Monitoring adherence and abstinence of cannabis use disorder patients: Profile identification and relationship with long-term treatment outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cannabis use disorder (CUD) show heterogeneous sociodemographic and consumption patterns. Although previous studies, focused on identifying subgroups of CUD patients using input variables, have yielded useful results for planning individualized treatments, no published research has analyzed the profiles of CUD patients according to their therapeutic progress. This study therefore aims to identify subgroups of patients using adherence and abstinence indicators and to explore whether these profiles are associated with sociodemographic characteristics, consumption variables, and long-term therapeutic outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study with a multisite sample of 2055 CUD outpatients who were beginning treatment. The study monitored patient data at two-year follow-up. We conducted latent profiles analysis on the appointment attendance ratio and percentage of negative cannabis tests. RESULTS: A three profile solution emerged: i) moderate abstinence/moderate adherence (n = 997); ii) high abstinence/moderate adherence (n = 613); and iii) high abstinence/high adherence (n = 445). The study found the most marked differences at the beginning of treatment for education level (chi2 (8) = 121.70, p < .001), source of referral (chi2 (12) = 203.55, p < .001), and frequency of cannabis use (chi2 (10) = 232.39, p < .001). Eighty percent of patients from the "high abstinence/high adherence" group were relapse-free at two year follow-up. This percentage decreased to 24.3 % in the "moderate abstinence/moderate adherence" group. CONCLUSIONS: Research has shown adherence and abstinence indicators to be useful for identifying subgroups of patients with different prognoses regarding long-term success. Recognizing the sociodemographic and consumption variables associated with these profiles at the beginning of treatment could help to inform the design of more individualized interventions.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish adaptation of the Externalizing Spectrum Inventory-Brief Form (ESI-BF).

The Externalizing Spectrum Inventory-Brief Form (ESI-BF) measures tendencies toward disinhibition, lack of control, aggression, and substance use. This study adapts the ESI-BF to the Spanish population and assesses its psychometric properties. The study included 742 community adults obtained by stratified random sampling with proportional allocation according to gender, age, and geographical area of the Spanish territory and a clinical sample consisting of 333 patients. All participants completed the Personality Inventory for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (PID-5) and the Alcohol Substance Dependence Severity Scale, in addition to the Spanish version of the ESI-BF. Reliability was quantified using McDonald's omega and Cronbach's α reliability coefficients. Validity evidences were studied applying confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and correlations. Results indicated adequate reliability of scores on the ESI-BF's general factors and most of its facets. Regarding internal structure, and in line with previous studies, both symmetric and S-1 hierarchical two-subfactor (bifactor) emerged as the best-fitting models. Considering both criticisms of symmetric models and parsimony, the S-1 bifactor model, which showed configural invariance across gender and samples, was retained. Validity evidence based on the relationship with other measures of personality and alcohol consumption show correlations values theoretically expected in both clinical and community samples. Findings suggest that the Spanish adaptation of the ESI-BF shows functional near-equivalence to the original version. Its effective psychometric properties make it useful instrument for further research related to the externalizing spectrum. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Changes in the Care Activity in Addiction Centers with Dual Pathology Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Health care provision during the COVID-19 pandemic and confinement has led to significant changes in the activity of addiction centers. These changes in healthcare activity may have had a greater impact on patients with dual pathology. The aim of this study is to compare the treatment indicators of patients with dual pathology in addiction centers during the pre-confinement, confinement, and post-confinement periods. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted for the period between 1 February 2019 and 30 June 2021. A total of 2785 patients treated in specialized addiction services were divided into three periods according to their time of admission: pre-confinement, confinement, and post-confinement. RESULTS: During the pre-pandemic period, the addiction centers attended to an average of 121.3 (SD = 23.58) patients, decreasing to 53 patients during confinement (SD = 19.47), and 80.69 during the post-confinement period (SD = 15.33). The number of appointments scheduled monthly for each patient decreased during the confinement period, although this number increased after confinement. There was a reduction in the number of toxicological tests carried out both during and after confinement (except for alcohol). CONCLUSIONS: The results show a reduction in the number of patients seen and the care activity delivered to dual diagnosis patients. These results, which were caused by the COVID-preventive measures, may affect the progress and recovery of dual patients. A greater investment is needed to bring the care activity up to the standards of the years prior to confinement.

Bridge Nodes between Personality Traits and Alcohol-Use Disorder Criteria: The Relevance of Externalizing Traits of Risk Taking, Callousness, and Irresponsibility.

