Regret, substance abuse, and readiness to change in a dually diagnosed sample

Abstract

The transtheoretical stages of change model posits that increased readiness to change is associated with greater awareness of the negative consequences of substance use. Experiencing regrets implies a greater awareness of these consequences. Eighty dually diagnosed patients completed a 22-item Measure of Substance-Related Regret (MSR) that assessed the intensity, type, idiographic importance of, and emotions associated with regrets related to substance use and the Brief Readiness to Change Questionnaire. The MSR yielded a global measure of regret that accounted for statistically significant amounts of variance in total readiness-to-change scores (R2 = .30). Global scores also predicted precontemplation and contemplation stage scores, whereas total fear scores associated with regrets predicted action scores. Regret seems to play a complex yet important role in the decision to change substance abuse.