The association of cognitive functioning and substance use disorders with adaptive impairments of inpatients in forensic addiction treatment

ABSTRACT

Background

Addiction medicine still largely neglects the topic of mild and borderline intellectual disabilities (MBID), although patients with MBID are considered a risk group for substance-related problems and offending behaviour. This study aimed to explore the cognitive and adaptive impairments of inpatients in forensic addiction mental health care.

Method

Participants included a total of 50 consecutive referrals who had a substance use disorder.

Results

74% of the patients had a total IQ-score lower than 85, and 78% had an adaptive impairment in one or more domains of functioning. Only 10% had no cognitive or adaptive impairments. The total IQ-score significantly predicted the total number of impaired domains of adaptive functioning and the severity of substance use disorder did not predict adaptive functioning at all.

Conclusions

It can be concluded that in forensic addiction care the prevalence of cognitive and adaptive impairments is high, with 62% having cognitive as well as adaptive impairments.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance use disorder
• adaptive functioning
• cognitive impairments
• forensic care

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).