Developing and Testing of the Causal Model of Students' Addiction Potential based on Distress Tolerance and Differentiation with the Mediating Role of Alexithymia

Objective: Several factors including personality and social factors are effective on drug use. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prediction model of students' addiction potential based on distress tolerance and differentiation with the mediating role of alexithymia. Method: The research method was descriptive and structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the study included all undergraduate students of Azad University branches in Tehran in the academic year of 2018-2019 (about 47000 students). Cluster sampling method was used to select the study sample. Thus, 350 students were selected as the sample group in the form of 15 classes. Research instruments included the Weed and Butcher’s Addiction Potential Scale (1992), the Toronto’s Alexithymia Scale (1994), the Skowron and Friedlander’s Differentiation of Self Scale (1998), and the Simmons & Gaher’s Distress Tolerance Scale (2005). Structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. Results: The results of the conceptual model test showed that the fit indices of the research were acceptable. Differentiation and distress tolerance had a direct effect on addiction potetnial (p <0.05). Also, the hypothesis regarding the indirect effect of differentiation on students' addiction potential through alexithymia was confirmed (p <0.05). Alexithymia had a significant mediator role in the relationship between distress tolerance and addiction potential (p <0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated the suitable fit of the conceptual model of research. Accordingly, in addiction therapy clinics, giving attention to predictors of distress tolerance and differentiation is necessary to reduce the level of addiction potential.