The Association of Neuropsychological Functioning and Characterological Facets of Inhibitory Control with Risky Behaviors in Adults Receiving Opioid Agonist Treatment

The present study examined the association between patient-specific characteristics and participation in risky behaviors among 131 adults receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT). This study addressed gaps in the literature by exploring patient-specific characteristics in an economically diverse and economically marginalized group. The study evaluated whether patient-specific characteristics predict participation in risky behaviors and examined the association between executive functioning and characterological facets of inhibitory control with participation in risky behaviors. The study’s findings indicated that decision-making, positive urgency, and age predicted injection drug use. This study did not find an association between neuropsychological functioning and characterological facets of inhibitory control. Additionally, it did not identify an association between neuropsychological functioning and characterological facets of inhibitory control with participation in risky sexual practices. This study documents the association between patient-specific characteristics and risky behaviors in adults stabilized on OAT. This study provides important information to begin informing such interventions. Future research may benefit from using an expanded definition of risky behaviors that includes general drug-seeking behaviors that diminish health-related quality of life. Additionally, future researchers investigating patient-specific characteristics in adults stabilized on OAT may benefit from using more ecologically valid measures of inhibitory control and recruiting a larger, more inclusive, sample