Silvia Mendes da Cunha

Habilidades sociais em alcoolistas: um estudo exploratório

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate social skills among alcoholics, as well as to investigate personal expectations and beliefs regarding the effects of alcohol use – which are believed to be permissive for alcohol consumption, and potentially lead to alcoholism. Two instruments were employed: (a) Social Skills Inventory (IHS), and (b) Personal Expectations and Beliefs about Alcohol (IECPA). The outcomes showed that social skills deficits are frequent among the participants, particularly in the ability to express positive feelings, conversational skills, and social graces. Moreover, it was found that participants held expectations and beliefs that social interactions can be facilitated through alcohol consumption

Fatores associados ao abuso de drogas em uma população clínica

Were investigated possible relationships between drug abuse and alcohol expectancies in a clinical population. Possible relationship between these variables and symptoms of depression and anxiety were explored. Participants (n=40, mean age 26) were both sexes individuals seen in a psychological service. Inventario de Expectativas e Crencas Pessoais acerca do Alcool (IECPA), Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test and Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories were applied. There were high levels of prevalence of tobacco and alcohol abuse and positive alcohol expectancies. Male was related to higher alcohol consumption. There was a positive correlation between smoking and clinically significant anxiety symptoms. Moreover, it was found that more alcohol expectancies were related to tobacco and alcohol abuse. Alcohol expectancies can be modified in prevention programs, favoring a reduction in alcohol consumption and modification of consumption risk patterns. You should consider the association between psychiatric symptoms and drug use to establish prevention programs and treatments.Foram investigadas as possiveis relacoes entre consumo de drogas, expectativas positivas quanto aos efeitos do alcool e sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa. Participaram da pesquisa 40 individuos, com 26 anos em media, de ambos os sexos, atendidos em um servico psicologico. Utilizou-se o Inventario de Expectativas e Crencas Pessoais Acerca do Alcool (IECPA), o Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) e os Inventarios de Beck de Ansiedade e Depressao. Constataram-se indices elevados de abuso de tabaco, alcool e observaram-se tambem expectativas positivas quanto aos efeitos do alcool. Tabagismo e ansiedade clinicamente significativa correlacionaram-se positivamente. Indices mais altos de expectativas positivas quanto ao consumo etilico estavam correlacionadas ao abuso de tabaco e alcool. Expectativas podem ser alteradas em programas preventivos, modificando-se padroes de consumo de risco. A associacao entre sintomas psiquiatricos e uso de drogas deve ser considerada ao se estabelecerem programas preventivos e tratamentos.

Drug use and antisocial behavior among adolescents attending public schools in Brazil

INTRODUCTION Drug use is a social and a public health problem that has been related with antisocial behavior. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between drug use and antisocial behavior among adolescents attending public schools in Brazil. METHOD A total of 7,176 adolescents from low-income neighborhoods and public schools aged 14 to 19 years were assessed in five geographical regions in Brazil. Data on biosociodemographic characteristics and on drug use and antisocial behavior were assessed from complete answers to a national survey on risk and protective factors among adolescents. RESULTS Over 80% of the adolescents who used alcohol and cigarettes were between 14 and 17 years old. The percentage of participants with antisocial behaviors was significantly higher among users of marijuana, cocaine, or crack than among adolescents who were not drug users. CONCLUSIONS Prevention programs aimed at reducing substance use might help to decrease antisocial behaviors.

Profile and pattern of crack consumption among inpatients in a Brazilian psychiatric hospital

INTRODUCTION Crack cocaine use is associated with polydrug abuse, and inpatients dependent on crack exhibit profiles of serious consumption patterns. Use of alcohol and tobacco and other drugs is a risk factor for experimentation of additional drugs, including crack cocaine. OBJECTIVES The present study describes the characteristics and crack consumption patterns among inpatients in treatment during 2011 and 2012 at the Hospital Psiquiátrico São Pedro (Porto Alegre, Brazil). An additional objective was to identify the sequence of alcohol and tobacco consumption prior to crack use. METHODS The participants were 53 male inpatients addicted to crack with a mean age of 27.5±7.3 years. A sociodemographic questionnaire; the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test and the Mini Mental State Examination were all administered to participants. Inclusion criteria were crack cocaine dependency (based on the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases [ICD-10]) and being abstinent for 7 days. Patients with cognitive difficulties who were unable to understand and/or respond to the questionnaires were excluded from the sample. RESULTS The participants were young male adults with low educational level and low incomes and were polydrug users. The majority had made more than one attempt to quit. Use of legal drugs in early adolescence, prior to crack use, was identified. CONCLUSIONS The profiles of the inpatients addicted to crack treated at this hospital indicate a serious usage pattern among those who seek specialized support. Crack use is frequent and is associated with use of other drugs and with difficulty sustaining abstinence. The pattern of progression from alcohol and tobacco use to crack cocaine dependency demands the attention of those responsible for prevention policies.

