Rates Of Delay Discounting Research Articles

To What Extent Are College Students’ Delay Discounting and Systematic Responding Rates Related to Time of Semester?

Researchers who use undergraduate participants may be concerned about variation in data quality at different times of the semester. For instance, students who are more self-controlled may get their course credit earlier in the semester whereas those who procrastinate may wait until the end. Therefore, a potential time-of-semester effect may influence research data. This study sought to examine the relation between time of semester and delay discounting (DD)—a process that refers to an individual’s sensitivity to delayed rewards. DD may also directly relate to the decision to participate in research. Undergraduate participants completed money (n = 149) and food (n = 150) DD measures. Patterns in DD were examined across the semester. The number of systematic responders (i.e., those that follow a hyperbolic discounting curve) was also examined to determine the extent to which inattentive or random responding might be related to time of semester. Regression analyses revealed that money DD was consistent and stable across the semester. Food DD, controlling for subjective hunger as a co-variate increased slightly, though significantly, at the end of the semester. The percentage of participants with systematic discounting remained high throughout the semester for money and food DD, however, food DD had more variability, particularly towards the middle of the semester. Therefore, for college students, monetary DD is consistent across time of semester, but food DD slightly increases as the semester ends.

Effectiveness and feasibility of the self-administered and repeated episodic future thinking exercises in smoking cessation.

Delay discounting (DD) is associated with smoking behavior and relapses. Episodic future thinking (EFT) is one of the leading interventions shown to reduce DD. The 1-month follow-up study with 60 participants that employed EFT as active intervention and episodic recent thinking (ERT) as control intervention was conducted in participants receiving smoking cessation treatment. In EFT group, there was significant decrease in DD rates from pre-intervention to post-intervention (p = 0.009), whereas no significant change was observed in ERT group (p = 0.497). DD rates in EFT group did not change significantly over 1 month (p = 0.059), while decrease was detected in ERT group (p = 0.011). Smoking cessation rates between groups were similar (p = 0.486). Adherence with completing follow-up evaluation forms and performing relevant exercises was higher in EFT group (p = 0.038, p = 0.006). Adding EFT to usual smoking cessation treatment did not increase smoking cessation rates, however feasibility of the self-administered exercises needs to be improved to clarify clinical effects.

Episodic future thinking: A behavioral intervention to promote weight loss in breast cancer survivors.

e22541 Background: Digital behavioral interventions are a scalable method to increase healthy lifestyle engagement. Episodic future thinking (EFT) is a behavior change method where participants mentally simulate positive, detailed, personal, and future-oriented events. EFT targets delay discounting (DD), a behavioral economic principle that measures valuation of long-term, future rewards. Higher DD correlates with bias of immediate gratification and maladaptive health behaviors. EFT can decrease impulsivity and improve body weight (BW) in those with obesity. However, EFT may impact cancer survivors differently. We report results from a phase II trial evaluating the feasibility of 12 week (wk) EFT in overweight/obese BC survivors. Methods: Eligibility included women with non-metastatic BC, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and completion of BC treatment apart from endocrine therapy. All patients (pts) received lifestyle counseling, referral to nutritionist, and logged exercise/diet in MyFitnessPal. Pts were stratified by baseline DD and randomized 1:1 to 12-wk EFT vs control (Episodic Recent Thinking; ERT) in which pts imagine events in the past. Pts received text cues 3x/day during meals. The primary endpoint was adherence to EFT (percentage of smartphone prompts opened and attended to over 12 wk). Secondary endpoints were 12 wk change in BW and DD. A one-sample t-test evaluated adherence in pts regardless of drop-out and compared to an 80% target. A linear mixed effects model was used for secondary endpoints. Results: Pts were recruited from November 2021 - August 2023 (Table 1, n = 46) at The Ohio State University. In total, 17 (74%) in EFT and 19 (83%) in ERT completed the intervention. The average adherence was consistent with the 80% target (EFT 77%, 95% CI = 0.69 - 0.85; ERT 82%; 95% CI = 0.78 - 0.86). BW at 12 wk was available in 17 (74%) EFT and 19 (83%) ERT pts. There was a significant 12 wk change in BW in all pts (-4.0 lbs, 95% CI -6.08 - -1.79, p < 0.001; -2.03%, 95% CI -3.15 - -0.91, p < 0.001) but no significant difference between groups (lbs: -2.28 EFT vs -5.42 ERT, 95% CI -7.41 - 1.14, p = 0.1; %: -1.07 EFT vs -5.20 ERT, 95% CI -4.01 - 0.37, p = 0.1). There was no significant difference in 12 wk change in DD rate between EFT and ERT (ratio 1.56, 95% CI 0.19 - 12.95, p = 0.7). Conclusions: The high adherence supports the feasibility of implementing EFT and engaging digital health for remotely delivered weight loss in BC survivors. BW loss was globally observed, despite low baseline DD in the majority. Further investigation of EFT in combination with lifestyle intervention is needed to formally assess efficacy in this population. Clinical trial information: NCT05012176 . [Table: see text]

