Nicotine Dependence Severity and Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory: Assessing the Mediating Role of Risky Decision Making Using Path Analysis

Gray’s revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST) is a neuropsychological explanation of personality that has been broadly used in substance use disorders. Although the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) is strongly related to nicotine dependence, findings in Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) are controversial and there is little information about the role of the Fight/Flight/Freeze System (FFFS) in nicotine dependence. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the mediating role of Risky Decision Making (RDM) in this relationship to clarify the controversy and fill the gap.

The final sample of this correlation study comprised of 347 university students (age, Mean±SD 23.2±6.7) who completed two self-report measures, including the Fagerstrom Test For Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Jackson-5 questionnaire of r-RST, and a computerized Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to measure RDM. Pearson correlation and a path analysis framework were used to determine the simple, direct, and indirect effects of r-RST systems on nicotine dependence severity through RDM.

Using Amos, path analyses demonstrated significant direct and indirect effects of BAS and FFFS/BIS on tobacco use. Also, the relationship between BAS/FFFS/BIS and tobacco use was shown to be mediated by RDM.

It was demonstrated that the relationship among BAS /FFFS/BIS and tobacco use can be partly explained using maladaptive RDM strategies, suggesting that decreasing reliance on decision-making in risky situations, while increasing the use of decision-making skills educations in risky situations, and increasing the use of alternative sensation and fun seeking by smoking and emotion regulation and mindfulness-based therapies might be effective interventions for subjects with heightened threat and reward sensitivity