Mental imagery in Substance Use Disorder.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Substance related imagery: Prevalence, nature, associations with memories and maintenance of substance misuse.
IRAS ID
258128
Contact name
Tim Meynen
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 7 months, 3 days
Research summary
The role of mental imagery in substance misuse difficulties has been suggested as important by a number of cognitive and psychological theories of understanding addiction and addictive behaviour, particularly in cravings for the substance. The role of imagery has also been included in recent promising psychological interventions to reduce the level of substance misuse. However, there has been very little investigations into the prevalence or characteristics of the actual mental imagery experienced in these individuals, or how they vary across participants, substances etc.
This study will aim to provide a preliminary investigation into the presence and nature of mental imagery in adults with substance use disorders. It will look into the characteristics of the images reported by participants, the images connections with memories and how the presence of these images impact on participants substance using behaviour. We also aim to explore if there are any changes in the participants physiological reactions by monitoring their heart rate, when exploring mental imagery.
We will aim to explore mental imagery related to substance misuse difficulties by adapting a semi-structured interview that has been effectively applied to exploring mental imagery in a number of different clinical disorders, such as Social Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Health Anxiety and Agoraphobia.
This study therefore aims to provide valuable data and further understanding of the prevalence, nature and role of mental images, which could then contribute to the development and expansion of targeted and efficacious treatment for substance misuse.
Participants will be asked to complete two brief self-report measures, participate in a brief assessment of substance dependence and a semi-structured interview on mental imagery. This will occur while the participant is having their heart rate monitored by a none invasive heart rate monitor. This will occur in a single research appointment anticipated to last 60-75 minutes.
REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0580
Date of REC Opinion
11 Apr 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion