title: The association between impulsivity and alcohol/drug use among prison inmates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have examined the relation between impulsivity and drug involvement with prison inmates, in spite of their heavy drug use. Among this small body of work, most studies look at clinically relevant drug dependence, rather than drug use specifically.
  
  
  METHODS
  N=242 adult inmates (34.8% female, 52% White) with an average age of 35.58 (SD=9.19) completed a modified version of the 15-item Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) and measures assessing lifetime alcohol, opiate, benzodiazepine, cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogen, and polysubstance use. Lifetime users also reported the frequency of use for the 30days prior to incarceration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Impulsivity was higher among lifetime users (versus never users) of all substances other than cannabis. Thirty day drug use frequency was only related to impulsivity for opiates and alcohol.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study extends prior work, by showing that a lifetime history of non-clinical substance use is positively associated with impulsivity among prison inmates. Implications for drug interventions are considered for this population, which is characterized by high rates of substance use and elevated impulsivity.
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island, Department of Psychology, 10 Chafee Rd., Kingston, RI 02811, USA. Electronic address: mbernstein11@my.uri.edu.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island, Department of Psychology, 10 Chafee Rd., Kingston, RI 02811, USA.
authors.forename: Savannah N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: McSheffrey
authors.affiliation: Alpert Medical School of Brown University, 222 Richmond St., Providence, RI 02903, USA; Brown University School of Public Health, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island, Department of Psychology, 10 Chafee Rd., Kingston, RI 02811, USA.
authors.forename: Jamie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vela
authors.affiliation: University of Rhode Island, Department of Psychology, 10 Chafee Rd., Kingston, RI 02811, USA; Brown University, Center for Alcohol & Addiction Studies, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02906, USA; Rhode Island Training School, 600 Howard Ave, Cherrydale Court, Cranston, RI 022920, USA.
authors.forename: L A R
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Pawtucket, RI 02860, USA; Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI 02860, USA.
authors.forename: Mary B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Brown University, Department of Behavioral & Social Sciences, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
authors.forename: Rosemarie A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Brown University Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Pawtucket, RI 02860, USA; Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, Pawtucket, RI 02860, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Alcohol; Drugs; Impulsivity; Inmates; Prison; Substance use