Role of delay discounting in resisting in-class media multitasking under contextual control: a cluster analysis

ABSTRACT The present study examined a potential mechanism underlying college students’ resisting in-class media multitasking under contextual control from a behavioural economic perspective. Using a hierarchical cluster analysis, we first identified subgroups of students who differed in frequencies of media multitasking across two contexts (preferred and non-preferred classes). We then compared a subgroup of students who could resist media multitasking in one context but not in another context with other subgroups of students in terms of rates of delay discounting and levels of impulse control. In the delay-discounting task, participants made a series of choices between smaller amounts of hypothetical monetary rewards available immediately and a larger amount of hypothetical monetary rewards available after a delay. Impulse control was measured by a self-reported scale. The primary finding was that the subgroup of students who could resist media multitasking in preferred but not non-preferred classes showed significantly lower rates of delay discounting than the subgroup of students who frequently engaged in media multitasking in both preferred and non-preferred classes. Implications for developing effective intervention strategies from a behavioural economic perspective are discussed.

Art-delivered episodic future thinking reduces delay discounting: A phase IIa proof-of-concept trial

IntroductionHigh rates of delay discounting (DD), or the preference for immediate rewards over delayed rewards, is associated with substance use disorder (SUD). Lower rates of DD predict better treatment outcomes, and thus strategies that reduce DD may support SUD recovery. The process of vividly imagining a future event, known as episodic future thinking (EFT), may be a particularly viable approach to reduce DD. Some limited research has examined delivery of EFT in treatment settings, using verbal prompts that are typical of studies in non-treatment settings. We propose that the creation of visual art represents a unique alignment of the purpose of EFT with an innovative delivery modality in treatment settings. MethodsThis single arm, proof-of-concept trial evaluated art-delivered EFT (ArtEFT) to reduce DD in a sample of women (N = 39) in a residential SUD treatment center. Participants engaged in a single, 1-h ArtEFT session during which they engaged in EFT and created a visual representation using art materials. The study collected DD measures for hypothetical money ($50 and $1000 magnitude conditions) before and after ArtEFT. ResultsUsing area-under-the-curve (AUCord) as the index of DD, the study observed predicted changes following the ArtEFT session. The ANOVA revealed statistically significant main effects of both magnitude [F(1,38) = 11.184, p = .002] and time [F(1. 38) = 4.731, p = .036], with a non-significant interaction [F(1,38) = 3.821, p = .058]. ConclusionThis study reveals promising preliminary indicators that art may be an effective modality to deliver EFT, with particular advantages for implementation given the popularity of art programming in SUD treatment programs.

