Implicit and explicit cognition of Chinese heroin abusers

Sixty-five heroin abusers receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT), 38 heroin abusers not receiving MMT, and 30 nonusers of drugs participated in this investigation of cognition in heroin and methadone users. Heroin users were measured for both implicit and explicit cognition, while the control group of nonusers was measured only for implicit cognition. The results demonstrate that implicit cognition can influence the development of addictive behaviors, and that implicit and explicit cognition of heroin were separate and independent constructs. Based on the results of Implicit Association Tests (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) MMT appears to be a valid method for opiate withdrawal treatment as it reverses the implicit desire for heroin in heroin abusers.