Cognitive predisposition to substance abuse in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Cognition at risk: Gestalt/feature-intensive processing, attention deficit, and substance abuse

“…The present study represents an attempt to do so, and to clarify previous findings (Sharps et al, 2005), in which cognitive tendencies toward gestalt as opposed to feature-intensive processing (Sharps & Nunes, 2002;Sharps, 2003) were shown to contribute to SA tendencies in college-aged individuals who exhibited subclinical ADHD tendencies.…”

“…Thus we propose that at the heart of the gestalt processing of information, to which individuals with ADHD tendencies are prone and which works to their disadvantage in SA situations (Sharps et al, 2005), there lies a somewhat more complex situation than might previously have been anticipated. Individuals frequently use heuristic processing in complex situations (e.g., Gigerenzer & Todd, 1999;Jacobs & Klaczynski, 2002).…”

“…Our recent work has shown that these may in turn contribute to SA behavior. However, as noted earlier (Sharps et al, 2005), it is important to refine our understanding of the precise cognitive processes involved.…”

“…We tested this hypothesis in a recent study (Sharps et al, 2005), which used several standard instruments (the Brown ADD Scales, the Sensation Seeking Inventory, the SixWay Paragraphs (Pauk, 1983), and the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory, or SASSI) to investigate the relevant relationships in a general, non-diagnosed population of university students. Respondents' ability to extract centrally important information (such as the risks involved in SA behavior) in a feature-intensive manner from complex (textual) information situations was evaluated by means of the Six-Way Paragraphs instrument, and regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship of this ability to substance abuse tendencies (measured by the SASSI) and to sustained attention (measured by the appropriate subscale of the Brown).…”

Cognition at risk: Gestalt/feature-intensive processing and cigarette smoking in college students

“…Results of particular importance for the present work have derived from the study of G/FI processing in addictive processes (Sharps et al, 2005a;Sharps et al, 2005b), in which it was shown that feature-intensive processing of the risks involved in substance abuse tends to insulate individuals against such abuse. More gestalt processing, frequently exacerbated by tendencies toward cognitive aspects of attention deficit, tended to mask risks and to be associated with higher tendencies toward substance abuse.…”