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Abstract

A brief personality risk profile (23 items), the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale was tested for concurrent and predictive validity for substance use in 1139 adolescents (grades 8-10) from a mid-sized city in western Canada. The SURPS was administered in two waves of a longitudinal study separated by 12 months (2003-04). As expected, four subscales were supported by confirmatory factor and metric invariance analysis. In regression analysis, three subscales, hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking, were positively related to current and future use; while one, anxiety sensitivity, was negatively related. Findings suggest clinical utility for screening adolescents at risk for substance use.

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... The four-factor personality vulnerability model for substance misuse seems particularly well suited for understanding risk for cannabis misuse in that each of the traits from the four-factor model have been associated with cannabis use frequency and/or problems (i.e., negative consequences of cannabis use). For example, in a longitudinal study with adolescents, Krank et al. (2011) showed that H, SS, and IMP were each independently associated with increased concurrent cannabis use, and that H and SS each independently predicted increased cannabis use one year later. In a cannabis-using sample, AS was positively correlated with level of cannabis problems (Zvolensky et al., 2018). ...
... In a cannabis-using sample, AS was positively correlated with level of cannabis problems (Zvolensky et al., 2018). However, the relation with AS is complicated as high AS has been associated with lower cannabis use levels (Krank et al., 2011), likely due to fears of the sensations brought on by cannabis (e.g., derealization). ...
... Those high in IMP may be less likely to use PBS as they are less apt to carry out the planning required for PBS (Martens et al., 2011). In contrast, individuals high in AS may be more likely to employ PBS if they expect using a substance will lead to an exacerbation of anxiety symptoms, as PBS will serve to avoid or minimize adverse effects of the substance (Krank et al., 2011). Nogueira-Arjona et al. (2021) recently explored the mediating role of PBS-A in the relationship between the four-factor model traits and problematic alcohol use. ...
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Anxiety sensitivity (AS), hopelessness (H), sensation seeking (SS), and impulsivity (IMP) are traits implicated in substance misuse risk. Protective behavioral strategies for marijuana (PBS-M) are behaviors that decrease adverse effects of cannabis use. We hypothesized H, SS, and IMP would be associated with increased adverse cannabis outcomes via decreased PBS-M use, whereas AS would be indirectly associated with decreased cannabis outcomes via increased PBS-M use, and directly associated with increased cannabis-related problems. Analyses were conducted on data from N = 520 past six-month cannabis-using university students who completed measures of personality, PBS-M, cannabis use frequency, and cannabis-related problems. H and IMP were associated with more frequent and problematic cannabis use via decreased PBS-M use. AS was associated with less frequent and problematic cannabis use via increased PBS-M use. PBS-M may prove a useful intervention target to mitigate risk for frequent and problematic cannabis use in university students high on H or IMP.
... Among nonclinical samples of adolescents, a minority have been able to demonstrate acceptable fit indices for the independentclusters four-factor model without the use of post-hoc modifications (e.g., CFI = 0.92 to 0.95, RMSEA = 0.05 to 0.06) (Memetovic et al., 2014;Siu, 2011). Others have had to utilize post-hoc modifications (i.e., removing items, correlating errors of similarly worded and reverse-scored items, itemfactor cross-loadings) to obtain adequate fit indices among adolescent samples (CFI = 0.89 to 0.94; RMSEA = 0.04 to 0.06) (Ali et al., 2016;Jurk et al., 2015;Krank et al., 2011;Malmberg et al., 2010) as well as within emerging adult and clinical-adult samples (CFI = 0.90 to 0.96; RMSEA = 0.03 to 0.05) (Canfield et al., 2015;Schlauch et al., 2015). Across studies that retained all 23 items, internal consistency estimates for the subscales ranged from 0.46 to 0.88 for adolescent samples (Jurk et al., 2015;Memetovic et al., 2014;Omiya et al., 2015;Siu, 2011) and 0.65 to 0.96 for adults (Canfield et al., 2015;Hustad et al., 2014;Mackinnon et al., 2014). ...
... Further, using an appropriate estimator has also been inconsistent across studies, with some studies using maximum likelihood estimators that assume items are continuous and multivariate normal (Ali et al., 2016;Canfield et al., 2015;Jurk et al., 2015;Krank et al., 2011;Schlauch et al., 2015). Given that there are only four ordered response categories, others (Blanchard et al., 2020;Malmberg et al., 2010;Memetovic et al., 2014) fit models to inter-item polychoric correlations using robust weighted least squares estimator (WLSMV), which is more appropriate for ordered, categorical variables (e.g., Flora & Flake, 2017). ...
