A network analysis of early trauma and impulsive behavior in individuals with alcohol, cocaine, and polysubstance use disorder

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between impulsivity and early trauma through a network analysis in individuals diagnosed with different substance use disorders. Methods: In a cross-sectional design, the sample included 556 men with substance use disorders (195 with alcohol use, 157 with cocaine/crack use, and 214 with polysubstance use). Early trauma and impulsive behavior were assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, respectively. The connection between trauma and impulsivity was assessed using network analysis through a fused graphical lasso algorithm. Results: No connection was observed between impulsivity and trauma networks in individuals with alcohol use disorder. In those with cocaine use disorder, networks were linked through the motor domain and sexual abuse nodes. Inverse connections were observed between the emotional neglect node and perseverance, but not the non-planning node. In polysubstance use, the connection between impulsivity and trauma networks was weak, with the cognitive complexity node connecting to the trauma network through physical abuse. There connections were inversely proportional between the motor domain and emotional neglect nodes, as well as between cognitive instability and physical neglect. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the relationship between the type of early (childhood) trauma and the expression of impulsivity could lead to different substance use profiles.