The Diagnostic Role of Object Relations and Defensive Mechanisms in Patients with Opioid abuse, Stimulant Users and Normal Individuals

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the diagnostic role of object relations and defense mechanisms in individuals with opioid abuse, stimulants users, and normal individuals. Method: The research design was correlational. The study population consisted of all clients using stimulants, opiates and normal people who referred to Shiraz and Tehran addiction treatment clinics and health centers in 2019. Among them, 90 people were selected using available sampling method (30 stimulus users, 30 opioid users and 30 normal individuals). The Bell's Object Relations Inventory, Defense Mechanisms Questionnaire (Andrews, Singh and Bond, 1993) were used for data collection. Results: The results showed that the mean of all subscales of object relations was significantly higher in subjects with stimulant use than in opiate and normal substance users. Also, undeveloped and neurotic defensive styles in the individuals using stimulants were significantly higher than opiate users. These two defensive styles were higher in opioid users than normal individuals. In addition, the findings indicated that membership of the three groups could be predicted based on object relationships and defense mechanisms. Conclusion: The findings of this study provide evidence for explanatory model of psychodynamic in psychiatric injury and consistent with psychodynamic theories showed that the quality of object relations and undeveloped defense mechanisms play an important role in substance abuse.