Motivation for abstinence is one of the most significant predictors of the patient's treatment engagement and completion, as well as the treatment outcome. Since this complex process has not been sufficiently studied, in clinical practice the need for a better understanding and perception of it has arisen, namely due to its significant contribution to hospital care programs. The aim of this study was to identify the socio-emotional predictors of motivation for abstinence in patients undergoing treatment for a minimum of 12 days. The study involved 72 volontary participants from Department of Alcohol Program in one psychiatric hospital. Motivation for abstinence was studied using the SOCRATES questionnaire which, along with the subscales of ambivalence, recognition and taking steps, represents a criterion. Demographic variables, emotional regulation and control, instrumental and emotional support seeking, life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions and flourishing were examined as potential predictors. Regression analysis showed that emotional regulation and control and instrumental and emotional support seeking significantly explain 15.8% of ambivalence, 29.4% of recognition and 30.6% of taking steps; life satisfaction, positive and negative emotions significantly explained 11.3% of taking steps, while flourishing accounted for 13.7% of taking steps. As for the demographic variables, only sex, age and education level acounted for 15.6% of recognition. In spite of the result obtained, the overall percentage of the explained variance is relatively low. Clinical implications of this study are significant and their greatest contribution is maximizing hospital care programs pertaining to rehabilitation of alcoholics.

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Cilj rada bio je ispitati mogućnost predikcije učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma putem doprinosa dimenzija velepetorog modela ličnosti (engl. Big-Five model) i stilova suočavanja sa stresom uz kontrolu doprinosa varijabli spola i dobi. Istraživanjem je obuhvaćeno 356 studenata različitih studija Hrvatskog katoličkog sveučilišta. Korištena je skala Upitnika psihosomatskih simptoma za djecu i adolescente (PSS), Upitnik suočavanja sa stresnim situacijama Endlera i Parkera te hrvatska verzija International Personality Item Pool (IPIP 50). Analiza učestalosti psihosomatskih simptoma pokazala je najčešću pojavnost manjka energije, glavobolje i boli u leđima. Najčešći u različitim skupinama simptoma bili su: »knedla« u grlu, doživljaj ubrzanog lupanja srca, prehlada, mišićna napetost, nadutost, akne ili bubuljice te manjak energije ili umor. Rezultati hijerarhijske regresijske analize pokazali su da niža razina emocionalne stabilnosti, viša razina intelekta i viša razina suočavanja usmjerenog na emocije predviđaju veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Također, dobiven je značajan prediktivni doprinos kontrolirane varijable spola, pri čemu ženski spol predviđa veću učestalost psihosomatskih simptoma. Dobiveni rezultati mogu pomoći u izradi edukativnih programa o suodnosu tjelesnog i mentalnog zdravlja te u savjetodavnom radu s osobama s izraženim psihosomatskim simptomima.

The study explores the concept of meaning in life among adult alcoholics and individuals from the general population, as well as its relationship with personality traits based on the Big Five model. Clinical and non-clinical samples have been compared to the construct of meaning in life. After examining the relationship between meaning in life and personality traits, we analyzed the contribution of personality traits in explaining the meaning in life for both groups. The clinical sample consisted of 76 treated alcoholics from the alcoholism ward of a psychiatric hospital in Zagreb, while the non-clinical sample consisted of 77 participants. The following questionnaires were applied: Purpose in Life Test, IPIP -100, and a questionnaire on general data created exclusively for the purpose of this research. The results have shown significant differences in experience regarding meaning in life between the clinical and non-clinical sample, as individuals from the general population consider their life to be more meaningful. Furthermore, meaning in life had a significant positive relationship to extraversion, agreeableness, openness and conscientiousness and significant negative to neuroticism, in both groups. Extraversion and conscientiousness in the explanation of meaning in life were significant predictors in the general population, while extraversion and neuroticism were significant predictors among adult alcoholics, with neuroticism as a negative predictor. The results of this study, apart from new scientific findings, could contribute to the development of practical interventions and improvements in the treatment of persons with alcohol addiction.