The Relationship between Different Amounts of Physical Exercise, Internal Inhibition, and Drug Craving in Individuals with Substance-Use Disorders

Tingran Zhang, Kun Wang, Ning Li, Chansol Hurr and Jiong Luo
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Tingran Zhang: Research Centre for Activity Detoxification, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Kun Wang: Research Centre for Activity Detoxification, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Ning Li: Integrative Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Chansol Hurr: Integrative Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Physical Education, Jeonbuk National University, 567 Baekje-daero, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-si 54896, Jeollabuk-do, Korea
Jiong Luo: Research Centre for Activity Detoxification, College of Physical Education, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: Purpose: To explore the relationship between different amounts of physical exercise and drug craving in individuals with substance-use disorders (SUD), and to reveal the mediating role of internal inhibition between physical activity and drug craving. Method: This study adopted the Physical Activity Rating Scale, Internal Inhibition Scale, and Drug Craving Scale to assess 438 cases of SUD in a compulsory isolation detoxification center in southwest China. Results: (1) The amount of physical exercise individuals with SUD engaged in was positively correlated with internal inhibition and negatively correlated with drug craving, while the amount of physical exercise was negatively correlated with drug craving. (2) The amount of physical exercise was able to negatively predict drug craving in addicts, the amount of physical exercise and internal inhibition were able to jointly predict drug craving, and internal inhibition played a mediating role between the amount of physical exercise and drug craving (the mediating effect was 0.22). (3) There was a dose-effect relationship regarding different amounts of physical exercises and drug craving. Internal inhibition did not mediate between a low amount of physical exercise and drug craving, it played a partial mediating role between a moderate amount of physical exercise and drug craving (the mediating effect was −0.19), and it played a partial mediating role between a high amount of physical exercise and drug craving (the mediating effect was −0.15). Conclusions: Physical activity has a positive effect on reducing drug craving in individuals with SUD. Moreover, in the process of sports rehabilitation for SUD, medium or high amounts of physical activity were required in order to effectively reduce and alleviate drug cravings.

Keywords: SUD; amount of physical exercise; drug craving; internal inhibition; mediating effect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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