Processamento implícito e dependência química: teoria, avaliação e perspectivas

Recent studies have investigated the implicit cognitive mechanisms that influence the decision to use drugs and drug use behavior, such as attentional bias and reactivity to cues. Those responses are automatically elicited and can increase vulnerability to addiction and relapse. This review aimed to present theoretical perspective of dual-process models of addictive behaviors and to discuss the influence of automatic processes in drug intake, how they can be assessed, and techniques to directly modify them. The results suggest that implicit measures can assess the automatic mechanisms more accurately than explicit measures. Therefore, it is suggested that interventions aimed at the transformation of implicit cognitions can be effective alternatives for the treatment of addictive behaviors.

Factors associated with drug abuse in a clinical sample

Were investigated possible relationships between drug abuse and alcohol expectancies in a clinical population. Possible relationship between these variables and symptoms of depression and anxiety were explored. Participants (n=40, mean age 26) were both sexes individuals seen in a psychological service. Inventario de Expectativas e Crencas Pessoais acerca do Alcool (IECPA), Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test and Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories were applied. There were high levels of prevalence of tobacco and alcohol abuse and positive alcohol expectancies. Male was related to higher alcohol consumption. There was a positive correlation between smoking and clinically significant anxiety symptoms. Moreover, it was found that more alcohol expectancies were related to tobacco and alcohol abuse. Alcohol expectancies can be modified in prevention programs, favoring a reduction in alcohol consumption and modification of consumption risk patterns. You should consider the association between psychiatric symptoms and drug use to establish prevention programs and treatments.Foram investigadas as possiveis relacoes entre consumo de drogas, expectativas positivas quanto aos efeitos do alcool e sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa. Participaram da pesquisa 40 individuos, com 26 anos em media, de ambos os sexos, atendidos em um servico psicologico. Utilizou-se o Inventario de Expectativas e Crencas Pessoais Acerca do Alcool (IECPA), o Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) e os Inventarios de Beck de Ansiedade e Depressao. Constataram-se indices elevados de abuso de tabaco, alcool e observaram-se tambem expectativas positivas quanto aos efeitos do alcool. Tabagismo e ansiedade clinicamente significativa correlacionaram-se positivamente. Indices mais altos de expectativas positivas quanto ao consumo etilico estavam correlacionadas ao abuso de tabaco e alcool. Expectativas podem ser alteradas em programas preventivos, modificando-se padroes de consumo de risco. A associacao entre sintomas psiquiatricos e uso de drogas deve ser considerada ao se estabelecerem programas preventivos e tratamentos.

Factores asociados con el abuso de drogas en una muestra clínica

Were investigated possible relationships between drug abuse and alcohol expectancies in a clinical population. Possible relationship between these variables and symptoms of depression and anxiety were explored. Participants (n=40, mean age 26) were both sexes individuals seen in a psychological service. Inventario de Expectativas e Crencas Pessoais acerca do Alcool (IECPA), Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test and Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories were applied. There were high levels of prevalence of tobacco and alcohol abuse and positive alcohol expectancies. Male was related to higher alcohol consumption. There was a positive correlation between smoking and clinically significant anxiety symptoms. Moreover, it was found that more alcohol expectancies were related to tobacco and alcohol abuse. Alcohol expectancies can be modified in prevention programs, favoring a reduction in alcohol consumption and modification of consumption risk patterns. You should consider the association between psychiatric symptoms and drug use to establish prevention programs and treatments.Foram investigadas as possiveis relacoes entre consumo de drogas, expectativas positivas quanto aos efeitos do alcool e sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa. Participaram da pesquisa 40 individuos, com 26 anos em media, de ambos os sexos, atendidos em um servico psicologico. Utilizou-se o Inventario de Expectativas e Crencas Pessoais Acerca do Alcool (IECPA), o Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) e os Inventarios de Beck de Ansiedade e Depressao. Constataram-se indices elevados de abuso de tabaco, alcool e observaram-se tambem expectativas positivas quanto aos efeitos do alcool. Tabagismo e ansiedade clinicamente significativa correlacionaram-se positivamente. Indices mais altos de expectativas positivas quanto ao consumo etilico estavam correlacionadas ao abuso de tabaco e alcool. Expectativas podem ser alteradas em programas preventivos, modificando-se padroes de consumo de risco. A associacao entre sintomas psiquiatricos e uso de drogas deve ser considerada ao se estabelecerem programas preventivos e tratamentos.