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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Mar:42:140-3.
doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2014.11.016. Epub 2014 Nov 23.

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

Michael H Bernstein  1 , Savannah N McSheffrey  2 , Jacob J van den Berg  3 , Jamie E Vela  2 , L A R Stein  4 , Mary B Roberts  5 , Rosemarie A Martin  6 , Jennifer G Clarke  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

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

Michael H Bernstein et al. Addict Behav. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Few studies have examined the relation between impulsivity and drug involvement with prison inmates, in spite of their heavy drug use. Among this small body of work, most studies look at clinically relevant drug dependence, rather than drug use specifically.

Method: N=242 adult inmates (34.8% female, 52% White) with an average age of 35.58 (SD=9.19) completed a modified version of the 15-item Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and measures assessing lifetime alcohol, opiate, benzodiazepine, cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogen, and polysubstance use. Lifetime users also reported the frequency of use for the 30days prior to incarceration.

Results: Impulsivity was higher among lifetime users (versus never users) of all substances other than cannabis. Thirty day drug use frequency was only related to impulsivity for opiates and alcohol.

Discussion: This study extends prior work, by showing that a lifetime history of non-clinical substance use is positively associated with impulsivity among prison inmates. Implications for drug interventions are considered for this population, which is characterized by high rates of substance use and elevated impulsivity.

Keywords: Alcohol; Drugs; Impulsivity; Inmates; Prison; Substance use.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author Disclosures

No authors have any conflict of interests to report

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