BACKGROUND: Personality disorders show strong comorbidities with alcohol-use disorder (AUD), and several personality traits have been found to be more frequent in people with AUD. This study analyzes which personality facets of those proposed in the Alternative Model of Personality Disorder (AMPD) of DSM-5 are associated with the diagnostic criteria of AUD. METHODS: The sample was composed of 742 participants randomly selected from the Spanish population, and 243 patients attending mental health services. All participants were of legal age and signed an informed consent form. The instruments were administered to the community sample in an online format, and a psychologist conducted individual face-to-face interviews with the patients. AMPD facets were assessed through the Personality Inventory of DSM-5 Short-Form, and the AUD criteria through the Substance Dependence Severity Scale. A network analysis was applied to identify the personality facets mostly associated with the AUD criteria. RESULTS: The network analysis showed the existence of three communities, grouping the AUD criteria, externalizing spectrum facets, and internalizing spectrum facets, respectively. Risk taking, callousness, and irresponsibility facets showed the strongest association with the AUD criteria, bridging externalizing personality traits with AUD criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The facets of risk taking, callousness, and irresponsibility should be accurately assessed in patients with AUD to differentiate between a possible primary personality disorder and a syndrome induced by alcohol addiction.

[Condom use, number of partners and sexual debut in young people in penile-vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex]. / Uso del preservativo, número de parejas y debut sexual en jóvenes en coito vaginal, sexo oral y sexo anal.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to analyse condom use, number of sexual partners and age of sexual debut in young people in penile-vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex, to establish a comparison between men and women (first part of the study), and to analyse the differences according to sexual behavior conducted in the three variables (second part of the study). MATERIAL AND METHOD: Ex post facto descriptive study by online survey. A total of 886 young heterosexual people (485 women and 401 men) participated for the first part of the study. For the second part of the study, youngsters who had carried out the three sexual behaviors under study were selected. The premises of two Spanish universities were used to distribute the survey by internet. RESULTS: Women reported a more frequent use condom during oral sex, and men reported to have more sexual partners with whom they perform penile-vaginal intercourse (4.57 vs. 3.80) and oral sex (3.34 vs. 2.65). The average onset age for penile-vaginal intercourse and oral sex was close to 17 years and for anal sex close to 19 years. Frequency of condom use and number of sexual partners were higher in penile-vaginal intercourse and the age of sexual debut was higher in anal sex (men=19.20; women=19.38). CONCLUSIONS: The results support the idea that young people use the condom more to prevent pregnancies than to prevent STD. Moreover, the sexual behaviors follow a pattern of progression in heterosexual young people (from penile-vaginal intercourse to anal sex).

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the 12-item Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire in fibromyalgia syndrome patients / Propiedades psicométricas de la versión en español del Cuestionario de Necesidades Interpersonales de 12 ítems en pacientes con síndrome de fibromialgia

According to the interpersonal theory of suicide, thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness are key elements in the development of suicidal ideation. The Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ) was developed to assess the degree of frustration of these two interpersonal needs related to suicidal ideation. This study aims to analyze the psychometrics properties of a Spanish adaptation of INQ-12 in fibromyalgia patients. Exploratory factor analysis (n = 180) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 179) were performed in two randomly selected subsamples. The first analysis leads to the elimination of two items, whereas the second one confirmed the fit of the proposed two-factor structure. The reliability estimated using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the Spearman-Brown coefficient was adequate. To obtain further validity evidence based on the relationship with other variables three variables were used. Moreover, a control group (n = 99) was used to contrast the means of INQ scores as evidence of validity based on differential scores. These findings support the usefulness of the Spanish version of the INQ-10 for assessing the degree of frustration of these interpersonal needs in patients with fibromyalgia

Según la teoría interpersonal del suicidio, la pertenencia frustrada y la carga percibida son elementos clave en el desarrollo de la ideación suicida. El Cuestionario de necesidades interpersonales (INQ) fue diseñado para evaluar el grado de frustración de estas dos necesidades interpersonales relacionadas con la ideación suicida. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas de una adaptación al español del INQ-12 en pacientes con fibromialgia. Un análisis factorial exploratorio (n = 180) y un análisis factorial confirmatorio (n = 179) fueron realizados en dos submuestras seleccionadas al azar. El primer análisis llevó a la eliminación de dos ítems, mientras que el segundo confirmó el ajuste de la estructura propuesta de dos factores. La fiabilidad estimada mediante el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach y el coeficiente Spearman-Brown fue adecuada. Para obtener evidencias de validez basadas en la relación con otros variables, se utilizaron tres variables relacionadas con el suicidio. Además, se utilizó un grupo control (n = 99) para contrastar los promedios de las puntuaciones INQ como evidencia de validez basada en puntajes diferenciales. Estos hallazgos respaldan la utilidad de la versión española del INQ-10 para evaluar el grado de frustración de estas necesidades interpersonales en pacientes con fibromialgia

