title: Effects of executive impairments on maladaptive explanatory styles in substance abusers: clinical implications.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológico, Facultad de Psicología. Universidad de Granada, Campus de Cartuja S/N, 18071, Granada, Spain. averdejo@ugr.es
authors.forename: Antonio Verdejo
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Francisca López
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Torrecillas
authors.forename: Francisco Aguilar
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: de Arcos
authors.forename: Miguel Pérez
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: García
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity*; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012803:Sick Role; D013030:Spain; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs