Revista Internacional de Investigación en Adicciones

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.

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.

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.

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.