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Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, Psychology (Arts and Sciences), 2009.

Abstract

Individuals who abuse substances frequently display deficits in decision making and executive functioning and have high levels of impulsive sensation seeking. While the relationship between these factors has been acknowledged in prior research, the impact of personality on substance-related cognitive deficits has not been completely elucidated. The present study explored factors related to decision making and executive functioning performance in a carefully screened sample of 33 healthy normal controls, 25 impulsive controls and 33 poly-substance undergraduates. Personality variables such as impulsivity and negative affect were examined, and cerebral oxygenation was measured using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy while the participants completed the neuropsychological battery. Contrary to expectations, the three groups did not differ on the majority of the decision-making or executive functioning tasks. An unexpectedly high number of normal control participants (30%) failed the decision-making tasks, which was not observed in the other two groups. Differences in cerebral oxygenation among the groups were observable, although only during one of the tasks in the battery. There were differences among groups in the relation of personality variables and intelligence to decision-making. Gender also appeared to have a large impact on task performance, with the results matching hypothesized predictions for males but not females. Results suggest that some facets of personality have a role in decision-making impairments of poly-substance using undergraduates and also highlight the importance of potential gender differences in variables associated with decision making and executive functioning.

Subject Headings

Psychology

Keywords

neuropsychology; decision-making; executive functioning; personality; NIRS; substance use

Committee / Advisors

Julie A. Suhr, PhD (Advisor)
Christopher France, PhD (Committee Member)
John Garske, PhD (Committee Member)
Tracy Leinbaugh, PhD (Committee Member)
Steven Patterson, PhD (Committee Member)

Pages

145p.

Document number: ohiou1248703160
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1248703160

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