Health factors that influence sustainable behaviour in a single-player resource management game

Encouraging sustainable use of limited natural, social, and economic resources requires understanding the variety of ways in which people think about how resources work and how they adjust their behaviour (or not) as available resources fluctuate. Previous investigations which have focused on understanding how individuals navigate erodible resources, have tended to use group-based, common pool games. However, such social games make it difficult to disentangle whether resource erosion is linked to difficulty navigating the dynamics of the resource or caused by social factors. Here, in two experiments, we recruited 781 participants to play a single-player resource management game in which individuals were invited to harvest monetary rewards from a fully depletable but stochastically replenishing resource over time. We find that the ability to sustain a resource over successive harvesting opportunities (in order to maximize the total harvested rewards) is reliably worse in individuals reporting elevated psychological distress, the often cooccurring hazardous alcohol use, and elevated rates of delay discounting. The associations between resource outcomes, harmful alcohol use, and psychological distress remained substantial even once we had controlled for elevated discounting rates (as a form of impulsivity and a strong risk factor for these health challenges). By contrast, individuals who reported higher levels of financial literacy and general well-being achieved better resource outcomes. Our observations demonstrate that the capacity to respond effectively to the dynamics of a resource are compromised in individuals at risk of psychological and alcohol-related disorders.

Utility of the 5-trial adjusting delay task in screening for high delay discounting rates: A cohort study of individuals reporting harmful alcohol and tobacco use.

High delay discounting (DD) rates are associated with several health conditions, including addiction. Investigators interested in the modulation of DD rates may be interested in screening for individuals with high DD rates within substance-using samples. The adjusting delay discounting task (ADT) is a brief DD rate measure suitable for screening purposes, but how performance on this task is related to more granular DD measures (e.g., adjusting amount task; AAT) in individuals who use substances is unknown. This study investigated the relationship between DD rates measured by the ADT and AAT to assess the utility of the ADT in screening for high discounting rates in individuals who use tobacco and alcohol. Participants (N = 488) were screened for high discounting rates, ln(k) ≥ -4.3118, using the ADT. Subsequently, participants completed the AAT. Linear regressions were conducted to understand the relationship between the ADT and AAT DD rates. Separate analyses between the total, high-quality and low-quality samples were conducted. Significant relationships between the ADT and AAT were found for the total (p < .001), high-quality (p < .001), and low-quality samples (p < .001). Although the ADT overestimated DD rates on the AAT by 2.49, 2.29, and 2.97 units in the total, high-quality, and low-quality samples, the ADT accurately identified individuals with high discounting rates. Specifically, 71% of the total sample, 80% of the high-quality sample, and 66% of the low-quality sample maintained a high DD rate on the AAT. These results demonstrate that ADT can be used as a quick, accurate screening tool to identify high discounting rates in individuals who use substances. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Valuation of future alcohol in cross-commodity delay discounting is associated with alcohol misuse/consequences.

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the reduction in reward value as a function of its delay, and individuals who misuse alcohol typically exhibit high rates of DD, which may reflect a general preference for immediate outcomes. This interpretation is based on studies utilizing single-commodity DD tasks where the same commodity is available immediately and following a delay. Cross-commodity DD tasks require individuals to choose between different commodities at varying delays and may provide the potential to further illuminate intertemporal preference associated with alcohol misuse. The present study examined associations between single-commodity and cross-commodity DD rates with alcohol use metrics among young adults. DD by young adults (N = 70, aged 19-24, 71% male, 80% White) who engage in hazardous drinking was examined using a fully parametric combination of immediate and delayed alcohol and money outcomes. We hypothesized that past 30-day alcohol use and alcohol-related negative consequences would be associated with preference for alcohol outcomes independent of whether alcohol was immediate or delayed. Results support the hypothesis, as past 30-day consumption and AUDIT scores were positively associated with rate of DD in the immediate alcohol versus delayed money task and negatively associated with rate of DD in the immediate money versus delayed alcohol task. Moreover, we found the immediate money versus delayed alcohol task provided unique explanatory power for individual alcohol use. The observed associations indicate that willingness to invest in future access to alcohol may be associated with elevated alcohol use and related consequences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Discounting of delayed rewards: Missing data imputation for the 21- and 27-item monetary choice questionnaires.

The Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ) is a widely used behavioral task that measures the rate of delay discounting (i.e., k), the degree to which a delayed reward loses its present value as a function of the time to its receipt. Both 21- and 27-item MCQs have been extensively validated and proven valuable in research. Different methods have been developed to streamline MCQ scoring. However, existing scoring methods have yet to tackle the issue of missing responses or provide clear guidance on imputing such data. Due to this lack of knowledge, the present study developed and compared three imputation approaches that leverage the MCQ's structure and prioritize ease of implementation. Additionally, their performance was compared with mode imputation. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to evaluate the performance of these approaches in handling various missing responses in each observation across two datasets from prior studies that employed the 21- and 27-item MCQs. One of the three approaches consistently outperformed mode imputation across all performance measures. This approach involves imputing missing values using congruent non-missing responses to the items corresponding to the same k value or introducing random responses when congruent answers are unavailable. This investigation unveils a straightforward method for imputing missing data in the MCQ while ensuring unbiased estimates. Along with the investigation, an R tool was developed for researchers to implement this strategy while streamlining the MCQ scoring process.

The Associations between Remission Status, Discounting Rates, and Recovery from Substance Use Disorders

Background: Recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs) requires sustained and purposeful support to maintain long-term remission. Methods: This study investigated the association between assessment of recovery capital, household chaos, delay discounting (DD) and probability discounting (PD), and remission status among individuals in recovery from SUD. Data from 281 participants from the International Quit & Recovery Registry (IQRR), an ongoing online registry that aims to study the recovery process, were included in the analysis. Results: Lower DD rates and higher recovery capital were found among those in remission compared to those not in remission after controlling for demographics. In contrast, the association of household chaos and PD with remission status were insignificant. Overall, DD accounted for 20% of the total effect between the recovery capital and the remission status. Conclusion: This study contributes to the understanding of recovery as a multidimensional process, supports DD as a behavioral marker of addiction, and suggests areas for future research.

Single- and Cross-Commodity Delay Discounting of Cannabis.

Despite extensive literature that has identified high rates of delay discounting as a behavioral correlate of substance misuse, associations of cannabis use measures and delay discounting are less consistent. Furthermore, there is very limited research examining cannabis use using cross-commodity delay discounting tasks, where the immediate and delayed outcomes are different commodities. Using conventional single-commodity delay discounting tasks for money and cannabis outcomes as well as cross-commodity delay discounting tasks (i.e., cannabis now vs. money later, money now vs. cannabis later), we examined associations of delay discounting rates with cannabis use frequency, cannabis use disorder symptom count, cannabis-related problems, and craving among young adult cannabis users (N = 115; M age = 20.7, SD = 2.6; M cannabis use days per month = 15.5, SD = 10.0). Although associations between cannabis use measures and rates of delay discounting in single-commodity conditions were modest, significant associations were observed with delay discounting rates in cross-commodity conditions. Of note, regression and model comparison analyses generally showed positive associations of cannabis measures with immediate cannabis versus delayed money delay discounting rates, and negative associations of cannabis measures with immediate money versus delayed cannabis delay discounting rates. The results suggest that problematic cannabis use may not be strictly associated with the inability to wait for delayed outcomes, as suggested by previous research implementing single-commodity delay discounting tasks, but also with a willingness to wait for delayed access to cannabis.

Episodic future thinking: A behavioral intervention to promote weight loss in breast cancer survivors.

