Motor impulsivity discriminated relapsed male heroin dependents from those who were still in buprenorphine maintenance treatment at the 12-month follow-up

Abstract

Aims. Aim of this study was to evaluate whether impulsivity was able to discriminate relapsed male heroin dependents from those who were still in buprenorphine maintenance treatment at 12-month follow-up, while checking the effects of depression, and state and trait anxieties. Methods. Of 78 consecutively admitted male heroin dependents, 52 were examined during a face-to-face interview 12 months after discharge from hospital. Patients were investigated by applying the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, version 11 (BIS-11), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at the end of 12 months. Results. Of 52 heroin-dependent inpatients, 23 (44.2%) were considered as having relapsed into heroin use during the previous twelve months, whereas 29 (55.8%) were still in the maintenance treatment. Demographic variables did not differ between the two groups. Mean scores on the impulsivity subscales (motor, attentional and non-planning) and total BIS-11 were higher in the relapsed group than in the maintenance group at follow-up. So too, depression and anxiety scores were higher in the relapsed group. Impulsivity, particularly motor impulsiveness, discriminated the relapsed group from the maintenance group, together with state anxiety. Conclusions. Although motor impulsiveness was able to discriminate the relapsed group from the maintenance group, together with state anxiety, this cross-sectional study did not evaluate the causal relationship. Despite the limitations, our results suggest that motor impulsiveness and state anxiety may be the areas to focus on in the treatment of relapsed heroin dependents.