Aims: Are there differences between addicted immigrants from Eastern Europe and addicted persons from Germany in emotional distress, depressive symptoms, personality factors, and the ability to cope with stress and anger? How have these factors changed by the end of a 9-month inpatient addiction treatment? Method: In an inpatient addiction treatment centre, 20 immigrants from the GUS and Poland were matched with 20 German patients. From the patient records, the groups were retrospectively compared at the beginning and at the end of treatment on emotional distress, depression, personality factors, and the ability to cope with anger and stress. Results: Compared to the Germans, the immigrants had significantly greater emotional distress, and they used more negative coping strategies. During treatment, the two groups showed similar improvement. Conclusions: Immigrants' high emotional distress and negative strategies for coping with stress should be addressed in addiction treatment.

addiction immigrants Emotional stress Coping

personality disorder treatment response Germany depression hospital patient immigration human Poland controlled study coping behavior comparative study Eastern Europe anger drug dependence psychotherapy treatment duration medical record Conference Paper emotional stress psychologic test drug dependence treatment Personality retrospective study