Matching Cognitive Remediation to Cognitive Deficits in Substance-Abusing Inmates

This is a 2 -year NIDA funded grant (Co-PIs: Joseph P. Newman, John Curtin, and Carl Lejuez) that examines whether recent progress in characterizing the cognitive deficits associated with psychopathic and externalizing offenders may be used to develop better therapeutic interventions to treat their substance abuse and other self-control problems. Inmates with externalizing or psychopathy will receive one of two computer-based interventions to remediate the core cognitive skills that have been linked to self-regulation deficits in the two groups. One intervention (ACC) targets the affective cognitive control deficits associated with externalizing offenders whereas the other intervention (ATC) targets the attention to context deficits associated with psychopathic offenders. The specific components of the project include: selection and randomization of inmates; pre- and post-treatment behavioral and brain-related (ERP and Startle) measures to evaluate the impact and specificity of the ACC and ATC treatments; and 6 sessions of behavioral (e.g. computerized) and verbal training in ACC or ATC.

Computer training on 3 tasks that targets the attention to context deficits associated with psychopathic offenders. Participants complete 6 training sessions, that include the tasks, feedback and real-world translational examples.

Computer training on 3 tasks that targets the affective cognitive control deficits associated with externalizing offenders. Participants complete 6 training sessions, that include the tasks, feedback and real-world translational examples.

We will measure electrophysiology (EEG), startle responses (EMG measured in microvolts), and behavioral responses on six tasks that measure such processes as affective regulation, distress tolerance, cognitive control, selective attention, and attending to context.

Assess change in the frequency of institution conduct reports post-treatment. We will compare frequency of these reports pre-treatment and post-treatment.

Inclusion Criteria: Male, ages 18-45 years, elevated scores of psychopathy or externalizing measures Exclusion Criteria: currently taking psychotropic medication, below a 4th grade reading level, history or current learning disability, history of head trauma with lasting effects, current diagnosis of PTSD, Bipolar, or psychosis

Baskin-Sommers AR, Curtin JJ, Newman JP. Altering the Cognitive-Affective Dysfunctions of Psychopathic and Externalizing Offender Subtypes with Cognitive Remediation. Clin Psychol Sci. 2015 Jan 1;3(1):45-57. doi: 10.1177/2167702614560744.