Metacognition and Empathy among Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder: Moderating Role of Psychoticism

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a common and a serious mental health condition. It has serious social, psychological and physical repercussions and impacts millions of people globally (APA, 2013). Objective: This study aimed to examine the moderating role of psychoticism in the relationship between metacognition and empathy among early- and late-onset patients with AUD. Method: Cross-sectional design was employed, 80 men diagnosed with AUD were recruited from various rehabilitation centres based in Delhi- NCR, who completed AUDIT, PAMS & NAMS, EQ-28 and EPQ-RS. Results: Independent t-test revealed no statistically significant differences between groups on any measured variables. Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between negative metacognitive belief and AUD in both groups and a moderate negative correlation between empathy and AUD in the late onset group. In either group, psychoticism did not significantly moderate the relationships between the measured variables as indicated by moderation analyses. However, it revealed that AUD was a significant positive predictor of negative metacognitive beliefs in both AUD groups and a significant negative predictor of empathy deficit in late onset AUD group. Discussion: Findings suggest that the severity of AUD is predicted by negative metacognitive beliefs, and that empathy deficits in late-onset group are associated with excessive drinking. These results emphasise the clinical importance of incorporating empathy-focused and metacognitive interventions into the AUD treatment. Personalised approaches based on the age of onset show particular promise. Future longitudinal research is required to elucidate the relationships between these constructs, which could potentially improve treatment outcomes. While emphasising the necessity of more sensitive personality assessments in clinical practice.