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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Substance usage intention does not affect attentional bias
T2 - implications from Ecstasy/MDMA users and alcohol drinkers
AU - Wilcockson, Thomas
AU - Pothos, Emmanuel
AU - Parrott, Andy
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - Background: An attentional bias towards substance-related stimuli has been demonstrated with alcohol drinkers and many other types of substance user. There is evidence to suggest that the strength of an attentional bias may vary as a result of context (or use intention), especially within Ecstasy/MDMA users. Objective: Our aim was to empirically investigate attentional biases by observing the affect that use intention plays in recreational MDMA users and compare the findings with that of alcohol users. Method: Regular alcohol drinkers were compared with MDMA users. Performance was assessed for each group separately using two versions of an eye-tracking attentional bias task with pairs of matched neutral, and alcohol or MDMA-related visual stimuli. Dwell time was recorded for alcohol or MDMA. Participants were tested twice, when intending and not intending to use MDMA or alcohol. Note, participants in the alcohol group did not complete any tasks which involved MDMA-related stimuli and vice versa. Results: Significant attentional biases were found with both MDMA and alcohol users for respective substance-related stimuli, but not control stimuli. Critically, use intention did not affect attentional biases. Attentional biases were demonstrated with both MDMA users and alcohol drinkers when usage was and was not intended. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the robust nature of attentional biases i.e. once an attentional bias has developed, it is not readily affected by intention.
AB - Background: An attentional bias towards substance-related stimuli has been demonstrated with alcohol drinkers and many other types of substance user. There is evidence to suggest that the strength of an attentional bias may vary as a result of context (or use intention), especially within Ecstasy/MDMA users. Objective: Our aim was to empirically investigate attentional biases by observing the affect that use intention plays in recreational MDMA users and compare the findings with that of alcohol users. Method: Regular alcohol drinkers were compared with MDMA users. Performance was assessed for each group separately using two versions of an eye-tracking attentional bias task with pairs of matched neutral, and alcohol or MDMA-related visual stimuli. Dwell time was recorded for alcohol or MDMA. Participants were tested twice, when intending and not intending to use MDMA or alcohol. Note, participants in the alcohol group did not complete any tasks which involved MDMA-related stimuli and vice versa. Results: Significant attentional biases were found with both MDMA and alcohol users for respective substance-related stimuli, but not control stimuli. Critically, use intention did not affect attentional biases. Attentional biases were demonstrated with both MDMA users and alcohol drinkers when usage was and was not intended. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the robust nature of attentional biases i.e. once an attentional bias has developed, it is not readily affected by intention.
KW - Alcohol
KW - Attentional bias
KW - Craving
KW - Intention
KW - MDMA/ecstasy
KW - Outcome expectancy
KW - alcohol
KW - midomafetamine
KW - adult
KW - Article
KW - attentional bias
KW - behavior
KW - control stimulation
KW - control strategy
KW - controlled study
KW - drinking behavior
KW - drug craving
KW - drug dependence
KW - dwell time
KW - eye tracking
KW - female
KW - human
KW - life expectancy
KW - male
KW - matched neutral
KW - outcome expectancy questionnaire
KW - performance
KW - questionnaire
KW - statistical analysis
KW - stimulation
KW - substance use questionnaire
KW - visual stimulation
U2 - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.09.001
DO - 10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.09.001
M3 - Journal article
VL - 88
SP - 175
EP - 181
JO - Addictive Behaviors
JF - Addictive Behaviors
SN - 0306-4603
ER -