Ecological EF in alcohol-dependent patients

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of ecological executive functioning in alcohol- dependent patients. Methods: The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult Version (BRIEF-A) was used to assess 103 alcohol-dependent patients and 106 healthy volunteers. Results: The total score and all factor scores of the alcohol-dependent patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy volunteers (all P<0.01). The daily alcohol consumption of alcohol-dependent patients was significantly positively correlated with working memory and emotional control of executive functioning (both P<0.05). Emotional control of executive functioning was identified as a risk factor for alcohol dependence (OR=1.375,P<0.05). Conclusion: Alcohol-dependent patients exhibited significant impairment in ecological executive functioning, with greater impairment observed in those with higher alcohol consumption. Poor emotional control was identified as a risk factor for alcohol dependence.