[Emotional response to affective stimuli in subjects addicted to opiates engaged in controlled use as part of the P.E.P.S.A]. / Respuesta emocional ante estímulos afectivos en sujetos adictos a opiáceos bajo consumo controlado en el P.E.P.S.A.

The main objective of this study was to analyze emotional response to a set of everyday emotional visual stimuli unrelated to drug use. Two groups of prescribed opiate drug abusers (heroin+methadone vs. methadone-only groups) currently participating in the Andalusian Experimental Prescribed Drug Program (Programa Experimental de Prescripcion de Estupefacientes de Andalucia, PEPSA) were studied, and comparisons made between them, within them for different phases, and between them and a normative group of nonusers. For this purpose we used the I.C.E.R.E., an instrument based on the I.A.P.S. (International Affective Picture System) and on Peter Lang's S.A.M. (Self-Assessment Manikin). The results showed patterns of emotional response in the opiate users, compared to the non-users, characterized by a lower rating of the everyday natural stimuli of a pleasant nature and a greater sensitivity to the stimuli of a neutral and negative nature. These patterns were quite stable even in different clinical situations and stages of development of the P.E.P.S.A.

Effects of executive impairments on maladaptive explanatory styles in substance abusers: clinical implications.

Our study examined the relation between neuropsychological impairment of executive functions and explanatory styles, according to the Abramson model of learned helplessness in humans, in a sample of substance abusers. Thirty-eight polysubstance abusers were assessed during an abstinence period using a selective neuropsychological battery for the evaluation of the executive functions, as well as the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) for the assessment of the three dimensions of explanatory style: Internality-Externality, Stability-Instability and Globality-Specificity. Multiple regression analyses showed significant relationships among performance on different neuropsychological tasks sensitive to executive functions and characteristic cognitive styles. The results showed the performance on cognitive flexibility and response inhibition tasks is directly related to making more internal attributions for positive situations, and inversely related to the appearance of more stable attributions for negative events. Likewise, adequate performance on working memory tasks was related to development of more global attributions for failures. These results are partially congruent with the learned helplessness model and particularly relevant for the clinical management of substance abusers and the success on the treatment and rehabilitation of these subjects.