The Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Executive Function for Those in Recovery from Opioid Use...

Both having an opioid-use disorder (OUD) and experiencing childhood sexual abuse (CSA) can significantly impact brain functioning, particularly within the executive system. Little research, however, has teased apart how individuals with compounding experiences may differ in brain functioning and behavior compared to those recovering from OUD alone.

The purpose of this brief report was to understand the relationship between CSA and executive functioning in individuals with OUD.

Participants were recruited from community organizations that serve those in recovery from OUD. Participants completed an in-person survey using an online platform (REDcap) and a series of cognitive tasks using the Penn Computerized Neurobehavioral Battery (CNB). Data from the survey and performance on the CNB were compared between those with and without a history of CSA.

Participants (N = 33) ranged in age from 31 to 60 years old (M = 45.56; SD = 8.67). Individuals with (CSA-Y, n = 20) vs. those without (CSA-N, n = 13) a history of CSA had significantly more mental health diagnoses (x2 = 7.98, p < 0.01) and depressive symptoms (t = 3.1, p < 0.01). The CSA-Y group had fewer correct responses than CSA-N for the Short Penn Line Orientation task (sPLOT, t = 2.5, p = 0.02). There were no other significant differences in the other CNB tasks. Adding depressive symptoms to the model made the CSA / sPLOT relationship non-significant. There was a tendency for depression symptoms to moderate the CSA / sPLOT relationship (change in R² = 0.05, F(1,29) = 3.1, p = 0.09). The CSA-Y group (R = -0.57) had a significant inverse relationship between depressive symptoms and sPLOT correct responses, but the CSA-N group did not.

Those with a history of CSA who are in recovery from OUD may have difficulties with executive functioning, particularly spatial reasoning compared to their recovering peers. The way depression manifests for these individuals is important to consider when designing interventions to support the mental and behavioral health of these populations.