Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones

Perceived Barriers and Coping Strategies to Smoking Cessation in Patients with Osteoarticular Pathology in Spain

2026-02-17T09:41:59-06:00

Introduction: the rising prevalence of chronic diseases and life expectancy highlights smoking as a critical factor. Tobacco exacerbates pain and impairs recovery in patients with osteoarticular diseases, making cessation a clinical priority.

Objective: to evaluate perceived difficulty, motivations, barriers, healthcare satisfaction risk awareness, and the effectiveness of coping strategies among individuals with osteoarticular disease and healthcare professionals.

Method: the study comprised two phases: a qualitative exploration using the nominal group technique with expert smoking patients, and a cross-sectional study via online surveys targeting current or former smokers (< 5 years) with osteoarticular disease and healthcare professionals.

Results: with over 100 participants per group, both cohorts reported high difficulty in quitting. Discrepancies were observed: professionals reported higher satisfaction with system support and perceived lower patient awareness of tobacco harms than patients themselves. Both groups reported low satisfaction with follow-up care. The primary motivation was personal health, while major barriers were nicotine dependence, perceived well-being/pleasure from smoking, easy access to tobacco, and social pressure. Proactivity, self-criticism, and cognitive restructuring were rated as the most effective coping strategies.

Discussion and conclusions: findings highlight the need for individualized, comprehensive cessation interventions integrating pharmacological and behavioral strategies with continuous follow-up. Incorporating smokers’ lived experience is essential for designing effective, patient-centered cessation programs.

Cognitive–Emotional Functioning in Substance Use Disorder: Differences by MoCA-Based Mild Cognitive Impairment

2026-02-05T14:41:55-06:00

Introduction: addiction is a chronic yet treatable condition characterized by alterations in brain circuits, cognitive deficits, and emotional dysregulation, which increase relapse risk and complicate treatment outcomes. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may represent an additional vulnerability affecting the coordination of inhibitory control and emotional processes; however, its role in chronic drug users remains understudied.

Objective: to compare inhibitory control, emotional interference, and emotional regulation between chronic drug users with and without MCI, and to examine associations among cognitive, emotional, and behavioral measures.

Method: a cross-sectional comparative study was conducted with 80 male drug users recruited from residential treatment centers. Participants met DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorder, reported polysubstance use, and maintained at least six weeks of abstinence. Cognitive status was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Inhibitory control was measured with a Go/No-Go task, and emotional regulation with the Emotional Stroop Test and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Analyses included nonparametric comparisons, partial correlations controlling for age, and False Discovery Rate correction.

Results: participants had a mean age of 34.1 years (SD = 10), and 48.8% met criteria for MCI. No sociodemographic differences were observed between groups. The MCI group showed greater variability in inhibitory control and weaker, less consistent associations between cognitive performance and emotional interference measures. In contrast, the non-MCI group exhibited more stable and distributed cognitive–emotional associations. No significant differences were found in self-reported emotional regulation.

Discussion and conclusions: findings suggest that MCI is associated less with global deficits and more with reduced stability and integration of cognitive–emotional functioning. Considering cognitive status may improve interventions targeting coordinated cognitive control and emotional regulation in addiction treatment.

Motives for Use and Cessation, and Abstinence Strategies in Dual Cannabis and Tobacco Users: A Qualitative Study of Residential Treatment Patients

2025-11-20T11:17:45-06:00

Introduction: dual cannabis and tobacco use—defined as the simultaneous or alternating consumption of both substances—constitutes a significant public health concern due to its association with increased dependence and significant challenges to cessation. Despite its high prevalence, few treatment approaches are specifically tailored to address this pattern of use.

Objective: to identify and understand the reasons associated with dual tobacco and cannabis use from the participants’ perspective, past quit attempts, and the strategies perceived as most useful for maintaining abstinence.

Method: a qualitative study was conducted through a focus group with five male participants undergoing residential treatment for problematic cannabis use. The discussion explored motives for substance use, quit attempts, and effective strategies for abstinence maintenance.

Results: the primary motives for dual use included enhancement of cannabis effects, emotional regulation, and alleviating boredom. Quit attempts frequently resulted in relapse, often linked to the phenomenon of substance substitution. Effective strategies for maintaining abstinence included regular physical activity, engagement in alternative sources of reinforcement, structured planning of daily activities, and modification of the social and environmental cues associated with use.

Discussion and conclusions: these findings provide insight into the functional role of dual use. They highlight the need to develop specific interventions incorporating psychoeducation, time management, and the strengthening of social support networks, adapted to the characteristics and needs of individuals with concurrent cannabis and tobacco use.

Impulsivity and Quality of Life in a Population with Problematic Alcohol Consumption

2025-11-27T11:10:41-06:00

Introduction: problematic alcohol consumption represents a major public health challenge due to its detrimental effects on individuals’ physical, psychological, and social functioning. Within this context, impulsivity—conceptualized as a multidimensional psychological trait—has been associated with deficits in behavioral and emotional self-regulation, as well as with lower perceived overall well-being.

