Table : TABLE 9.6 • Psychological Factors That Contribute to Stimulant Use Disorders
  • Observational learning: People observe models using substances as a coping strategy and develop expectations about drug use.*
  • Operant conditioning:
  • Positive reinforcement leads to subsequent expectations of reward, which in turn lead to reward craving.*
  • Substance use alleviates a negative state, which provides negative reinforcement and leads to relief craving; substance use can become a chronic coping strategy.*
  • Classical conditioning: Drug cues elicit a craving*
  • *This factor is not unique to stimulant use disorders.