Behavioural Stimulation and Sensation-Seeking among prisoners: Applications to substance dependency

Abstract

Background: Sensation-seeking among prisoners with substance dependence difficulties

The association between impulsivity and alcohol/drug use among prison inmates

“…With the exception of alcohol and opiates, however, it was unrelated to the frequency of substance use. This study expands upon previous work showing the relation between substance use and drug dependence in an incarcerated population (Hopley & Brunelle, 2012; Ireland & Higgins, 2013; Mooney et al, 2008) by looking at the relation between impulsivity and non-clinical use of a variety of substances. Although Devieux and colleagues (2002) examined this association among incarcerated adolescent, results were restricted to alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine.…”

“…Since our study, as well as other work (Hopley & Burnelle, 2012; Ireland & Higgins, 2013; Mooney et al, 2008), suggests impulsivity and drug involvement are positively related in this population, future research could consider tailoring prison interventions to reduce both impulsivity and substance use. Doing so might improve post-release outcomes, since most fatalities among inmates soon after re-entry are drug related (Merrall et al, 2010), and inmates who report substance use after release face greater unemployment (Visher, Debus, & Yahner, 2008).…”

“…In two studies, impulsivity was related to a global assessment of drug use severity among male (Ireland & Higgins, 2013) and female (Mooney et al, 2008) adult inmates. Although these studies are informative, both used the Drug Abuse Screening Test, which only assesses general drug dependence, rather than asking about specific substances (i.e.…”

“…The few studies that have examined the impulsivity – substance use/abuse relation among this population often use general assessments of drug dependence (or probable dependence) among male- or female- only inmates (e.g. Hopley & Brunelle, 2012; Ireland & Higgins, 2013; Mooney et al, 2008). Only one of these studies (Devieux et al, 2002) has looked at substance use frequency (as opposed to dependence symptoms), but did so with a narrow range of substances (alcohol, marijuana and cocaine) among adolescents only.…”

Búsqueda de sensaciones y conducta antisocial

“…En una reciente investigación empleando una muestra de 200 internos en una prisión (edad media de 36 años) se encontró que la búsqueda de sensaciones y la impulsividad eran los dos rasgos que se asociaban a la dependencia de drogas, siendo la impulsividad la que más se vinculaba con el alcoholismo (Ireland y Higgins, 2013).…”