TPS12139 Background: Obesity at diagnosis is associated with an increase in breast cancer (BC) specific mortality. Behavioral interventions targeting obesity-related health choices offer a scalable approach to improve patient engagement in the community. Episodic Future Thinking (EFT) is a novel remotely delivered behavioral intervention which engages the science of prospection where participants mentally simulate positive, detailed, and personal events that can occur in the future. EFT targets a key behavioral economic measure – Delay Discounting (DD). As DD rate rises, an individual devalues future outcomes to a greater degree and has a higher bias for immediate gratification. EFT can decrease DD in obese patients, leading to improved diet quality and weight loss. However, valuation of the future may impact cancer survivors differently. Herein, we propose the first randomized Phase II trial evaluating adherence and changes in DD and body weight with 12-week remotely delivered EFT vs control in overweight or obese BC survivors. Methods: Eligible patients have a history of DCIS or stage 1 to 3 BC, BMI &gt; 25 kg/m2, have completed surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and are motivated to lose weight. They are randomized 1:1 to a 12-week EFT intervention or control (Episodic Recent Thinking; ERT). ERT is a validated control in which patients imagine events in the recent past. Randomization will be stratified by baseline DD rate. There is an optional 12 week follow up period where patients can continue to receive EFT or ERT cues. DD will be measured at baseline and every 4 weeks for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint is adherence, measured by percentage of thrice daily smartphone prompts participants open and attend to during the 12-week trial. Secondary endpoints are changes in body weight and DD rate at 12 and 24 weeks and change in PROs (PROMIS scales), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), hs-CRP, and diet quality (HEI 2015) at 12 weeks from baseline. With 20 subjects per arm, the study has 80% power to detect deviation of 14 points from a target adherence rate of 80% using a 1 sample t-test. The primary endpoint is evaluable for all subjects, regardless of drop-out. Secondary endpoints will be evaluated using a linear mixed effects model. Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals will be two-sided at 5% significance/95% confidence level. Since trial activation in November 2021, 9 of the planned 46 patients are enrolled. Accrual is closely integrated with the dedicated Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Survivorship Program. This work is supported by the Alliance Cancer Control Program Pilot Award (5UG1CA189823-08). Clinical trial information: NCT05012176.

The Effects of Working Memory versus Adaptive Visual Search Control Training on Executive Cognitive Function.

There is considerable debate about whether Working Memory (WM) training specifically results in far-transfer improvements in executive cognitive function (ECF) rather than improvements on tasks similar to the training tasks. There has also been recent interest in whether WM training can improve ECF in clinical populations with clear deficits in ECFs. The current study examined the effects of WM training compared with non-WM adaptive Visual Search (VS) control training (15 sessions over 4 weeks) on various measures of ECF, including delay discounting (DD) rate, inhibition on flanker, color and spatial Stroop tasks, and drinking in a community-recruited sample with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD, 41 men, 41 women, mean age = 21.7 years), who were not in treatment or seeking treatment, and non-AUD healthy controls (37 men, 52 women, mean age = 22.3 years). Both WM and VS training were associated with improvements on all ECF measures at 4 weeks and 1-month follow-up. WM and VS training were associated with reductions in both DD rates and interference on Stroop and Flanker tasks in all participants, as well as reductions in drinking in AUD participants that remained apparent one month post training. The results suggest that nonspecific effects of demanding cognitive training, as opposed to specific WM training effects, could enhance ECF, and that such enhancements are retained at least one-month post-training.

Associations of delay discounting and drinking trajectories from ages 14 to 22.

While drinking alcohol, one must choose between the immediate rewarding effects and the delayed reward of a healthier lifestyle. Individuals differ in their devaluation of a delayed reward based on the time required to receive it, i.e., delay discounting (DD). Previous studies have shown that adolescents discount more steeply than adults and that steeper DD is associated with heavier alcohol use in both groups. In a large-scale longitudinal study, we investigated whether higher rates of DD are an antecedent or a consequence of alcohol use during adolescent development. As part of the IMAGEN project, 2220 adolescents completed the Monetary Choice Questionnaire as a DD measure, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, and the Timeline Follow Back interview at ages 14, 16, 18, and 22. Bivariate latent growth curve models were applied to investigate the relationship between DD and drinking. To explore the consequences of drinking, we computed the cumulative alcohol consumption and correlated it with the development of discounting. A subsample of 221 participants completed an intertemporal choice task (iTeCh) during functional magnetic resonance imaging at ages 14, 16, and 18. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to differentiate between high-risk and low-risk drinkers on the development of neural processing during intertemporal choices. Overall, high rates of DD at age 14 predicted a greater increase in drinking over 8years. In contrast, on average, moderate alcohol use did not affect DD from ages 14 to 22. Of note, we found indicators for less brain activity in top-down control areas during intertemporal choices in the participants who drank more. Steep DD was shown to be a predictor rather than a consequence of alcohol use in low-level drinking adolescents. Important considerations for future longitudinal studies are the sampling strategies to be used and the reliability of the assessments.

