Relationship between substance use-associated stigma and executive dysfunction

ABSTRACT

Background

Among individuals who use substances, the perceived stigma of substance use harms their quality of life and may be an obstacle to quitting. We explored the effect of the stigma perceived due to substance use on executive functioning.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved 80 individuals who used substances and sought to quit while admitted to a public neuropsychiatric hospital in south Iran in March 2022. Data were collected using the Barkley Executive Function Questionnaire and the Stigma Scale. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS v. 25.

Results

The participants’ mean age was 36.56 ± 9.37 years, and most (85.0%) were males. Among them, 28 (35%) used narcotics, 7 (8.8%) used stimulants, and 45 (56.3%) used multiple substances. Increased total sigma scores correlated with deficits in self-management to time, self-organization/problem-solving, self-regulation of emotion, self-motivation, self-restraint, and total executive function. Moreover, each stigma dimension had some correlations with executive dysfunction or its subscales.

Conclusions

Self-perceived stigma is directly linked with executive dysfunction in individuals who use substances and seek to quit. Since stigma and executive function both play essential roles in addiction treatment success, interventions should be adjusted to reduce self-perceived stigma and executive function deficits among individuals who use substances.

KEYWORDS:

• Addiction
• substance use
• executive dysfunction
• stigma

Acknowledgments

The present article was extracted from the thesis written by A.M.B. and was financially supported by Shiraz University of Medical Sciences grant No. 24590. This manuscript was reviewed regarding language and grammar by a native English-speaking language editor, Dr Seyed Ali Hosseini (Native Editor Co., Shiraz, Iran).

Authors’ contributions

L.R.J.: Study conception, design, supervision, writing, revising. S.S.M.: Data collection, interpretation, drafting. M.J.: Data interpretation and manuscript revising. A.M.B.: Data collection, data analysis, drafting, and revising. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

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

Ethics

The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran (IR.SUMS.MED.REC.1400.402). Participation was voluntary, and individuals were free to withdraw at any time.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

Research Vice-Chancellery, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Project [No. 24590].