![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
CATEGORY/THEME: Epidemiology and Etiology
TITLE: Emotional Self-Regulation and Drug Abuse Vulnerability: Connecting Biology and Prevention Science
SESSION INTRODUCTION: It is well known that impulsivity is a risk factor for many negative health-related outcomes. Recent evidence indicates that emotional dysregulation can engender impulsive behaviors during adolescence and young adulthood, and that this mood-based rash action can lead to problematic drug use. This symposium will highlight the confluence of physiological measures of emotional dysregulation in controlling multiple outcomes that can inform the design of biologically-based preventive interventions. The presenters will be a diverse panel of researchers with expertise ranging from neuroimaging and basic science to behavioral prevention intervention development and testing. The presenters will discuss examination of biological measures as outcomes, mediators, and moderators within the context of preventive interventions.
The first paper, “Addiction Prevention: Promoting Emotional Regulation and Its Related Brain Activity”, examines the role of the prefrontal cortical systems in regulating the stress response among tobacco smoker and non-smokers. The results from this study show that smokers have reduced prefrontal activation and a greater stress response compared to non-smokers. These smoking-related differences were ameliorated by an Integrative Mind-Body Training (IMBT) intervention.
The second paper, “Autonomic Responses as Predictors of Substance Abuse: Emotional Reactivity to Reward Extinction”, is a 2-year longitudinal study of a cohort of students transitioning from adolescence into young adulthood. Emotional reactivity to reward omission was measured and tested as a physiological predictor of drug use. The results from this study show a relation between autonomic arousal and subsequent substance use. This work will be discussed in relation to the role that interventions that promote emotional regulation, such as mindfulness-based interventions, might have for those at greatest risk.
The third paper, “Emotional Regulation Related to Substance Use, Academic Competence, and Symptomatology”, examines the relation between self-report measures of emotional dysregulation and various outcome measures related to substance use, academic performance and externalizing/internalizing symptomology in a sample of seventh and either grade students. The results show that emotional regulation is related to a wide range of adolescent outcomes that are relevant for prevention research.
At the conclusion of the presentations, the discussant will make some summary statements and moderate a discussion between the presenters and the symposium attendees. This portion of the symposium is intended to highlight the next steps for promoting translational science for prevention of high risk behaviors.