... There is limited evidence that the SURPS subscales are associated with current or future substance use among adolescents. The hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking subscales have generally been identified as positively associated with current and later alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use and misuse among adolescents (Ali et al., 2016;Castonguay-Jolin et al., 2013;Jurk et al., 2015;Krank et al., 2011;Malmberg et al., 2010;Woicik et al., 2009). Evidence for the anxiety sensitivity subscale is muddied, with some studies finding negative associations with alcohol and cannabis use (Ali et al., 2016;Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013;Jurk et al., 2015;Krank et al., 2011;Woicik et al., 2009) and others positive associations with alcohol use and problematic drinking (Castonguay-Jolin et al., 2013;Woicik et al., 2009). ...
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The substance use risk profile scale (SURPS) was developed to assess four personality risk factors: hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. Psychometric validation work—mainly with adolescents and emerging adults—has struggled to support a four-factor simple structure without post-hoc modifications. This study aimed to clarify the factor structure of the SURPS using the most appropriate analytic framework in a sample of adults and investigate its ability to predict various alcohol-related outcomes and motives. Adult participants (N = 400; Mage = 32.05, 55% male) completed the SURPS and measures capturing drinking habits and motives. Confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) approaches were used to analyze the dimensionality of the SURPS items, with measurement invariance examined across gender and age. Predictive validity was analyzed using multiple linear regression with observed subscale scores. Following poor fit of a traditional CFA model with four correlated factors, a four-factor ESEM model (allowing for non-zero item cross-loadings) provided a much stronger fit to the SURPS data. This ESEM model also had scalar invariance across age and gender. Observed subscale scores predicted hypothesized drinking motives. Sensation seeking uniquely predicted hazardous alcohol use while hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, and sensation seeking uniquely predicted alcohol-related problems. SURPS model fit was substantially better when using a contemporary ESEM approach. This approach tackles the challenge of CFA being too constraining when faced with the reality of item responses being influenced by correlated clinical constructs.
... Ölçek, yoğun ve sorunlu uyuşturucu kullanımıyla daha önceki araştırmalarda tutarlı bir şekilde ilişkilendirilen dört farklı kişilik özelliğini değerlendirir: Dürtüsellik (D), Duygu Arayışı (DA), Umutsuzluk/Negatif Düşünme (U/ND) ve Anksiyete Duyarlılığı (AD) (13). MKRPÖ puanlarının ergenlerde alkol, tütün ve esrar kullanımını öngördüğü gösterilmiş; daha yüksek Dürtüsellik, Duygu Arayışı ve Umutsuzluk puanlarının gelecekteki sigara içme olasılığının artmasıyla ilişkili olduğu gösterilmiştir (13,14). Ülkemizde MKRPÖ kullanılarak yapılan sigara bağımlılığı çalışmaları ise sınırlıdır. ...
... 14-20 yaş arası 5069 katılımcı değerlendirilmiş, dürtüsellik ile tütün kullanımı arasında bir ilişki saptanırken; anksiyete duyarlılığının ise özellikle kızlarda esrar kullanımına karşı koruyucu olduğu gösterilmiştir (22). MKRPÖ boyutları ile sigara içme niyetleri arasında yapılan incelemede; anksiyete duyarlılığı dışındaki MKRPÖ boyutlarının tütün kullanma olasılığında önemli artışlara katkıda bulunduğunu bulunmuştur (14). Woicik ve arkadaşlarının 2009 yılında yaptıkları başka bir çalışmada yine anksiyete duyarlılığı ile mevcut sigara içme durumu arasında ilişki saptanamamıştır (13). ...
... Görüldüğü üzere, literatürde anksiyete duyarlılığı ile ilgili farklı veriler bulunmaktadır. Karmaşık veriler sonrasında anksiyete duyarlılığının erken ve geç ergenlikte madde kullanımını farklı şekillerde etkileyebileceği öne sürülmüştür (13,14,(23)(24)(25). Örneğin, yetişkinlerde anksiyete duyarlılığı puanları ile yatıştırıcı ilaç (örneğin, alkol ve anksiyolitik) kullanımı arasında güçlü ilişkiler bildirilmiştir (12). ...
Article
Amaç: Tütün kullanımı önemli bir halk sağlığı sorunudur. Hem sigara kullanımı, hem de sigarayı bırakma tedavisi için psikolojik faktörlerin de önemli olduğu bilinmektedir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya toplam 172 sigara kullanan, 84 sigarayı bırakan olmak üzere 256 kişi katılmış, katılımcılara Sosyodemografik veri formu, Fagerström Nikotin Bağımlılığı Ölçeği ve Madde Kullanımı Risk Profili Ölçeği uygulanmıştır. Bulgular: Sonuçlarımıza göre sigarayı bırakan kişilerde sadece anksiyete duyarlılığı puanları, halen sigara kullanan kişilere göre anlamlı olarak yüksek bulunmuştur (p= .005). Ayrıca halen sigara kullanan kişiler, kullanma düzeylerine göre düşük, orta ve ağır bağımlı olmak üzere üç gruba ayrılmışlardır. Dürtüselliğin ağır bağımlı grupta düşük ve orta bağımlı gruplardan anlamlı şekilde daha yüksek puanlar aldığı (p= .005 ve p= .047); anksiyete duyarlılığında ise ağır bağımlı grubun, düşük bağımlı gruptan anlamlı şekilde daha düşük puanlar aldığı saptanmıştır (p= .002). Sonuç: Sigara bağımlılığını anlamak ve bırakma sürecindeki başarıyı artırmak için psikolojik faktörleri anlamak önemlidir. Bu konuda yapılacak daha ileri çalışmalar, literatüre katkı sağlayacaktır.