Latent Heterogeneity in the Impact of Financial Coaching on Delay Discounting among Low-Income Smokers: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Low-income adults are significantly more likely to smoke, and face more difficulty in quitting, than people with high income. High rates of delay discounting (DD) may be an important factor contributing to the high rates of tobacco use among low-income adults. Future-oriented financial coaching may offer a novel approach in the treatment of smoking cessation among low-income adults. This secondary analysis (N = 251) of data from a randomized controlled trial examined the integration of future-oriented financial coaching into smoking cessation treatment for low-income smokers. Linear regression and finite mixture models (FMM) estimated the overall and the latent heterogeneity of the impact of the intervention versus usual care control on DD rates 6 months after randomization. Though standard linear regression found no overall difference in DD between intervention and control (β = −0.23, p = 0.338), the FMM identified two latent subgroups with different responses to the intervention. Subgroup 1 (79% of the sample) showed no difference in DD between intervention and control (β = 0.25, p = 0.08). Subgroup 2 (21% of the sample) showed significantly lower DD (β = −2.06, p = 0.003) among intervention group participants versus control at 6 months. Participants were more likely to be a member of subgroup 2 if they had lower baseline DD rates, were living at or below 100% of federal poverty, or were married/living with a partner. This study identified a group of low-income adults seeking to quit smoking who responded to financial coaching with decreased DD rates. These results can be used to inform future targeting of the intervention to individuals who may benefit most, as well as inform future treatment adaptations to support the subgroup of low-income smokers, who did not benefit.

Are You Sure: Preference and Ambivalence in Delay Discounting.

Delay discounting (DD) research has become ubiquitous due to its robust associations with clinical outcomes. Typical DD tasks involve multiple trials in which participants indicate preference between smaller, sooner and larger, later rewards. Scoring of these binary choice tasks has not considered trial-level ambivalence as a possible decision-making construct. The present study explored the extent to which trial-level ambivalence varied within-individual using an established assessment of DD (the Monetary Choice Questionnaire). Results indicate that degree of ambivalence peaks around the trials associated with the DD rate. Moreover, ambivalence is associated with a diminished impact of reward delay differences on choice, where greater delay differences decrease the odds of choosing the larger, later rewards. Taken together, we believe ambivalence to be a relevant construct for research on intertemporal decision making, and it may be particularly useful in the study of manipulations on individual rates of DD.

Working Memory Training Reduces Cigarette Smoking Among Low-Income Individuals With Elevated Delay Discounting.

The competing neurobehavioral decision systems theory conceptualizes addictive behavior, such as cigarette smoking, as arising from the imbalance between stronger impulsive relative to weaker executive decision processes. Working memory trainings may enhance executive decision processes, yet few studies have evaluated its efficacy on substance misuse, with mixed evidence. The current study is the first to evaluate the efficacy of a working memory training on cigarette smoking. We consider the moderating role of delay discounting (DD), or the preference for smaller, immediately available rewards relative to larger, delayed rewards, which has been associated with smoking onset, progression, and resumption. The investigation focuses on individuals living in high-poverty, low-resource environments due high burden of tobacco-related disease they experience. The study utilized a subset of data (N = 177 individuals who smoke) generated from a randomized clinical trial that is evaluating the efficacy of working memory training for improving health-related outcomes. Participants were randomized to complete up to 15 sessions of the active, working memory training or a control training. Findings showed that among participants who were randomized to the working memory condition, those with higher rates of baseline DD demonstrated decreases in cigarette smoking (p = .05). Conversely, individuals randomized to the control condition, who had higher rates of baseline DD exhibited increases in cigarette smoking (p = .025). Results suggest that DD may be an important indicator of working memory training outcomes and a possible approach for effectively targeting treatments in the future. DD is important indicator of working memory training outcomes on cigarette smoking. The findings suggest the possibility to effectively target treatments considering the impact of DD. Given that rates of DD tend to be higher among individuals from low-resource communities, and that computer-based working memory training programs are relatively low-cost and scalable, these findings suggest this approach may have specific utility for adults at heightened risk for cigarette use.This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier NCT03501706).

