P3a amplitude predicts successful treatment program completion in substance-dependent individuals
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Published on: January 22, 2016
Nathaniel E Anderson1, Robyn M Baldridge, Matthew S Stanford
1Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798-7334, USA. nathaniel anderson@baylor.edu
Abstract:
This study examined P3a amplitude as a direct predictor of treatment success for substance dependence. Participants were 35 adults (27 men, 8 women) undergoing treatment for substance dependence at an urban residential treatment facility between October 2005 and July 2007. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria were used to confirm substance dependence. P3a amplitude was significantly smaller for those who dropped out of treatment. Discriminant function analysis confirmed that P3a amplitude was a robust predictor of treatment completion, more sensitive than other measures including substance abuse severity. Implications for the interpretation of P3a amplitude as an index of executive function are discussed.
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