Abstract
Objective: The ability to encode and successfully enact future intentions, known as prospective memory (ProM), has important implications for compliance with medical care, including the treatment of substance dependent individuals (SDI). However, very little is known about the nature and extent of objective ProM impairment amongst SDI.
Participants and Methods: A well-validated, clinically-focused measure of ProM, the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST), was administered to 29 polysubstance dependent individuals currently in treatment, as well as a comparison group of 23 healthy adults (HA). SDI reported a lifetime pattern of regular polysubstance use, primarily alcohol, marijuana, amphetamine/methamphetamine, and opiates. Breathalyzer and saliva screening were used to exclude data from acutely/recently intoxicated individuals. Groups were equivalent for age and gender, but the HA had higher levels of education and estimated premorbid IQ and lower levels of self-reported depression and
anxiety.
Results: SDI performed significantly poorer than the HA for MIST Summary score (partial eta squared = .124), even after controlling for education, premorbid IQ, and mood state.
Conclusions: Findings indicate that SDI experience difficulty in executing future intentions, particularly when the retrieval cue is based on time. Further research is required to evaluate ProM performance amongst SDI with more specific use patterns (e.g., primarily alcohol vs primarily methamphetamine), and recovery of function following abstinence.
Participants and Methods: A well-validated, clinically-focused measure of ProM, the Memory for Intentions Screening Test (MIST), was administered to 29 polysubstance dependent individuals currently in treatment, as well as a comparison group of 23 healthy adults (HA). SDI reported a lifetime pattern of regular polysubstance use, primarily alcohol, marijuana, amphetamine/methamphetamine, and opiates. Breathalyzer and saliva screening were used to exclude data from acutely/recently intoxicated individuals. Groups were equivalent for age and gender, but the HA had higher levels of education and estimated premorbid IQ and lower levels of self-reported depression and
anxiety.
Results: SDI performed significantly poorer than the HA for MIST Summary score (partial eta squared = .124), even after controlling for education, premorbid IQ, and mood state.
Conclusions: Findings indicate that SDI experience difficulty in executing future intentions, particularly when the retrieval cue is based on time. Further research is required to evaluate ProM performance amongst SDI with more specific use patterns (e.g., primarily alcohol vs primarily methamphetamine), and recovery of function following abstinence.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 35-35 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |
| Event | Thirty-Eighth Annual Meeting International Neuropsychological Society - Acapulco, Acapulco, Mexico Duration: 3 Feb 2010 → 6 Feb 2010 |
Conference
| Conference | Thirty-Eighth Annual Meeting International Neuropsychological Society |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Mexico |
| City | Acapulco |
| Period | 3/02/10 → 6/02/10 |