Uso del preservativo, número de parejas y debut sexual en jóvenes en coito vaginal, sexo oral y sexo anal / Condom use, number of partners and sexual debut in young people in penile-vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex

Objetivo. El objetivo del estudio es analizar en jóvenes el uso del preservativo, el número de parejas sexuales y la edad de debut sexual en coito vaginal, sexo oral y sexo anal, y comparar entre hombres y mujeres (primera parte del estudio), así como analizar si existen diferencias según el comportamiento sexual realizado en las tres variables (segunda parte del estudio). Material y método. Estudio ex post-facto descriptivo mediante encuesta online. Un total de 886 jóvenes heterosexuales (485 mujeres y 401 hombres) participaron para la primera parte del estudio. Para la segunda parte del estudio se seleccionó a los jóvenes que habían realizado los tres comportamientos sexuales objeto de estudio. Se utilizaron las dependencias de dos universidades españolas para difundir la encuesta por internet. Resultados. Las mujeres manifestaron utilizar con más frecuencia el preservativo durante el sexo oral y los hombres declararon tener mayor número de parejas sexuales con las que realizan el coito vaginal (4,57 vs. 3,80) y el sexo oral (3,34 vs. 2,65). La edad media de inicio para el coito vaginal y el sexo oral estuvo en torno a los 17años y para el sexo anal en torno a los 19años. La frecuencia de uso del preservativo y el número de parejas sexuales fueron mayores en el coito vaginal y la edad de debut sexual fue mayor en el sexo anal (hombres=19,20; mujeres=19,38). Conclusiones. Los resultados apoyan la idea de que los jóvenes utilizan el preservativo más para evitar embarazos que para prevenir ITS. También, que los comportamientos sexuales siguen un patrón de progresión en jóvenes heterosexuales (del coito vaginal al sexo anal) (AU)

Objective. The aim of this study is to analyse condom use, number of sexual partners and age of sexual debut in young people in penile-vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex, to establish a comparison between men and women (first part of the study), and to analyse the differences according to sexual behavior conducted in the three variables (second part of the study). Material and method. Ex post facto descriptive study by online survey. A total of 886 young heterosexual people (485 women and 401 men) participated for the first part of the study. For the second part of the study, youngsters who had carried out the three sexual behaviors under study were selected. The premises of two Spanish universities were used to distribute the survey by internet. Results. Women reported a more frequent use condom during oral sex, and men reported to have more sexual partners with whom they perform penile-vaginal intercourse (4.57 vs. 3.80) and oral sex (3.34 vs. 2.65). The average onset age for penile-vaginal intercourse and oral sex was close to 17 years and for anal sex close to 19 years. Frequency of condom use and number of sexual partners were higher in penile-vaginal intercourse and the age of sexual debut was higher in anal sex (men=19.20; women=19.38). Conclusions. The results support the idea that young people use the condom more to prevent pregnancies than to prevent STD. Moreover, the sexual behaviors follow a pattern of progression in heterosexual young people (from penile-vaginal intercourse to anal sex) (AU)

Comparison of the Predictive Capacity of the Erotophobia-Erotophilia and the Attitudes Toward Sexual Behaviors in the Sexual Experience of Young Adults.

The prediction of sexual behaviors in emerging adult population is important because the number of sexually active individuals is high, and many young adults engage in sexually risky behaviors. Attitudes are an effective way to predict behaviors. The attitude-behavior relation is stronger when both attitude and behavior are measured at equivalent levels of specificity. The aim of this study was to provide empirical support of the Attitudes toward Sexual Behaviors Scale (ASBS) predictive capacity for the sexual experience (number of different sexual behaviors performed) as well as to compare it with the Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS; erotophobia-erotophilia dimension) predictive capacity. Participants were 632 heterosexual young adults (57.8% were women) of Spanish nationality aged 18 to 30 years, selected by incidental and snowball sampling. Sociodemographic questions, the ASBS, the SOS, and a checklist about sexual experience were administered online. When the age and sex variables were controlled, the ASBS predictive capacity for the sexual experience was found to be greater than the SOS predictive capacity in both young men and women. These results might be explained by the higher correspondence in the sexual experience measure (specific sexual behaviors) with the ASBS than with the SOS.