Comparison of the frequency and enjoyability of pleasant events in cocaine abusers vs. non-abusers using a standardized behavioral inventory
- PMID: 9926530
- DOI: 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1998.931116695.x
Comparison of the frequency and enjoyability of pleasant events in cocaine abusers vs. non-abusers using a standardized behavioral inventory
Abstract
Aims: To examine whether cocaine abusers differ from non-abusers in their frequency and enjoyability of engaging in various "pleasant events", in order to approximate the density of positive reinforcement experienced in their natural environment.
Design: Comparisons of cocaine abusers to normative data and matched controls.
Setting: An outpatient substance abuse treatment center in Burlington, Vermont, USA.
Participants: Subjects included 100 individuals enrolled in outpatient treatment for cocaine abuse or dependence and 50 community volunteers without histories of drug abuse or other major psychiatric illness and matched to cocaine-dependent patients on age, sex and SES.
Measurements: Diagnostic assessments were based upon clinical interviews using the DSM-III-R checklist. The primary focus of this study was the Pleasant Events Schedule (PES), a self-rated behavioral inventory of the frequency and enjoyability of engaging in "pleasant" activities. Cocaine use history, treatment outcome and other relevant variables were also assessed.
Findings: Cocaine abusers reliably reported lower frequency of non-social, introverted, passive outdoor and mood-related activities than controls. These differences remained after controlling for demographic and life-style differences between groups, with the exception of mood-related activities. Perceived enjoyability of the activities did not differ across groups. Intravenous cocaine use and prior treatment for cocaine abuse predicted particularly low frequency of pleasant activities. Greater frequency of non-social activities predicted better treatment outcome.
Conclusions: Drug abuse is associated with low density of certain types of non-drug reinforcement. Systematic increases in these activities may improve treatment outcome.
Similar articles
-
Psychophysiological prediction of choice: relevance to insight and drug addiction.Brain. 2012 Nov;135(Pt 11):3481-94. doi: 10.1093/brain/aws252. Epub 2012 Nov 12. Brain. 2012. PMID: 23148349 Free PMC article.
-
Cocaine abuse versus cocaine dependence: cocaine self-administration and pharmacodynamic response in the human laboratory.Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010 Jan 1;106(1):28-37. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2009.07.011. Epub 2009 Aug 29. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010. PMID: 19717246 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Abstinence-contingent reinforcement and engagement in non-drug-related activities among illicit drug abusers.Psychol Addict Behav. 2008 Dec;22(4):544-50. doi: 10.1037/0893-164X.22.4.544. Psychol Addict Behav. 2008. PMID: 19071979 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
The specificity of family history of alcohol and drug abuse in cocaine abusers.Am J Addict. 2002 Spring;11(2):85-94. doi: 10.1080/10550490290087866. Am J Addict. 2002. PMID: 12028739
-
Anger and depressive states among treatment-seeking drug abusers: testing the psychopharmacological specificity hypothesis.Am J Addict. 2001 Fall;10(4):327-34. Am J Addict. 2001. PMID: 11783747
Cited by
-
The Role of Physical Exercise in Opioid Substitution Therapy: Mechanisms of Sequential Effects.Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Mar 1;24(5):4763. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054763. Int J Mol Sci. 2023. PMID: 36902190 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Intersections between environmental reward availability, loss aversion, and delay discounting as potential risk factors for cigarette smoking and other substance use.Prev Med. 2022 Dec;165(Pt B):107270. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107270. Epub 2022 Sep 21. Prev Med. 2022. PMID: 36152818 Free PMC article.
-
Leveraging behavioral economics and reinforcement theory in treating heavy episodic drinking among college students.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022 Jan;46(1):25-28. doi: 10.1111/acer.14758. Epub 2021 Dec 14. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2022. PMID: 34866198 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
-
The Association between Reward Sensitivity and Activity Engagement: the Influence of Delay Discounting and Anhedonia.Alcohol Alcohol. 2020 Mar 19;55(2):215-224. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agz105. Alcohol Alcohol. 2020. PMID: 31998950 Free PMC article.
-
Measurement of substance-free reinforcement in addiction: A systematic review.Clin Psychol Rev. 2019 Jun;70:79-90. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2019.04.003. Epub 2019 Apr 5. Clin Psychol Rev. 2019. PMID: 30991244 Free PMC article.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical