Context-dependent asymmetries in intertemporal decision-making: a comparative study of substance use disorder and control groups.

Hao Zhang, Shinian Ou, Huoyin Zhang, Cunfeng Yuan, Peng Lei

Abstract readComparative Study

In one paragraph

Article in Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Hao ZhangChengdu Normal University, Chengdu, China.

Shinian OuCivil Aviation Flight University of China, Deyang, China.

Huoyin ZhangArmy Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Cunfeng YuanMinistry of Justice of the People's Republic of China, Beijing, China.

Peng LeiSichuan Tourism University, No.459 Hongling Road, Longquanyi District, Chengdu, China. lp.rab1214@gmail.com.

Funding

Humanities and Social Science Fund of Ministry of Education of China 18YJCZH233Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Department Key Research and Development Project 2023YFS0423

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study investigated context-dependent intertemporal decision-making patterns in substance use disorder (SUD) through a comprehensive experimental paradigm examining both gain and loss contexts. Using mixed-effects analysis of 26,144 decisions from 186 participants (100 SUD, 86 controls), we found significant group differences in context-dependent choice patterns (OR = 0.39, p <.001). The SUD group showed enhanced preference for delayed losses (lnk = 4.67 vs. 4.81, p <.001) but only marginally stronger immediate reward preference (lnk = 4.40 vs. 4.37, p =.089). While temporal processing remained intact across groups (OR = 0.98, p =.785), magnitude sensitivity varied significantly by context, particularly in loss scenarios. These findings challenge traditional views of uniformly impaired decision-making in SUD and suggest the need for context-aware intervention strategies that leverage preserved temporal processing abilities.

Indexed as

Decision MakingDelay DiscountingSubstance-Related DisordersAdultCase-Control StudiesFemaleHumansMaleRewardYoung AdultContext-dependent processingIntertemporal decision-makingLoss aversionSubstance use disorderTemporal discounting

Identifiers

PMID42021354

DOI10.1186/s13011-026-00729-2

PMCPMC13244943

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.