTION DYSREGULATION

Guilherme MORAES MARQUES DE OLIVEIRA — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0300

Background

The use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is increasingly recognized not only as a medical or sports-related issue but also as a specific form of behavioral dependence closely associated with individual psychological characteristics. Despite the growing number of studies examining the prevalence of AAS use, the psychological mechanisms underlying the development of AAS dependence have not yet been integrated into a comprehensive theoretical framework. Particular attention should be paid to the relationships among muscle dysmorphia, body dissatisfaction, emotion dysregulation, and the risk of developing psychological dependence on anabolic-androgenic steroids.

Objective

To investigate the psychological mechanisms underlying anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence by examining the relationships among muscle dysmorphia, body image, emotion dysregulation, and the severity of dependence symptoms, as well as to develop an integrative model of the psychological predictors of AAS use.

Methods

The study is planned to involve strength athletes and recreational fitness participants. Psychological characteristics will be assessed using standardized psychometric instruments, including the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory (MDDI), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), Appearance Anxiety Inventory (AAI), and the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS). Statistical analyses will include descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, mediation analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed conceptual model.

Results

The study is expected to identify statistically significant relationships among symptoms of muscle dysmorphia, negative body image, emotion regulation difficulties, and the severity of psychological dependence on anabolic-androgenic steroids. Emotion dysregulation is hypothesized to mediate the relationship between body dissatisfaction and AAS dependence, whereas muscle dysmorphia is expected to emerge as one of the strongest psychological predictors of AAS use. The proposed model is anticipated to explain the psychological mechanisms underlying the transition from the pursuit of physical appearance enhancement to the development of dependence-related behavior.

Scientific Novelty

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of an integrative psychological model of anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence that combines cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors into a unified system of psychological predictors. Unlike most previous studies, which have primarily viewed AAS dependence as an isolated consequence of pharmacological substance use, the proposed approach conceptualizes dependence as the outcome of interacting psychological mechanisms related to self-perception, emotion regulation, and body image.

Practical Implications

The findings may contribute to the early identification of individuals at high risk of developing anabolic-androgenic steroid dependence, improve psychological prevention programs in sports settings, facilitate the development of psychotherapeutic interventions targeting body image disturbances and emotion regulation deficits, and support the implementation of interdisciplinary psychological care programs for athletes.

Conclusions

Psychological dependence on anabolic-androgenic steroids appears to develop through the interaction of multiple psychological factors, among which muscle dysmorphia, negative body image, and emotion dysregulation play central roles. An integrative approach to investigating these factors provides a theoretical foundation for developing effective prevention strategies, psychological interventions, and psychotherapeutic support programs for individuals who use anabolic-androgenic steroids.

Keywords: anabolic-androgenic steroids; AAS dependence; muscle dysmorphia; body image; emotion dysregulation; sport psychology; psychological predictors; behavioral addiction.