The phenotype of recovery VI: The association between life-history strategies, delay discounting, and maladaptive health and financial behaviors among individuals in recovery from alcohol use disorders.

The life-history theory is a well-established framework that predicts behaviors and explains how and why organisms allocate effort and resources to different life goals. Delay discounting (DD) is associated with risky behaviors and has been suggested as a candidate behavioral marker of addiction. Thus, we investigated the relationship between DD, life-history strategies, and engagement in risky behaviors among individuals in recovery from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Data from 110 individuals in recovery from addiction from The International Quit & Recovery Registry, an ongoing online registry designed to understand recovery phenotype, were included in the analysis. The association between life-history strategies, DD, engagement in risky behaviors, and remission status were assessed. Life-history strategy scores were significantly associated with DD rates and finance, health, and personal development behaviors after controlling for age, sex, race, ethnicity, years of education, marital status, smoking status, and history of other substance use. Remission status was significantly associated with life-history strategy, DD, drug use, fitness, health, and safe driving after controlling for age, sex, race, years of education, marital status, and smoking status. In addition, a mediation analysis using Hayes' methods revealed that the discounting rates partially mediated the association between remission status and life-history strategy scores. Life-history strategies and remission status are both significantly associated with DD and various health and finance behaviors among individuals in recovery from AUD. This finding supports the characterizations of DD as a candidate behavioral marker of addiction that could help differentiate subgroups needing special attention or specific interventions to improve the outcomes of their recovery. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to understand the relationships between changes in life-history strategies, DD, maladaptive health behaviors, and remission status over time.

A meta-analysis of the effects of episodic future thinking on delay discounting

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the phenomenon in which the subjective value of future rewards is reduced over time. There are individual differences in the DD rate, and increased discounting has been observed in those with various psychiatric disorders. Episodic future thinking (EFT) is the act of vividly imagining events that may happen in the future. Studies have shown that EFT could reduce DD, although inconsistent results have been reported. The aim of this meta-analysis was to clarify the efficacy with which EFT reduces DD and to identify potential moderators. Forty-seven studies (including 63 contrasts) were included in the final analysis. EFT was found to significantly reduce DD (Hedges’ g = 0.52). Moderator analysis showed that positive EFT ( g = 0.64) was more effective in reducing DD than EFT with the valence not specifically mentioned ( g = 0.28) and EFT with neutral or negative valence ( g = –0.03). In addition, several factors related to the control task and DD task were related to the efficacy of EFT to reduce DD. These findings have implications for using EFT to reduce DD in the future.

Males (but not females) who use social networking sites excessively make more impulsive decisions than those who do not: Role of gender and delay discounting

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to examine the role of gender and impulsive decision making on social networking site (SNS) use in college students. Participants completed a delay-discounting task with hypothetical monetary rewards, in which they made repeated choices between a larger amount of money obtained later and an equal or lower amount of money obtained immediately. Based on the reported hours spent for SNS use, the participants were first grouped into the high or low SNS use group. They were then grouped by gender. The results show that, in females, the high SNS users did not differ significantly from the low SNS users in terms of rates of delay discounting, whereas in males, the high SNS users discounted delayed monetary rewards at greater rates than the low SNS users. These findings support the conclusion that gender acts as a moderating variable in the relation between SNS use and impulsive decision making. The present study contributes to the literature by providing implications for developing effective intervention strategies for excessive/problematic SNS use.