Objective: to analyze the relationship between impulsivity dimensions and quality of life domains in individuals with problematic alcohol consumption attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) groups in Ecuador.

Method: a non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational study with a quantitative approach was conducted. The sample consisted of 124 adults selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were administered. Descriptive and correlational analyses were performed using Spearman’s rho coefficient.

Results: statistically significant negative associations were identified between attentional, motor, and non-planning impulsivity and the physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains of quality of life. No statistically significant differences in impulsivity dimensions were observed according to sex.

Discussion and conclusions: the findings demonstrate a consistent relationship between higher levels of impulsivity and lower perceived quality of life among individuals with problematic alcohol consumption who participate in community-based recovery processes. These results highlight the importance of considering impulsivity as a relevant psychological trait in the clinical and psychosocial assessment and intervention of addictive behaviors.

Influence of Alcohol Consumption on Generalized Anxiety and Burnout in Healthcare Workers

2026-02-16T12:33:39-06:00

Introduction: healthcare workers face challenges that generate negative symptoms such as generalized anxiety and burnout; consequently, they consume alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Objective: to determine how the influence of alcohol consumption generates generalized anxiety and burnout in healthcare workers.

Method: a descriptive, correlational, and predictive study was conducted with 420 healthcare workers participants using systematic sampling, selecting 1 out of every 3, through a Personal Data Form, the GAD-7 scale, the MBI, and AUDIT, adhering to the provisions of the General Health Law and the Declaration of Helsinki.

Results: relationship between generalized anxiety and burnout (p < .001) and alcohol consumption (p < .001). Association between burnout and alcohol consumption (p = .001). Drinks consumed in one day (β = .948, p = .001) and generalized anxiety (β = .020, p = .014) influenced alcohol consumption.

Discussion and conclusions: the study highlights the need to implement interventions aimed at improving the mental health and working conditions of healthcare workers, as well as promoting healthy lifestyles and effective coping strategies that reduce dependence on alcohol as a way to escape from negative mental health situations.

Adaptation and Validation of the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief (CCQ-B) in the Mexican Population of Methamphetamine Users in Residential Centers

2026-01-14T11:36:20-06:00

Introduction: methamphetamine use constitutes a global public health problem. Methamphetamine craving is defined as a subjective desire or urge for the reinforcing effects of the drug and becoming a key component of addiction, as well as it is one of the best predictors of relapse. The evaluation is intricate, particularly in clinical contexts such as residential centers for addiction treatment.

Objective: to adapt and validate the Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief for the Mexican population of methamphetamine users in residential centers.

Method: a sample of 204 participants from six residential centers, whose impact drug was methamphetamine. Participants signed an informed consent in which they agreed to participate in the study. 82.92% (n = 170) of the participants were men; 11.22% women (n = 23); and 5.86% (n = 12) preferred not to indicate their sex. Participants were between 14 and 56 years old with an average age of 30.67 (SD = 9.95).

Results: the results showed good internal consistency and reliability with the Cronbach's Alpha test (α = .897) and McDonald's Omega (ω = .863), as well as good content validity (Aiken's V = .95). A unifactorial structure of the instrument was determined with a Confirmatory Factor Analysis that showed an adequate fit after allowing correlations between errors (RMSEA = .046, CFI = .988, TLI = .983).

Discussion and conclusions: the instrument meets acceptable reliability and validity criteria and can therefore help clinicians to assess craving status in clinical contexts such as residential centers.

Self-Efficacy and Craving in Men with Substance Use Disorder in Residential Treatment

2026-01-30T12:43:41-06:00

Introduction: craving and self-efficacy are fundamental factors in addressing the global problem of substance use disorders, particularly in terms of their role in the risk of relapse.

Objective: this study analyzed the relationship between self-efficacy and craving in patients with substance use disorders undergoing residential treatment.

Method: a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design with a correlational scope was used. A total of 176 adult men (χ̄ = 35 years) undergoing treatment at specialized centers participated. The Brief Situational Confidence Questionnaire (BSCQ), the Mannheim Craving Scale (MaCS), and a sociodemographic/clinical form were administered.

Results: 71% of participants reported high self-efficacy, with higher scores in situations involving pleasant emotions (82.4%) and physical discomfort (80.1%), and lower scores in situations involving challenges to self-control (68.2%) and unpleasant emotions (72.7%). Craving symptoms had a mean score of 12.93 (SD = 8.06), being higher in poly-users. A significant, low-intensity negative correlation between self-efficacy and craving was confirmed (ρ = -.282, p < .01).

