The study of broad autism phenotype and alexithymia properties of the drug abuse in adolecences and their parents

ABSTRACT THE STUDY OF BROAD AUTISM PHENOTYPE AND ALEXITHYMIA PROPERTIES OF THE DRUG ABUSE IN ADOLECENCES AND THEIR PARENTS The main purpose of this study is to examine the broad autism spectrum, alexithymia characteristics and the level of difficulties in emotion regulations on the children and adolescents between the age of 12 and 18 who are diagnosed with Substance-use Disorder and on their parents. This research's sample is composed of 50 children and adolsecent between the age of 12 and 18 who admitted to Ege University Faculty of Medicine Adolescent and Drug Addiction Clinic and 50 of their parents. The control group is composed of healthy children, adolescents and their parents matched according to their age and gender. Personal Information Form, Autism Spectrum Quotient, Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale were applied to the participants and the data were analyzed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for Windows 21.0 program. In this research; it is found that in children and adolescents between the age of 12 and 18 which are diagnosed with Substance-use Disorder and in their parents the rate of difficulties in recognizing emotions, the level of Toronto alexithymia, the level of tendency to autism spectrum and the rate of difficulties in emotion regulation (awareness, openness, strategies, impulse, purposes) is much higher as against the control groups. It is also found that in children and adolescents between the age of 12 and 18 and in their parents the level of directing attention, imagination and communication skills are much better.