Associations between Impulsivity and High Risk Sexual Behaviors in Dually Diagnosed Outpatients

• Published in: The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 325 - 328
• Main Authors: Black, Ryan A., Serowik, Kristin L., Rosen, Marc I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01.01.2009; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Adult; Cocaine; Community Mental Health Centers; Comorbidity; Delayed; Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); Disease prevention; Drug use; Female; high risk sexual behavior; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Impulsive Behavior - complications; Impulsive Behavior - psychology; Impulsivity; Male; Medical diagnosis; Neuropsychological Tests; Outpatients; Patient Selection; Personality traits; Prevention; Preventive programmes; Questionnaires; Risk; Risk-Taking; Safe sexual practices; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Substance Abuse; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Wisconsin; USA, Wisconsin
• ISSN: 0095-2990; 1097-9891
• DOI: 10.1080/00952990903075034

Background/Objectives: It is unknown whether impulsivity is associated with risky sexual behavior in dually diagnosed clients. Methods: Impulsivity in 51 sexually-active, dually diagnosed clients was assessed by the Barrett Impulsivity Scale, Delayed Discounting Questionnaire, and Wisconsin Card-Sorting Task, and a path analysis of relationship to self-reported risk behaviors was conducted. Results: Recent cocaine use was correlated with risky sexual behaviors and a preference for immediate over larger, delayed rewards trended towards a correlation. Conclusion and Scientific Significance: The association between impulsivity and risky sexual behavior among substance users appears to extend to the dually diagnosed. Implications for HIV prevention are discussed.