... One area of research that shows promise in identifying those that may be vulnerable to problematic substance use is that of personality traits and automatic cognitions (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013;Krank et al., 2011;Sher et al., 2000;Teichman et al., 1989). A growing body of research with both adolescent and young adult samples suggests that certain specific personality traits, such as impulsivity, hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, and sensation seeking, can lead to substance use (Krank et al., 2011;Woicik et al., 2009). ...
... One area of research that shows promise in identifying those that may be vulnerable to problematic substance use is that of personality traits and automatic cognitions (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013;Krank et al., 2011;Sher et al., 2000;Teichman et al., 1989). A growing body of research with both adolescent and young adult samples suggests that certain specific personality traits, such as impulsivity, hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, and sensation seeking, can lead to substance use (Krank et al., 2011;Woicik et al., 2009). The impulsivity personality trait is described as the inability to inhibit specific behaviours (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013). ...
... The impulsivity personality trait is described as the inability to inhibit specific behaviours (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013). Impulsivity is associated with increased use and misuse of many substances (Krank et al., 2011) and is associated with poly-substance use problems in adults (Moody et al., 2016). Impulsivity has been shown to positively correlate with cannabis use, as well with severity of use and other substance use in a sample of adults within an inpatient substance abuse treatment program (Schlauch et al., 2015). ...
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Aims Much research indicates that an individual’s personality impacts the initiation and escalation of substance use and problems in youth. The acquired-preparedness model suggests that personality influences substance use by modifying learning about substances, which then affects substance use. The current study used longitudinal data to test whether automatic cannabis-related cognitions (memory associations and outcome expectancy liking) mediate the relationship between four personality traits with later cannabis use. Methods: The study focused on initiation of use in a sample of adolescents who had not previously used (n = 670). Results: A structural equation model supported a full mediation effect and the hypothesis that personality affects cannabis use in youth by influencing automatic memory associations and outcome expectancy liking. Further findings from the same model also indicated a mediation effect of these cognitions in the relationship between age and cannabis use. Conclusion: The findings of the study support the acquired-preparedness model where personality influences automatic associations in the context of dual-processing theories of substance use.
... Recently, Ali et al. [21] presented an overview of studies focusing on personality traits and substance use in different samples of adolescents. In that review, results from longitudinal adolescent studies focusing on conventional smoking showed that anxiety sensitivity was not associated with conventional smoking (e.g., [22][23][24][25]). For hopelessness, most adolescent studies showed positive relationships: e.g., hopelessness was associated with more conventional smoking (e.g., [22,23]). ...
... In that review, results from longitudinal adolescent studies focusing on conventional smoking showed that anxiety sensitivity was not associated with conventional smoking (e.g., [22][23][24][25]). For hopelessness, most adolescent studies showed positive relationships: e.g., hopelessness was associated with more conventional smoking (e.g., [22,23]). In addition, a higher level of sensation seeking was associated with more tobacco use ( [23][24][25][26]). ...
... For hopelessness, most adolescent studies showed positive relationships: e.g., hopelessness was associated with more conventional smoking (e.g., [22,23]). In addition, a higher level of sensation seeking was associated with more tobacco use ( [23][24][25][26]). Finally, impulsivity was also found to be positively associated with tobacco use in longitudinal adolescent studies (e.g., [22,23,25,27]). ...
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Although personality is associated with the onset of substance use (i.e., conventional smoking, alcohol use, and cannabis use) during adolescence, it is unclear whether personality traits are also associated with the onset of use of alternative tobacco products (ATPs), i.e., electronic cigarettes, shisha-pens, and water pipes. This study examines whether personality traits are associated with the onset of use of both conventional cigarettes and ATPs. Longitudinal data (baseline and 18-month follow-up) were used. The sample consisted of 1114 non-user adolescents (mean age = 13.36, SD = 0.93, 56% female) at baseline. To measure personality traits, the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale was used with four subscales: anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, sensation seeking, and impulsivity. Structural equation models were conducted using Mplus 7.3. Results showed that both hopelessness and sensation seeking were associated with the onset of use of e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes. Further, sensation seeking and impulsivity were associated with the onset of use of shisha-pens and water pipes. In conclusion, to prevent adolescents from using ATPs and/or conventional cigarettes, it is important to take their personality traits into account. More research on other (shared) risk factors and on more advanced stages of ATP use is needed before effective prevention strategies can be developed.