Discussion and conclusions: alcohol and poly-substance use predominated in the population with prolonged consumption trajectories and repeated treatments, reflecting the chronic nature of these disorders. The protective role of self-efficacy against craving, influenced by the residential context, was highlighted. Differences were identified according to substance, with cannabis users showing greater self-efficacy and less craving, suggesting different clinical profiles and the need for specific interventions.

The Endocannabinoid System Function in Memory, Reinforcement, Self-Control, and Substance Use: A Narrative Review

2025-07-30T10:06:44-05:00

Introduction: the functions of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) extend from the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system to the cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems; therefore, it is involved in many physiological processes including those related to cognition.

Objective: this review aims to explain the role of the ECS in brain regions that control memory, learning, reinforcement and self-control, to understand the impact that its dysfunction could have on these processes and in the abuse of substances.

Method: searches focused on ECS and its involvement in memory, reinforcement, self-control, and substance use were conducted in PubMed, covering a period from 1990 to 2024.

Results: the ECS regulates hippocampal function, influencing declarative, spatial, and contextual memory. By modulating the basal ganglia, it regulates non-declarative memory, and through its action on the amygdala and memory related to adverse events. In the prefrontal cortex, it is involved in processes such as working memory, self-control, and decision-making. Its presence in the ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex contributes to the modulation of motivation and reward, thus participating in substance-induced gratification.

Discussion and conclusions: dysfunction of the ECS may manifest through symptoms that, within clinical practice, often remain undetected due to the limited consideration of its functions in psychiatric assessment. This observation highlights the importance of expanding the conceptual framework regarding the role of the ECS in the regulation of cognitive and emotional processes. Such an expansion is essential for advancing diagnostic accuracy and for fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders.

The Impact of the Prohibitionist Model in the Case of 3-Methylmethcathinone: Critical Narrative Review

2026-03-19T11:27:16-06:00

Introduction: since the mid-twentieth century, the international drug control regime has been based on three United Nations conventions (1961, 1971, and 1988), aiming to reduce the supply and use of psychoactive substances through prohibition. However, this framework has shown clear limitations in addressing the emergence of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), which are designed to evade regulations.

Objective: analyze how the prohibitionist nature of the international drug control system is reflected in the case of 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC).

Method: a critical narrative review using 3-MMC as a case study. A non-systematic literature search was conducted in specialized databases on health and drug policy, prioritizing recent literature on the prohibitionist model, the dynamics of psychoactive substance markets, and their impact on the regulation of New Psychoactive Substances.

Results: the findings suggest that the prohibitionist model contributes to the continuous emergence of new and less well-characterized substances, driven by processes of chemical substitution and market adaptation.

Discussion and conclusions: 3-MMC emerged as a substitute for mephedrone, expanded from Asia, and became established in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic, amid supply chain disruptions and the adaptive reconfiguration of illicit drug markets. Its prohibition in the European Union in 2022 did not eliminate the phenomenon but instead displaced production and encouraged the emergence of new analogues such as 2-MMC and 4-CMC, illustrating the so-called “balloon effect.” In this context, a shift toward public health–oriented, harm reduction, and evidence-based approaches appears necessary.

Anxiety and Depression in Contexts of Social Precarity: A Review from Behavioral Sciences

2026-02-16T10:33:01-06:00

Introduction: anxiety and depression are highly prevalent mental health conditions whose distribution is consistently associated with structural factors such as poverty, inequality, deficiencies in urban planning, and violence. However, predominant explanatory models focus on individual-level variables, with less attention to the social and environmental contexts in which behavioral repertoires linked to psychological distress are developed.

Objective: to analyze empirical evidence on the relationship between social precarity and behavioral patterns associated with anxiety and depression, and to integrate this evidence within the framework of the science of behavior.

Method: a focused narrative review of scientific literature and technical documents was conducted using a systematic search procedure (February–June 2025) across international databases. A total of 34 key studies and documents were included, comprising epidemiological research, reviews, and theoretical contributions addressing social determinants and behavioral repertoires.

Results: environments characterized by limited availability of socially relevant reinforcers, high uncertainty, prolonged exposure to aversive stimuli, and restricted opportunities for interaction are associated with behavioral patterns consistent with anxiety and depression, such as avoidance, activity restriction, hypervigilance, and reduced behavioral variability.

Discussion and conclusions: conceptualizing these conditions as context-sensitive behavioral configurations expands strategies for assessment and intervention and allows the integration of clinical procedures with actions aimed at modifying contingencies and relevant environmental and social conditions.

Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones celebrated its tenth anniversary by adopting a continuous publication model

2026-05-05T13:31:36-05:00

Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones (RIIAD) an instrument of Centros de Integración Juvenil for the dissemination of scientific knowledge, celebrated its tenth anniversary since the publication of its first issue. Throughout this period, it has established itself as a national and regional reference in the field of substance use and other mental health conditions.