Resumen de Exploración psicométrica sobre deficiencia motivacional en consumidores de marihuana

Orlando Scoppetta Díaz-Granados, Guillermo Alonso Castaño Pérez, Elisardo Becoña Iglesias, Sandra Milena Restrepo Escobar

• español

  Si bien es común ver en la práctica clínica deficiencias en la motivación en usuarios de marihuana, no ha sido firmemente establecida la existencia de un posible síndrome amotivacional asociado con el consumo de esta droga, entre otras razones por la concurrencia de factores como la depresión que pueden llevar a generalizar inadecuadamente la situación de algunos usuarios de la sustancia. Esta investigación se orientó a obtener evidencia acerca de la existencia de deficiencias en la motivación en consumidores de marihuana. Se construyó una batería de preguntas a partir de una revisión y una consulta a expertos, que fue aplicada a una muestra de 1455 participantes, junto con otros instrumentos seleccionados para excluir del análisis a los participantes con depresión, síntomas prefrontales, trastornos por uso de alcohol, apatía y aplanamiento afectivo, que pudieran confundir los resultados. Se aplicaron métodos estadísticos y psicométricos basados en el modelo de Rasch, para establecer qué comportamientos serían más característicos de una deficiencia motivacional en consumidores habituales de marihuana. Se estimó que un 54.9 % de los participantes tendría un trastorno grave por uso de marihuana, un 54.0 %, síntomas de aplanamiento afectivo y un 60.9 % serían usuarios de marihuana con altos niveles de tetrahidrocannabinol (THC). La media de cigarrillos de marihuana consumidos al mes sería de 44.5. Mediante el modelo de Rasch se estableció que con el conjunto de preguntas construido era posible identificar una dimensión o factor coincidente con una deficiencia motivacional. Se encontró evidencia que sugiere la existencia de apatía emocional; retraimiento social; descuido de la imagen personal y enlentecimiento motor.

• English

  It is common to find marijuana users with alterations in motivation, in clinical practice. Several studies have found evidence about a possible amotivational syndrome in marijuana users, both from the analysis of behavior and from the neurological examination. However, the existence of such a syndrome associated with the use of marijuana has not been firmly established, among other reasons, due to the concurrence of factors such as depression and the use of other drugs that may lead to inadequate generalization of the situation of some consumers of the substance and due to methodological difficulties in research aimed at establishing whether or not there is a decrease in the general motivation associated with the use of marijuana. Likewise, the decrease in motivation could be the result of the disorder by substances rather than by the consumption of marijuana. Due to the growing use of marijuana in the world, the study of its consequences is of the greatest importance, for the design of better treatments for people with substance use disorders. The aim of this study was to obtain evidence about the existence or not of deficiencies in the motivation of marijuana users. In addition, we sought to establish which are the characteristic behaviors that show this possible reduction of motivation. A battery of questions was constructed from a systematic literature review in PubMed, Lilacs, MedLine, Cochrane library, Embase, Science Direct and Bibliomed, using as terms “amotivational syndrome”, “amotivation cannabis”, “amotivation marijuana”, “comorbidity cannabis”, “comorbidity marijuaba”, “mental disorders and cannabis”, “cannabis and mental consequences”, “amotivation and drug use”. Likewise, an expert consultation was done about behaviors that were indicative of a reduction in the motivation of marijuana users. From the review and consultation of experts, a set of 70 possible behaviors expressed in questions about probable deficiencies in motivation was extracted. These questions, along with other instruments selected to exclude from the analysis participants with depression, prefrontal symptoms, alcohol use disorders, apathy and affective flattening, which could confuse the results, were presented to a sample of 1455 participants. The Rasch model was applied to establish whether it was possible to identify a measurable and consistent dimension that corresponded to a deficiency in motivation, and to discern which behaviors would be most characteristic of a possible motivational deficiency in habitual marijuana users. In addition, an exploratory factor analysis was carried out to identify possible groupings of the characteristic symptoms of a reduction in motivation. Our Results and conclusions show that it was estimated that 54.9 % of the participants would have a serious disorder due to the use of marijuana; 54.0 % presented symptoms of affective flattening, and 60.9 % would be marijuana users with high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The average number of cigarettes consumed per month would be 44.5. Using the Rasch model it was established that, with the constructed set of questions, it was possible to identify a dimension or factor coinciding with a motivational deficiency. Using the exploratory factor analysis, it was found that the characteristic behaviors could be grouped into four possible subdimensions: emotional apathy; social withdrawal; neglect of personal image and motor slowdown.