... Disinhibited personality types include Sensation Seeking (SS; needing stimulation/reward and risk-taking) and Impulsivity (IMP; rapid decision-making and failure to regulate impulsive behaviors). These at-risk personality dimensions have been found to identify individuals at highest risk of specific patterns of problematic substance use (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013;Jurk et al., 2015;Krank et al., 2011;Schlauch et al., 2015;Woicik et al., 2009). Kuss and Griffiths (2012) performed a systematic review of 58 studies within the video game literature published after 2000 and developed a conceptual framework to better understand the full continuum of etiology, risk factors, pathology, and consequences associated with the development of IGD. ...
... The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) is a 23-item measure using a 4-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree) and is composed of four personality risk dimensions: Hopelessness (H), Anxiety Sensitivity (AS), Impulsivity (I), and Sensation Seeking (SS). The measure has adequate to good internal consistency across subscales (Jurk et al., 2015;Krank et al., 2011;Schlauch et al., 2015;Woicik et al., 2009). Convergent and discriminate validity was demonstrated with substantial correlations with personality measures of similar lower-order personality traits (e.g., Beck Hopelessness Scale, 1.7-Impulsivness and Venturesomeness scales, and Anxiety Sensitivity Index), and weaker correlations with measures of broad personality dimensions (e.g., NEO Five-Factor Inventory, see Woicik et al., 2009). ...
... Convergent and discriminate validity was demonstrated with substantial correlations with personality measures of similar lower-order personality traits (e.g., Beck Hopelessness Scale, 1.7-Impulsivness and Venturesomeness scales, and Anxiety Sensitivity Index), and weaker correlations with measures of broad personality dimensions (e.g., NEO Five-Factor Inventory, see Woicik et al., 2009). The SURPS predicted problematic alcohol and drug use at baseline, 12 months, and 18 months (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2013;Krank et al., 2011;Woicik et al., 2009). ...
Article
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The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) identifies four personality dimensions related to reinforcement-specific patterns of substance use. Gaming literature has identified similar personalities and game-related reinforcement properties as core risk factors of problematic play. Given similarities, we investigated whether the SURPS model could be confirmed in a recreational video game playing population as a predictive model of problematic gaming. We recruited participants through gaming forums and Amazon Mechanical Turk to complete an online survey that focused on the SURPS and indicators of problematic gaming. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the SURPS is a valid instrument measuring four distinct personality dimensions with minor modifications. Regression analyses did not confirm all four at-risk personality dimensions as predictors of problematic play. The Impulsive personality was a significant predictor of lifetime frequency and problematic gaming, whereas the Hopelessness personality was a significant predictor of time spent playing. Future studies will need to assess this model using outcome variables grouped based on reinforcement-related gaming taxonomy.
... Indeed, lifelong health behaviors and habits often begin in adolescence (Alberga, Sigal, Goldfield, Prud'homme, & Kenny, 2012;Degenhardt et al., 2008). A significant body of evidence shows that smoking cigarettes among adolescents is related to personality (Ali et al., 2016;Brook et al., 2008;Burt, Dinh, Peterson, & Sarason, 2000;Krank et al., 2011;Malmberg et al., 2013;Peterson & Smith, 2017;Pokhrel, Sussman, & Stacy, 2014;Quinn & Harden, 2013;Wellman et al., 2016;Woicik, Stewart, Pihl, & Conrod, 2009), supposing that personality is predictive for smoking behavior. Since especially persistent personality traits seemed to be related to future behavior, it is assumed that personality traits that remain stable over time would be more predictive for smoking behavior. ...
... For the three waves, the Cronbach's alphas were respectively 0.72, 0.77, 0.80 for anxiety sensitivity, 0.86, 0.86, 0.88 for hopelessness, 0.69, 0.74, 0.77 for impulsivity, and 0.69, 0.72, 0.74 for sensation seeking. Reliability and validity of the instrument are adequate (e.g., Krank et al., 2011;Malmberg et al., 2010). ...
... Since stability of personality increases with age, one possible explanation for the higher stability in personality of girls is that they mature earlier than boys (Klimstra, Hale, Raaijmakers, Branje, & Meeus, 2009). The higher stability for the more externalizing traits (impulsivity and sensation seeking) compared to the more internalizing traits (anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness) is in line with previous studies (Krank et al., 2011, Malmberg et al., 2013. Moreover, this difference in stability possibly indicates that symptoms of anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness seemed to be more episodic in time. ...
