The impact of drug use on everyday memory and attention

Post date: Nov 6, 2011 2:31:42 AM

Poster prestented at the 19th Annual Conference on Object Perception, Attention, & Memory, November 3, 2011 (Seattle, WA)

Christopher Koch¹, Larry Jasper¹, & Mary Kate Koch²

¹George Fox University ²Gonzaga University

Abstract: Measures of everyday memory and attention can serve as indicators of regular and persistent memory and attention errors. The relationship between substance abuse and everyday memory and attention errors was examined in the present study. Volunteers were solicited from Narcotics Anonymous. Participants completed the Everyday Memory Questionnaire, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Drug Use Questionnaire (DAST-10), and a demographic questionnaire along with a short-term memory and a Stroop task. Results show that respondents who experienced at least one blackout had significantly more memory errors and were more likely to have nonbelieved memories than respondents who had experienced no blackouts.