Toward a Cross-Domain Conception of Inhibitory Control Capacity as Relevant to Impulse Control Problems

• Other Authors: Venables, Noah C. (Noah Charles) (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Clinical psychology
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_FA2016_Venables_fsu_0071E_13525

Inhibitory control, the ability to resist of modulate impulses, is hypothesized to reflect an individual difference dimension of inhibition-disinhibition with important clinical implications. Poor impulse control (disinhibition) is a hallmark feature of antisocial and substance use disorders and is a risk factor for physical and other mental health problems including self-harm and suicide. Recent initiatives in the field call for a shift away from categorical conceptions of mental health and illness towards processes oriented descriptions with clearer referents to neurobiology. However, a number of roadblocks exist in incorporating measurement of neurobiology in the assessment of clinical problems. The psychoneurometric approach is well suited to address such roadblocks by providing an integrative framework for bridging across different measurement domains in the assessment of mental health phenomena. The current study further advances an integrative (psychoneurometric) assessment of inhibition-disinhibition through the use of carefully selected self-report psychometric scales, behavioral performance measures from laboratory inhibitory control tasks, and indicators of neurophysiological functioning. As predicted, variables from each measurement domain cohered together to form domain-specific factors. Further, a three-factor model with one higher-order factor was fit to the data, with the higher-order psychoneurometric factor reflecting the variance in common among domain-specific inhibition-disinhibition factors. The psychoneurometric operationalization of inhibition-disinhibition effectively predicted impulse control problems (Median r =.27), at levels exceeding behavioral or brain factors (Median rs = -.10 and -.21, respectively). Implications of a new, cross-domain conception of inhibitory control capacity as a referent for research on neurobiological mechanisms and clinical problems associated with poor inhibitory control will be discussed. === A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Psychology in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. === Fall Semester 2016. === September 20, 2016. === disinhibition, externalizing, inhibitory control, psychophysiology, Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) === Includes bibliographical references. === Christopher J. Patrick, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kevin M. Beaver, University Representative; Walter R. Boot, Committee Member; Joyce L. Carbonell, Committee Member; Thomas E. Joiner, Committee Member.