Article
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Objective Adolescents show a steadily increasing inclination toward health risk behaviors, including smoking cigarettes. There is ample evidence that personality traits are related to smoking behavior. However, less is known about the stability of and change in these personality traits during early adolescence and whether smoking behavior affects the developmental trajectories. Moreover, less is known about the influence of gender on the course of personality. Method Longitudinal data of three waves were used from 1,121 early adolescents. To measure personality, the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale was used. Individual growth curve models were conducted to measure the stability, mean-level change and individual differences in change for personality. Results Stability of personality was moderate for boys and ranged from moderate to high for girls. On average early adolescents became more impulsive and more sensation seeking over a period of 18 months. Furthermore, hopelessness for girls increased and the increase in sensation seeking was higher for girls than for boys. Third, smoking behavior was related to all personality traits, indicating that smoking adolescents are more anxious, hopeless, impulsive and sensation seeking than non-smoking adolescents. Conclusions Our results are in line with the disruption hypothesis, i.e., during early adolescence there is a dip in personality maturity. There are clear differences between girls and boys in stability of and change in personality traits. Besides, although smoking behavior is related to personality, the change in personality is probably related to other variables.
... A prior longitudinal study identified that sensation seeking has a prospective effect on alcohol consumption after 12 months in a sample of 1139 Canadian adolescents (45.0% male, grades 8-10) (Krank et al., 2011). Even after 20 months, the prospective effect of sensation seeking on substance use remained significant (Malmberg et al., 2012). ...
... Most studies investigating the relationship between sensation seeking and substance use used methods without the capacity to distinguish between-person changes from within-person changes. Some studies have longitudinally analyzed sensation seeking and substance use at two different time points (Krank et al., 2011;Malmberg et al., 2012). Because the autoregressive effect was not considered in these studies, the reliability of these research conclusions is uncertain. ...
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Sensation seeking has been extensively demonstrated as a risk factor for substance use. Potential bidirectional associations between sensation seeking and substance use at the within-person level are incompletely understood. The present study examined longitudinal trajectories of sensation seeking and substance use and bidirectional longitudinal associations between sensation seeking and substance use in Chinese adolescents during a 3-year period over three time points. A total of 10,138 adolescents (59.8%) male; Mage = 16.77, SD = 0.83 at time (1) were surveyed. Sensation seeking and substance use frequency increased concomitantly over time. At the within-person level, sensation seeking and substance use were reciprocally predictable, and there were no evidence of sex difference in longitudinal associations. This study provides unique data concerning the relationship between sensation seeking and substance use in a sample of Chinese adolescents, and highlights the importance of identifying sensation seeking behaviors to prevent substance use.
... Previous studies identified specific personality traits that predispose adolescents to current smoking behavior and future smoking intention, such as impulsivity, sensation seeking and hopelessness, with the exception of anxiety sensitivity. 8,12,13 Unlike adolescents, several studies in adults reported a significant association between anxiety sensitivity and tobacco use, in addition to other personality traits. 14,15 Moreover, adolescent smoking is linked with impulsivity traits according to the meta-analyses including fifty-one studies. ...
... When asked about the future, the percentages of participants that responded as "definitely not smoking", "probably not smoking", "probably smoking", and "definitely smoking" were 53.1% (n=103), 21.6% (n=42), 17.5% (n=34), and 7.7% (n=15), respectively. The median age of first smoking in adolescents who smoked at least once was 13 (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17) years. The mean number of cigarettes smoked per day by regular smokers was 15.3 (±8.1). ...
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Background: Smoking is one of the most important public health problems among young people. Potential risk factors that may cause vulnerability to smoke in youth should be well known and investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations of current smoking behavior and future smoking intention with high-risk personality traits for substance abuse in a clinical sample of Turkish adolescents, and also evaluate nicotine dependence and smoking characteristics with the personality traits in a subsample of regular smokers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was adopted in which 196 participants took part (aged 14-18 years with a mean of 16.7 years). The assessment consisted of a sociodemographic questionnaire that also questions current smoking behavior and future smoking intention; and additionally, two self-administered instruments including the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) for all participants, and Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) for only regular smokers. Results: Regular smokers scored higher than never smokers on the lack of self-contentment subscale of SURPS (F(2)=3.30, p=.039). Future smoking intention was found to be associated with nicotine dependence (F(3)=6.67, p=.001). Regular smokers with high levels of nicotine dependence had higher levels of impulsivity and smoked more cigarettes per day than those with low levels of nicotine dependence (t=2.489, p=.017; and t=3.530, p=.001, respectively). The structural equation models (SEM) were created based on these results and the personality theory for substance abuse. The SEM results showed that the first evidence that lack of selfcontentment positively influences regularly smoking behavior and impulsivity positively influences future smoking intention through nicotine dependence. Conclusions: Lack of self-contentment and impulsivity may mediate the transition from current smoking behavior to future tobacco use disorders in Turkish adolescents. The assessment and intervention of selfdiscontentment and impulsivity can be beneficial in reducing the current smoking behavior in Turkish adolescents.
... The SURPS comprises 23 items measuring the four personality risk factors for substance use problems: hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. It has been validated among Australian adolescents [35], and personality measured with the SURPS shows stability across adolescence [36][37][38]. As per the Preventure scoring procedure, students scoring more than one standard deviation above the population mean on any of the four personality traits were coded as being high in the trait from which they differed most from the mean. ...
