QUALITY OF LIFE, BEHAVIOURAL ACTIVATION AND INHIBITION AND PERCEIVED SOCIAL COMPETENCE AMONG DRUG ADDICTS: A CASE STUDY OF DIAMORPHINE ADDICTS

Abstract

The purpose of this article was to shower light on the quality of life that
mostly we expect. Life quality is determined by two aspects i.e.,
physiological and psychological aspects. While if a person is addicted to the
drugs, then both aspects of his/ her life is deteriorated to the extreme. Due to
drug addiction, the negative psychological effects which arises are anxiety,
stress, depression, and familial relationships while the negative
physiological effects that arise from the drug addiction are weakness,
headache, dizziness, and pain in the body, etc.
The main objective was to evaluate the quality of life of Diamorphine
addicts, behavioral stimulation and inhibition, perceived social competence,
and the relationship among these variables; and check differences between
drug addicts on these variables based on their belongingness to joint and
nuclear family systems. To achieve the objectives, 10 Diamorphine addicts
were taken from Azm Drug Rehabilitation center, Sargodha, through
purposive sampling. A total number of 10 participants responded to the 26-
items quality of life survey (WHO-QOL-BREF), 24-items BAS/BIS (BIS/BAS
scale) questionnaire, and 5-items perceived social competence questionnaire
(Perceived Social Competence Scale II). Results were analyzed via SPSS version 20. The results showed that all three variables in the study were not associated with each other. Quality of life and social competence correlated
-.25 (p = n.s); quality of life and BAS/BIS had .30 (p = n.s); while social
competence and BAS/BIS had -.16 (p = n.s). It may be due to the cultural
settings of Pakistan. In drug addicts, BAS has high activity, and BIS has low
activity. And there is no significant difference in these variables among
addicts of the nuclear and joint family system.