Social Support and Cognitive Impairment in Clients Receiving Treatment for Alcohol- and Drug-Use Disorders: A Replication Study

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective:The infl uence that social network members exert on the drinking behaviors of alcohol-dependent individuals may represent a behavioral change process that is sensitive to co-occurring cognitive impairment and operates outside treatment to promote or impede outcomes. This study was aimed at extending earlier research support for this hypothesis by assessing impairment in memory as well as executive functions in a more heterogeneous population with alcohol-and/or drug-use disorders. Method: Latent class analysis was used as a person-centered approach to characterize the nature and extent of social support for abstinence from alcohol and drug use in 122 men and women entering treatment for substance-use disorders. Substance use, executive dysfunction, and memory impairments were compared across latent classes at four points during the fi rst year after treatment entry. The interrelationship of impairment and social support on treatment outcomes was also examined. Results: Three independent social support classes-(1) Frequent Positive Support, (2) Limited Positive Support, and (3) Negative Support-were identifi ed. The Frequent Positive Support class demonstrated the most frequent substance use and greatest executive impairment at treatment entry but-by the end of treatment-showed pronounced improvements in both. In addition, less recovery of executive function by the end of treatment predicted better 12-month substance-use outcomes in the Frequent Positive Support class, whereas it predicted poorer outcomes in the Negative Support class. Conclusions:The results offer further evidence for the heightened importance of informal social network processes in the treatment outcomes of persons with severe and ongoing defi cits in executive functioning. (J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 69: [738][739][740][741][742][743][744][745][746] 2008)

Social network correlates of participation in telephone continuing care for alcohol dependence

“…Many aspects of social network structure and functioning have been associated with outcome of treatment for alcohol use disorders 4 . Prior research has shown that alcohol-specific support is especially relevant, with support for abstinence being associated with better treatment outcome, and support for drinking associated with poorer outcome 5–9 ; similar findings have been reported regarding substance-specific social support among drug-dependent individuals in treatment 10 . Having more nondrinking friends can predict better treatment outcome, whereas having more drinking friends and maintaining involvement with more of those friends after treatment is associated with poorer treatment outcome 4 .…”

Social Influences on Abstinence Self-Efficacy Among Justice-Involved Persons

“…Examining these social influences in relation to time would help us better understand how these mechanisms have an impact on intrapersonal factors associated with social dynamics including trust (Jason, Light, Stevens, & Beers, 2014) and executive function outcomes (Buckman, Bates, & Morgenstern, 2008). …”

Neurocognition as a Moderator and Mediator in Adolescent Substance Misuse Prevention

“…However, since few studies investigate the role of neurocognitive function in intervention trials, it is not yet clear whether neurocognitive abilities might enhance or attenuate intervention effects. One substance use treatment study demonstrated that participants who entered treatment for substance-use disorders with executive and memory deficits benefited less from treatment (21). In addition, there has been some limited research investigating a moderating role of pre-intervention neurocognitive function on childhood and adolescent social-emotional learning and conduct problems, which have putative relationships with later substance misuse.…”