... Indeed, this could explain why no associations were found between anxiety sensitivity and traumatic events. Anxiety sensitivity appears to become progressively more influential in predicting substance use across development, with associations between anxiety sensitivity and substance use less commonly observed in adolescents compared to adults [34,37,48]. Thus, compared to the other personality traits measured, those high in anxiety sensitivity may have a lower risk of engaging in high-risk situations involving alcohol use over the course of the study, possibly resulting in exposure to fewer traumatic events. ...
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Traumatic events (severe injury, violence, threatened death) are commonly experienced by children. Such events are associated with a dose-response increasing risk of subsequent substance use, mental illness, chronic disease, and premature mortality. Preventing the accumulation of traumatic events is thus an urgent public health priority. Substance use risk personality profiles (impulsivity, sensation seeking, hopelessness, and anxiety sensitivity) may be an important target for preventing trauma exposure, given associations between these personality traits and risky behaviour, substance misuse, and injuries across adolescence. The current study aimed to investigate associations between personality at age 13 and the number of traumatic events experienced by age 18. It also examined associations between traumas before age 13 and personality at age 13. Participants were the control group of a cluster-randomised controlled trial examining prevention of adolescent alcohol misuse. Baseline data were collected at ages 12–13 (2012). Participants were followed-up at ages 18–19 (2017–2018). Personality profiles of hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking were measured at baseline using the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale. Traumatic events and age of exposure were measured at age 18–19 using the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5. Mixed-effect regression was conducted on 287 participants in Stata 17, controlling for sex. High scores on hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking at age 13 were associated with a greater number of traumatic events by age 18. Impulsivity and sensation seeking predicted the number of new traumatic events from age 13 to 18. Prior trauma exposure was associated with high hopelessness at age 13. Adolescents exhibiting high impulsivity or sensation seeking may be at greater risk of experiencing traumatic events. Additionally, early trauma exposure may contribute to the development of a hopelessness personality trait.
... The SURPS was chosen for use in the large-scale Co-Venture survey given its brevity and its strong psychometric properties in both English (43) and French (73). These include acceptable to good internal consistency, factorial validity, convergent and discriminant validity (e.g., with similar personality measures), and concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity in relation to substance use and substancerelated problems in youth [e.g., (31,43,74)]. In the present sample, the subscales were internally consistent (see Table 2). ...
... Previously, we found that SS predicted undergraduate stimulant misuse (45). Other studies also support a robust association between SS and adolescent alcohol misuse (74). Finn et al. (94) found that SS was both directly linked to alcohol problems as well as indirectly linked through alcohol use and positive alcohol expectancies. ...
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Background: Fifteen to 25-year-olds are the age group most likely to misuse prescription drugs. Few studies have tested theory-driven models of adolescent risk for prescription drug misuse. Moreover, rarely are distinct pathways to different forms of prescription drug misuse considered. Methods: We tested mediational paths from personality to mental health symptoms to prescription drug misuse, informed by etiological models of addiction. We specified pathways from particular personality traits to unique forms of prescription drug misuse via specific mental health symptoms. We used semi-longitudinal data collected across two waves of the Co-Venture Trial. Our sample included students from 31 Canadian high schools tested in Grade 9 (n = 3,024) and again in Grade 10 (n = 2,869; 95% retention). Personality (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, sensation seeking) was assessed in Grade 9. Mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, ADHD, conduct disorder) and prescription drug misuse (opioids, sedatives/tranquilizers, stimulants) were assessed at both time points. Results: Consistent with the negative affect regulation model, hopelessness was specifically associated with opioid misuse via depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity was specifically associated with sedative/tranquilizer misuse via anxiety symptoms. Consistent with positive affect regulation, sensation seeking was directly associated with stimulant misuse. Consistent with the psychological dysregulation model, impulsivity was associated with stimulant misuse via ADHD symptoms. And consistent with the deviance proneness model, impulsivity was also associated with unconstrained (i.e., all three forms of) prescription drug misuse via conduct disorder symptoms. Conclusions: Screening for adolescents high in hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, sensation seeking, or impulsivity and providing them with personality-matched cognitive-behavioral interventions may be helpful in preventing or mitigating prescription drug misuse. Our results point to the specific mental health symptoms that are important to target in each of these personality-matched interventions.
... 16 Hopelessness often leads to an increase in addictive behaviors such as substance misuse. 17,18 Similarly, hopelessness may lead adolescents to become addicted to mobile networks to escape the challenges of reality. However, few studies have examined the relationship between hopelessness and MPA among NSSI adolescents. ...
