Executive functions and emotion regulation in substance use disorder

A cross-sectional design was used. The sample consisted of 130 volunteers divided into three groups: group 01 (n = 60), composed of participants who did not meet the diagnostic criteria for any type of SUD; group 02 (n = 51), with users with alcohol and/or tobacco use disorder; group 03 (n = 19), with users with multiple substance use disorder, including at least one illicit substance.

Results

Group 02 presented worse performance in EF and ER when compared to group 01, and showed a significant correlation between the working memory and the use of maladaptive ER. Group 03 showed great losses in EF and ER when compared to the other groups.

Conclusion

This study supports the idea that EF, ER and SUD are related. In addition, it was observed that people with SUD had worse performance in EF and ER when compared to people without SUD, greater damage being observed in people with SUD of polysubstances.

Executive functions; emotion regulation; substance use disorder; drug; drug users

	Group 01	Group 02	Group 03	x²	P

	Non-SUD Fr (%)	SUD – alcohol and/or tobacco Fr (%)	TUS – poly substance users Fr (%)
Gender
Male	22 (31,4)	34 (48,6)	14 (20)	13,50	0,001*
Female				13,50	0,001*
Marital status	38 (63,3)	17 (28,3)	5 (8,3)
No relationship	47 (47%)	38 (38%)	15 (15%)	6,41	0,379
In a relationship	13 (43,5%)	13 (43,5%)	4 (13%)	6,41	0,379
Religion
Catholic	33 (46,5)	32 (45,1)	6 (8,5)	9,53	0,146
Evangelical	16 (51,6)	7 (22,6)	8 (25,8)
No religion	11 (40,7)	11 (40,7)	5 (18,5)
Another religion	0 (0)	1 (100)	0 (0)
Occupation
Student	42 (75)	12 (23,5)	2 (3,6)	38,20	0,001*
Employed	11 (35,5)	15 (48,4)	5 (16,1)
Unemployed	5 (16,1)	17 (54,8)	9 (29)
Retired	2 (25)	4 (50)	2 (25)
Informal work	0 (0)	3 (75)	1 (25)
Formal education in years
Up to 9 years	7 (16,8)	22 (52,3)	13 (30,9)	29,47	0,001*
Between 10 and 13 years	11 (44)	11 (44)	3 (16)
More than 14 years	42 (53)	18 (25,3)	11 (15,4)

	Group 01 Non-SUS AV (SD)	Group 02 SUD – alcohol and/or tobacco AV (SD)	Group 03 SUD – poly substance users AV (SD)	F	P < 0,05
STROOP C	26,53 (14,78)	37,1 (22,42)	40,9 (17,77)	6,64	0,002**
DOT	9,72 (2,91)	8,06 (3,22)	7,8 (2,14)	5,64	0,004**
IOT	5,93 (2,64)	3,9 (2,7)	3,6 (2,54)	10,37	0,001**
TMT.B	98,93 (83,38)	162,01 (113,32)	187,8 (102,88)	8,61	0,001**

	Group 01 Non-SUD AV (SD)	Group 02 SUD – alcohol and/or tobacco AV (SD)	Group 03 SUD – poly substance users AV (SD)	F	P < 0,01
Dysfunctional regulation	2,3 (0,91)	3,5 (1,29)	3,6 (1,41)	17,7	0,000**
Functional regulation	4,1 (0,9)	4,2 (0,86)	4,3 (0,73)	0,58	0,773
Maladaptive regulation	2,6 (1,08)	3,3 (1,32)	3,5 (1,39)	7,24	0,001**
Adaptive regulation	5 (0,77)	5,06 (0,86)	4,7 (0,97)	1,09	0,337

	Dysfunctional regulation	Functional regulation	Maladaptive regulation	Adaptive regulation
STROOP C	-0,36**	0,19	0,26*	0,12
DOT	0,2	-0,07	-0,32	0,06
IOT	0,25	-0,27*	-0,21	-0,02
TMT.B	-0,37**	0,24	0,12	0,05

	Dysfunctional regulation	Functional regulation	Maladaptive regulation	Adaptive regulation
STROOP C	0,09	0,1	0,23	0,14
DDP	-0,00	-0,09	-0,38*	-0,11
DIP	-0,06	-0,06	-0,37*	-0,12
TMT.B	0,18	-0,00	0,22	-0,00

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[1] Address for correspondence: Mariana Bandeira Formiga. Telefone: +55 (83) 98745-4044. E-mail: marianabandeiraf@gmail.com