Sensation Seeking and Visual Selective Attention in Adults with HIV/AIDS

Abstract

The association between sensation seeking and visual selective attention was examined in 31 adults with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Sensation seeking was measured with Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (SSS-V). Selective attention was assessed with a perceptual span task, where a target letter-character must be identified in a quickly presented array of nontarget lettercharacters. As predicted, sensation seeking was strongly associated (R 2 = .229) with perceptual span performance in the array size 12 condition, where selective attention demands were greatest, but not in the easier conditions. The Disinhibition, Boredom Susceptibility, and Experience Seeking subscales of the SSS-V were associated with span performance. It is argued that personality factors such as sensation seeking may play a significant role in selective attention and related cognitive abilities in HIV positive adults. Furthermore, sensation seeking differences might explain certain inconsistencies in the HIV neuropsychology literature.

Impulsivity, Sensation Seeking, and Risk-Taking Behaviors among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Heroin Dependent Persons

“…According to our findings, HIV-positive opiate dependent persons reported higher levels of disinhibition in comparison with HIV-negative opiate dependent persons, regardless of addiction status, which implies that they may engage more in disinhibited behaviors that could enhance the risk of HIV transmission. Also, our results indicated that HIV patients may perform more risky behaviors due to their higher score in experience seeking which is in line with the findings of Hardy et al [ 5 ]. As a matter of fact, HIV infection has reached concentrated epidemics among Iranian people who inject drugs; accordingly, the practice of impulsive behaviors and more experience seeking among this group (i.e., unprotected sexual intercourse) may further result in the spread of infection [ 13 , 14 ].…”

“…On the other hand, psychological disorders and stigma in most of the People Living with HIV (PLWH) may lead to an increased rate of practicing impulsive and risky behaviors, that is, using nonsterile injection equipment and unprotected sexual activities [ 4 ]. Thus, the role of impulsive behavior is further highlighted with regard to the transmission of HIV infection from key populations at higher risk to the general population, especially in countries with concentrated epidemic [ 5 ].…”

Which Behavioral and Personality Characteristics Are Associated With Difficulties in Selective Attention?

“…Early findings showed that low sensation seekers were worse than high sensation seekers at focused attention and on tasks requiring selective attention (Martin, 1985), and these effects were stronger in the more novel difficult conditions (Ball & Zuckerman, 1992). In addition, it was found that low sensation seekers performed quite poorly, whereas high-sensation seekers performed considerably better on the perceptual span task (where a target letter character must be identified in a quickly presented array of nontarget letter characters) in the more dense condition, where selective attention demands were greatest (Hardy, Castellon, Hinkin, Levine, & Lam, 2008).…”

Prepulse Inhibition in HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders

“…Prior studies of inhibition in HIV have focused largely on self-report measures and traditional neuropsychological tasks (e.g., Stroop paradigms). Even in the era of antiretroviral treatment (ART), persons with HIV report elevated rates of cognitive and behavioral disinhibition which are associated with impairment in basic cognitive processes such as attention (Hardy, Castellon, Hinkin, Levine, & Lam, 2008), difficulty with activities of daily living (Kamat, Woods, Marcotte, Ellis, & Grant, in press), and engagement in high risk behaviors such as unprotected sex (Semple, Zians, Grant, & Patterson, 2006). HIV-infected individuals also exhibit inhibitory deficits on standard neuropsychological tests (Hinkin, Castellon, Hardy, Granholm, & Siegle, 1999).…”