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Purpose This study aims to examine the relationship between loneliness and hopelessness and mobile phone addiction (MPA) in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) adolescents, exploring the mediating role of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited a total of 1545 NSSI adolescents and 553 non-NSSI adolescents from over 20 specialized psychiatric hospitals across multiple provinces in China. The participants were asked to complete the Beck’s Hopelessness Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, Coping Style Scale, and Mobile Phone Addiction Index questionnaire. We mainly used the t-tests and structural equation model to analyze the data. Results T-tests showed that NSSI adolescents had lower scores on problem-focused coping and higher scores on MPA, loneliness, hopelessness, and emotion-focused coping than non-NSSI adolescents. Structural equation model showed that loneliness and hopelessness were positively related to MPA for non-NSSI adolescents. Hopelessness was positively related to MPA for NSSI adolescents. Emotion-focused coping played a mediating role in the relationship between loneliness/hopelessness and MPA for both NSSI and non-NSSI adolescents. Conclusion These findings suggest that NSSI adolescents with loneliness and hopelessness may have mobile phone dependence, highlighting the mediating role of emotion-focused coping style. Such findings help to understand the formation mechanism of MPA for adolescents with NSSI. Alleviating the loneliness and hopelessness and improving adaptive coping styles of adolescents with NSSI have potential implications for reducing their MPA.
... We also used the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) (Woicik et al., 2009) that includes 23 items on a four-level Likert scale. This self-reported questionnaire measuring impulsivity, anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, and sensation seeking is a reliable measure in adults (Castellanos-Ryan et al., 2016) and adolescents (Krank et al., 2011). ...
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Background: Personality traits have been associated with eating disorders (EDs) and comorbidities. However, it is unclear which personality profiles are premorbid risk rather than diagnostic markers. Methods: We explored associations between personality and ED-related mental health symptoms using canonical correlation analyses. We investigated personality risk profiles in a longitudinal sample, associating personality at age 14 with onset of mental health symptoms at ages 16 or 19. Diagnostic markers were identified in a sample of young adults with anorexia nervosa (AN, n = 58) or bulimia nervosa (BN, n = 63) and healthy controls (n = 47). Results: Two significant premorbid risk profiles were identified, successively explaining 7.93 % and 5.60 % of shared variance (Rc2). The first combined neuroticism (canonical loading, rs = 0.68), openness (rs = 0.32), impulsivity (rs = 0.29), and conscientiousness (rs = 0.27), with future onset of anxiety symptoms (rs = 0.87) and dieting (rs = 0.58). The other, combined lower agreeableness (rs = −0.60) and lower anxiety sensitivity (rs = −0.47), with future deliberate self-harm (rs = 0.76) and purging (rs = 0.55). Personality profiles associated with “core psychopathology” in both AN (Rc2 = 80.56 %) and BN diagnoses (Rc2 = 64.38 %) comprised hopelessness (rs = 0.95, 0.87) and neuroticism (rs = 0.93, 0.94). For BN, this profile also included impulsivity (rs = 0.60). Additionally, extraversion (rs = 0.41) was associated with lower depressive risk in BN. Limitations: The samples were not ethnically diverse. The clinical cohort included only females. There was non-random attrition in the longitudinal sample. Conclusions: The results suggest neuroticism and impulsivity as risk and diagnostic markers for EDs, with neuroticism and hopelessness as shared diagnostic markers. They may inform the design of more personalised prevention and intervention strategies.
... Anxiety sensitivity, on the other hand, is described as fear of physical sensations related to anxiety (Reiss et al., 1986). The literature suggests a link between these personality traits and problematic substance use patterns (Conrod et al., 1998, Sher et al., 2000, Stewart and Kushner 2001, Zvolensky et al., 2009, Krank et al., 2011, Mackie et al., 2011, Benotsch et al., 2014. ...
... Combining serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as FLX with MP treatment thus enhances also the serotonin neurotransmission and potentiates dopamine (MP)-mediated gene regulation, mimicking cocaine effects [13]. It has been shown that repeated psychostimulant exposure facilitates subsequent cocaine self-administration in animal models [19], thus potentially increasing the addiction risk [20]. The present study thus investigated whether chronic oral MP+FLX treatment, with the same regimen that produced the previous molecular changes [5], resulted in altered cocaine intake in the cocaine self-administration model. ...
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Background Depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are known to be comorbid. Treatment of these commonly coexisting diseases typically involves the combined prescription of methylphenidate (MP), a psychostimulant, and fluoxetine (FLX), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). MP and cocaine have similar mechanisms of action and this study examined the effects of chronic treatment of MP combined with FLX on cocaine consumption in rats. Methods Four groups of rats received access to drinking solutions of water (control), MP (30/60 mg/kg/day), FLX (20 mg/kg/day), or the combination of MP (30/60 mg/kg/day) plus FLX (20 mg/kg/day), during 8 h per day for one month. Following these drug treatments, rats were allowed to self-administer cocaine for 14 days. Results Our results showed that, during the first week of cocaine self-administration, the MP-treated rats had significantly greater numbers of active lever presses (plus 127%) and increased consumption of cocaine compared to the control rats. In contrast, during week two of cocaine self-administration, the rats treated with the MP + FLX combination showed significantly more lever presses (plus 198%) and significantly greater cocaine consumption (plus 84%) compared to the water controls. Conclusion Chronic oral treatment during adolescence with the combination of MP plus FLX resulted in increased cocaine use after 2 weeks of cocaine self-administration in rats. These novel findings suggest that the combined exposure to these two drugs chronically, during adolescence, may produce increased vulnerability towards cocaine abuse during young adulthood.
