1 OVERVIEWThis major research project focuses on the possible influence that chronic substance use may have on prospective memory (PM) ability.Part one consists of a literature review examining the associations between recreational substance use and impairments in PM. This identifies 24 studies from 23 publications examining PM ability in recreational substance users. Although PM impairments are reported by most, the review highlights a number of methodological weaknesses in the existing body of research. These include an over-reliance on self report PM measures, the use of inadequate objective assessments, and limitations in internal and external validity. Suggestions are made for how methodological limitations may be overcome in future work.Part two is an empirical paper which describes a study that aimed to overcome the limitations highlighted in part one. This compared the performance of an alcohol dependent group to that of an age and premorbid ability matched control group, on an objective PM measure called the Virtual Week. It was found that the event based PM performance of alcohol dependents was strongly associated with indices of both alcohol usage and severity of alcohol dependence, and significantly impaired compared to that of controls. Furthermore, an imagining technique improved controls' time based PM, but did not improve alcohol dependents' PM.These findings are discussed in terms of the relevance of strategy application to successful PM functioning, and the implications this may hold for clinical practice.Part three consists of a critical appraisal of the research process, which explains why various methodological choices were made and how particular challenges were overcome as they arose. Certain conceptual issues are also reflected upon and their relevance to future research discussed.2

This study investigates changes in neuropsychological functioning during early abstinence from alcohol. 30 alcohol-dependent inpatients were tested at intake (day 4 of admission) and post detoxification (day 26), using a test-retest design. The neuropsychological battery included measures of pre-morbid IQ, full-scale IQ, verbal and non-verbal measures of memory and executive function. IQ was within the normal range at intake and comparable with age-adjusted normative values and there were some impairments in memory and executive function. There were significant increases in performance scores post detoxification in working memory, verbal fluency and verbal inhibition but not in non-verbal executive function tasks (mental flexibility and planning ability). Despite increased scores on tests of verbal and memory skills after 3 weeks of abstinence, complex executive abilities showed little change. These may have a negative impact on engagement and response to treatment and compromise clinical outcomes, heightening the risk of relapse.

Burnout as measured was not a serious problem among community and ward staff members, and did not differentiate between the two groups. Acute ward working implied lack of control but much contact with colleagues, whereas community work entailed more control but demanding work in terms of difficult task and hard-to-find-solutions.

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