Butler, G.K.L. and Montgomery, A.M.J. (2004) Impulsivity, risk taking and recreational 'ecstasy' (MDMA) use. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 76(1), pp. 55-62. ISSN (print) 0376-8716
Full text not available from this archive.Abstract
The present study investigated characteristics of recreational drug users, especially 'ecstasy' (MDMA) users, in 254 undergraduates. All participants completed a drug history questionnaire (DHQ), the impulsiveness venturesomeness and empathy questionnaire, a novel risk-taking task (Bets16), and 59 also completed the tri-dimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ). DHQ responses allocated participants to five groups: non-drug controls, cannabis users, polydrug (no ecstasy) users, low (<20 occasions) ecstasy users and high (>20 occasions) ecstasy users. Eighteen percent of the sample had used ecstasy and of the ecstasy users, only one had not used other substances. A larger proportion of high ecstasy users had also used amphetamines, cocaine and LSD in comparison to the low ecstasy and non-ecstasy polydrug users. High ecstasy users typically took significantly more ecstasy tablets compared with low ecstasy users. Impulsiveness, venturesomeness and novelty seeking behaviour increased from the non-drug users to high ecstasy users. Ecstasy users (low and high) and polydrug (non-ecstasy) users had higher levels of impulsivity, venturesomeness and novelty seeking behaviour compared with non-drug users. Furthermore, high ecstasy users scored higher on the Bets16 risk-taking measure than non-drug users, cannabis users and low ecstasy users. The findings are discussed in relation to: (i) the possibility that increased impulsivity pre-dated drug use; and (ii) the possible link between impulsivity and the putative serotonergic neurotoxicity of ecstasy.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | ecstasy, MDMA, impulsivity, serotonin, risk taking, polydrug use, (+/-)3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine ecstasy, healthy-volunteers, violent offenders, substance-abuse, fire setters, personality, neurotoxicity, amphetamine, serotonin, suicide |
| Research Area: | Psychology |
| Faculty, School or Research Centre: | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences > School of Social Science (until November 2012) |
| Related URLs: | |
| Depositing User: | Susan Miles |
| Date Deposited: | 26 Oct 2007 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Nov 2010 12:46 |
| URI: | http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/id/eprint/1909 |
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