Predictors of delay discounting among smokers: Education level and a Utility Measure of Cigarette Reinforcement Efficacy are better predictors than demographics, smoking characteristics, executive functioning, impulsivity, or time perception

Abstract

Ninety-four smokers completed the delay discounting procedure for either hypothetical amounts of money, $10 (money) and $1000 (money) or hypothetical amounts of cigarettes ($10 and $1000 worth of cigarettes). We investigated how variables previously found to be related to rates of delay discounting accounted for the observed results. These variables included the following: demographic information, smoking characteristics, executive function abilities, impulsivity, time perception, and the Utility Measure of Cigarette Reinforcing Efficacy (UMCE). Education level and UMCE were each significantly correlated with 3 out of 4 of the discounting measures. Moreover, the largest effect sizes observed were between these two measures and the four discounting measures. All potential discounting predictors were also investigated using step-wise linear regression with Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) analysis — these BIC models revealed that education level and UMCE accounted for large portions of the variance. We conclude that education level and UMCE were the most consistent predictors of discounting. This data is discussed within the framework of a widely accepted neuroeconomic model that suggests that two brain systems separately assess two separate facets of decision-making, and the interplay between these two systems determines self-control in smokers. We hypothesize that education level and UMCE may serve as surrogate measures of the functionality of these two systems and that discounting may be a sentinel measure of self-control.

A fractionated analysis of hot and cool self-regulation in cigarette smokers from different socioeconomic backgrounds

“…Indeed, the hot ability that is possibly associated with smoking may reflect another type of hot/impulsivity skill. Our data suggest that smoking is in fact related to aversion to waiting for incentives (Delay Discounting), as found here and in many other studies ([56,6,59,60,145,61] although, for the opposite result, see [8]), and greater self-assessed Impulsiveness, observed in the BIS-11 (total score [146], BIS-11 motor-impulsivity [6,8] and BIS-11 non-planning [6]). These hot effects were observed despite the absence of differences in mood (VAMS) between smokers and non-smokers.…”

“…Most studies that investigated self-regulation in smokers, however, disregard the differential effects of acute nicotine exposure, nicotine abstinence and the chronic effects of smoking [43]. In these publications, smokers display difficulty in inhibiting behaviour [54,55], are more impulsive [6,9] and more averse to waiting for monetary rewards [56–61]. Higher risk taking in smokers is also found in some studies [7,62], but not most [8,63–66].…”

Delay discounting and e-cigarette use: An investigation in current, former, and never cigarette smokers

“…Whether such a finding would also be apparent in former smokers who achieve cessation by transition to ECs remains to be determined and was one focus of the present study. Moreover, these studies used relatively small sample sizes per group ( n = 28–40), did not examine potential group differences in many demographic characteristics known to correlate with delay discounting (e.g., income, education; Green et al, 1996; Wilson et al, 2015), and did not control for observed differences in gender. Each of these considerations, either alone or in combination with others, may have had an impact on results.…”

Funciones Ejecutivas y Ajuste Clínico en Adolescentes Colombianos Policonsumidores

“…En este sentido, las funciones ejecutivas (FE) son relevantes para la adaptación social, vigilancia y regulación de la conducta y, en consecuencia, la alteración en estas funciones podría favorecer la manifestación de conductas desadaptativas como la adicción (Inozemtseva, 2013). Investigaciones recientes indican que existe una importante vinculación de las FE con la conducta adictiva (Heitzeg, Cope, Martz & Haredee, 2015;Wilson, et al, 2015). De acuerdo con Llanero-Luque, Ruiz-Sánchez de León & Pedrero-Pérez (2014), en las dos últimas décadas se ha acumulado un gran número de estudios que pretende dar cuenta de los cambios que se producen en el cerebro adicto.…”