Could sluggish cognitive tempo be a risk factor for methamphetamine use disorder?

Abstract

Objective: Methamphetamine use has risen significantly in the past decade. Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) is characterized by behaviors like excessive daydreaming, mental wandering, confusion, lethargy, and drowsiness. This study compares SCT during abstinence in individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) to the general population. Methods: The study included 66 patients with MUD who completed at least 2 weeks of detoxification and had no other psychiatric diagnoses, and 49 healthy individuals with similar sociodemographic characteristics. Sociodemographic Data Form, SCT evaluation scale and the Brief Functionality Form (BFF) were administered to both patient and control groups, and Addiction Profile Index (API) applied to the patient group. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Results: The SCT scores of the patient group (32.15 ± 12.298) were significantly higher than the scale scores of the control group (20.04 ± 7.303) (p <.001). Only the SCT value had a significant effect on the API value (p =.001) in the linear regression model, and each 1 unit increase in the SCT value caused a 0.089 unit increase in the API value. Conclusion: The SCT score was significantly higher in individuals with MUD. SCT might predict addiction severity, suggesting self-medication as a motivation for addiction in this group.