Cognitive Remediation for Impulsivity in Addictive Disorders: Review of Current Evidence and Future Directions
AbstractPurpose of ReviewImpulsivity is a core feature underpinning addictive disorders linked to difficulties achieving and sustaining treatment goals. Cognitive remediation is a promising adjunct intervention approach to improve impulse control in addictive disorders, although evidence is still preliminary. This review summarizes available evidence and discusses opportunities to enhance the development and delivery of future interventions.Recent FindingsWe identified six studies that delivered cognitive remediation and assessed state impulsivity in substance use disorders. There was substantial heterogeneity in the inter...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - August 18, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evaluating the Efficacy of Stand-Alone Digital Interventions to Prevent Substance Use Among Adolescents
AbstractPurpose of ReviewStand-alone digital interventions —digital interventions delivered without provider or teacher involvement—hold promise for improving access to substance use prevention services for adolescents. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the efficacy of stand-alone digital interventions to prevent substance use among adolescents.Recent FindingsA systematic literature search yielded 35 randomized controlled trial studies. Meta-analysis revealed significant reductions in alcohol (d = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.5,n = 27), cannabis (d = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.4,n = 19), a...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - August 9, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Episodic Future Thinking as a Promising Intervention for Substance Use Disorders: a Reinforcer Pathology Perspective
Abstract Purpose of ReviewReinforcer Pathology theory (RP) identifies that a short temporal window leads to an excessive preference for substance reinforcers because of their temporal dynamics. Episodic future thinking (EFT), or envisioning potential future events, is the most frequently used method to expand the temporal window. This review aims to explore the effect of EFT on the intersection of the temporal window and substance valuation in individuals with substance use disorders (SUD).Recent FindingsMethodological refinements of EFT cue content, such as vividness, positive valence, episodicity, and content spe...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 28, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Latinx Sexual Minority Adolescent Substance Use: State of the Science and Call for Intersectional Minority Stressors and Protective Factors
AbstractPurpose of ReviewLatinx sexual minority adolescents (LSMA) are at an intersection of ethnic and sexual minority (SM) status and may experience heighten risk of substance use and related problems. These youth may also hold unique protective factors that help mitigate the effects of minority stress and curb substance use. Little is known, however, about the intersectional minority stressors (i.e., due to ethnicity and SM status) and protective factors related to substance use among this population.Recent FindingsAccording to the minority stress model, there are unique minority stressors and resiliency factors that ca...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 26, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Losing Control in Controlled Settings: Preclinical Human Research on Impulsivity Within the Context of Addiction
AbstractPurpose of ReviewImpulsivity has long been recognized as a risk factor for addiction. The mechanisms through which impulsivity increases risk remain unclear, hindering development of effective impulsivity-targeted addiction treatments. Preclinical human research is ideally placed to isolate these mechanisms because of the experimental control afforded by the laboratory. This review summarizes recent preclinical human studies on impulsivity and addiction that are focused on alcohol use or food consumption/overeating.Recent FindingsThe emergence of laboratory paradigms specifically modeling impulsive consumption is a...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 19, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Substance Abuse Amongst Refugee Youth: A Scoping Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewIdentify and map health, economic, and social consequences of substance abuse, especially because the impacts of substance abuse can adversely and disproportionally affect refugee youth. This scoping review was conducted to exhibit gaps in the literature on the prevalence, risk factors, consequences, and interventions of substance abuse among refugee youth to provide a better understanding of the social determinants of this public health crisis.FindingsA systematic search for studies on EBSCOhost databases, MEDLINE, and Scopus retrieved 300 citations. Following a systematic screening, 10 studies me...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 15, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Problematic Porn Use and Cross-Cultural Differences: A Brief Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe proliferation of the internet and technological devices have enabled the upsurge of pornography use, especially during this coronavirus 2019 pandemic period worldwide. As there is a dearth of knowledge regarding pornography use across cultures, this brief review aimed to understand the problematic pornography use (PPU) situation across cultures (i.e., the five continents). Therefore, this review paper intends to provide an enhanced understanding of the PPU situation across cultures so as to get a holistic view of PPU throughout the world.Recent FindingsEuropean, American, and Oceanian countries...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 6, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Intervention on Emotion-Related Impulsivity in Addictive Disorders
AbstractPurpose of ReviewEmotion-related impulsivity is a well-established risk factor for a multitude of addictive disorders. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) target a number of interrelated processes involved in both impulsivity and addiction, suggesting that they may be especially well-suited to address this confluence. The aim of this paper was to review the effects of MBIs on emotion-driven impulsivity in addiction.Recent FindingsMindfulness training has been shown to counter a number of neurocognitive mechanisms linked with addiction and emotion-driven impulsivity, including cognitive control, attention regulat...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 5, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Biofeedback Interventions for Impulsivity-related Processes in Addictive Disorders
AbstractPurpose of ReviewBiofeedback is a promising technique that has been used as a treatment tool for different psychological disorders. In this regard, central (neurofeedback) and peripheral psychophysiological signals are presented as comprehensible stimuli with the aim of training specific processes. This review summarizes recent evidence about its use for the treatment of impulsivity-related processes in addictive disorders.Recent FindingsNeurofeedback (NFB) protocols, based on electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), have focused on substance use disorders. Biofeedback protocol...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - July 4, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Transcultural Aspects of Cannabis Use: a Descriptive Overview of Cannabis Use across Cultures
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis narrative review summarises cultural aspects of cannabis use across different (sub)cultures, nations, and gender, racial, and ethnic groups. Specifically, we aimed to overview historical and traditional contexts of cannabis use and physical and mental health-related correlates, as well as emerging cannabis-related policies and their impacts on medicinal and recreational use of cannabis. In addition, we discuss how cultural factors may affect cannabis use behaviours and sociocultural underpinnings of cannabis use disorder trajectories.Recent FindingsCannabis is the most widely cultivated, traff...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - June 30, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Intersectionality and Structural Drivers of Fatal Overdose Disparities in the United States: a Narrative Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewDisaggregated data has increasingly confirmed the persistence of racial and ethnic disparities in fatal drug-related overdose in the United States. Less is known about additional disparities or how they interact to exacerbate mortality. Utilizing an intersectional framework, we reviewed literature on fatal overdose disparities and potential structural drivers.Recent FindingsMost published studies document overdose disparities by race and ethnicity; research examining other identity-based and sociodemographic disparities (e.g., gender, sexuality, lifecourse stage, disability) is emerging but more li...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - June 28, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Mental and Physical Health Conditions Among U.S. Veterans with Cannabis Use and Cannabis Use Disorders
AbstractPurpose of ReviewVeterans are a large population that is disproportionately affected by various physical and mental health conditions. The primary aim of this review is to provide a concise overview of recent literature on the prevalence of cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) among US veterans, and associations with mental and physical health conditions. We also addressed gaps in the literature by investigating associations between CUD and mental and physical health conditions in 2019 data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA;N = 5,657,277).Recent FindingsIn total, 25 studies were reviewed. In ...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - June 2, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Considerations and recommendations for mHealth interventions for substance use among Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) individuals: A narrative review of the past 5 years
AbstractPurposeof ReviewThe prevalence of problematic substance use is disproportionately higher among sexual and gender minority (SGM) adults compared to adults in the general population. mHealth as a treatment modality could reduce barriers to accessing substance use treatments among SGM populations. Through a qualitative literature search, the current narrative review aimed to understand the lived experiences of SGM individuals who use substances and to synthesize recommendations made in the literature to inform future mHealth interventions.Recent FindingsPositive and negative reinforcement motives were prominent reason...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - May 26, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Problematic Social Media Use and Impulsivity
We present this literature organized by methodology, in which researchers used surveys or behavioral tasks to measure either general impulsivity or specific facets of impulsivity.Recent FindingsWe found 17 publications overall which investigated the relationship between PSMU and some aspect of impulsivity across 21 studies. These studies generally demonstrate positive associations between PSMU and impulsivity, in that individuals with greater PSMU also demonstrate greater general impulsivity, or a facet of impulsivity (e.g., attentional impulsivity, impulsive choice, etc.). However, some aspects of impulsivity display mixe...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - May 25, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
Chemsex: review of the current literature and treatment guidelines
AbstractPurposeof the reviewChemsex mainly concerned men who have sex with men, but seems to spread in general population. Clinical characteristics and expected effects are diverse. This paper aims at reviewing existing literature on chemsex and providing treatment guidelines.Recent findingsThe use of substances for improving or extending sexual intercourses is commonly referred to as chemsex. Substances used are mainly methamphetamine, GHB/GBL, cocaine and cathinones. Prevalence is estimed between 3 and 42% of MSM. Risk factors are mainly living in a metropolis, using dating apps and practicing"hard-sex". Chemse...
Source: Current Addiction Reports - May 24, 2023 Category: Addiction Source Type: research
