Interactions Between Depressive Symptoms, Childhood Trauma, and Drug Craving in Chinese Men with Methamphetamine Use Disorder: A Network Analysis

Drug craving in methamphetamine use disorder (MAUD) patients is influenced by various adverse psychological problems. This study adopted network analysis to investigate the interrelationships between psychological correlates and drug craving and identify the critical pathways between them. A total of 757 men with MAUD were recruited from a drug rehabilitation center in southwest China. They completed self-report scales to measure emotion regulation, depressive symptoms, childhood trauma, and drug craving. We conducted a network analysis to assess the interaction between psychological variables and drug craving. Network structural features included network centrality, stability, and bridge strength. Results revealed positive correlations between various psychological correlates and drug craving. Limited access to emotion regulation strategies, lack of emotional awareness, and non-acceptance of emotional responses emerged as the nodes with the highest strength centrality. A bridge function analysis identified that depressive symptoms, emotional abuse, and negative reinforcement were the main bridges connecting psychological problems and drug craving. These findings support the interaction between affective factors, childhood traumatic experiences, and drug craving. Central symptoms (e.g. limited access to emotion regulation strategies) and key bridge symptoms (e.g. depressive symptoms) may serve as potential targets for intervention for MAUD patients undergoing withdrawal treatment.