... Anxiety sensitivity, on the other hand, is described as fear of physical sensations related to anxiety (Reiss et al., 1986). The literature suggests a link between these personality traits and problematic substance use patterns (Conrod et al., 1998, Sher et al., 2000, Stewart and Kushner 2001, Zvolensky et al., 2009, Krank et al., 2011, Mackie et al., 2011, Benotsch et al., 2014. ...
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Objectives: The trends of prescription opioid misuse are understudied in Arab populations, let alone among university students. Additionally, little is known about the psychological traits that increase sus- ceptibility for such behaviors in this region. Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of prescrip- tion opioid misuse and its association with addiction susceptibility, as measured by the Substance Abuse Risk Profile Scale (SURPS). Methods: We sampled university students from King Saud University’s women’s campus. Data on pre- scription opioid misuse, SURPS traits, and demographic characteristics were collected using an electronic self-administered survey. Results: Lifetime prescription opioid misuse was 48.5%, while past-month misuse was 28.9%. On average, SURPS subscale scores for impulsivity (mean = 11.6; SD = 2.8) hopelessness (mean = 12.3; SD = 3.5), sensa- tion seeking (mean = 16.4; SD = 3.8), and anxiety sensitivity (mean = 14.6; SD = 2.6). Anxiety sensitivity com- posite scores significantly differed between students reporting misuse and those who did not. Moreover, the odds for prescription opioid misuse increased by 7% for every 1 unit increase in anxiety sensitivity (AOR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.00, 1.14), when controlling for other SURPS measures and student characteristics. Conclusion: The prevalence of prescription opioid misuse in our study is higher than what is reported in global student populations. This may reflect unmonitored availability of controlled substances and unsupervised medical prescriptions. Additionally, high levels of anxiety sensitivity may be driving such misuse. Further surveillance of prescription drug misuse among university students and motivators for such behavior is needed for planning prevention and control interventions.
... An example of a personalized approach is personality-targeted CBT (Morin et al., 2017). Personality-targeted CBT takes into account an individual's personality profile (i.e., anxiety sensitivity, negative thinking, impulsivity, and sensation seeking), as these four personality profiles have shown to be associated with SU (e.g., risk factor, reasons, type of substance; Hecimovic et al., 2014;Krank et al., 2011;Mackinnon et al., 2014), also in individuals with MID-BIF (Pieterse et al., 2020;Poelen et al., 2022). ...
... Second, the SURPS differs from other widely used measures of personality, such as the Big 5 model of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness). Numerous studies have demonstrated the SURPS to be a reliable tool for identifying personality traits associated with substance misuse and other emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents [15][16][17]56]. Noting this, a key advantage of the SURPS is that its items measure personality traits and not substance use. ...
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Background: Internalizing and externalizing personality traits are robust risk factors for substance use and mental health, and personality-targeted interventions are effective in preventing substance use and mental health problems in youth. However, there is limited evidence for how personality relates to other lifestyle risk factors, such as energy balance-related behaviors, and how this might inform prevention efforts. Objective: This study aimed to examine concurrent cross-sectional associations between personality traits (ie, hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) and sleep, diet, physical activity (PA), and sedentary behaviors (SB), 4 of the leading risk factors for chronic disease, among emerging adults. Methods: Data were drawn from a cohort of young Australians who completed a web-based, self-report survey in 2019 during early adulthood. A series of Poisson and logistic regressions were conducted to examine the concurrent associations between the risk behaviors (sleep, diet, PA, and sitting and screen time) and personality traits (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, and sensation seeking) among emerging adults in Australia. Results: A total of 978 participants (mean age 20.4, SD 0.5 years) completed the web-based survey. The results indicated that higher scores on hopelessness were associated with a greater daily screen (risk ratio [RR] 1.12, 95% CI 1.10-1.15) and sitting time (RR 1.05, 95% CI 1.0-1.08). Similarly, higher scores on anxiety sensitivity were associated with a greater screen (RR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.07) and sitting time (RR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.07). Higher impulsivity was associated with greater PA (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.08-1.21) and screen time (RR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.08). Finally, higher scores on sensation seeking were associated with greater PA (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14) and lower screen time (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99). Conclusions: The results suggest that personality should be considered when designing preventive interventions for lifestyle risk behaviors, particularly in relation to SB, such as sitting and screen time. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000026820; https://tinyurl.com/ykwcxspr.
... In a longitudinal study, Kirisci et al. (2007) showed that impulsivity during childhood accurately predicted SUD at older ages (about 22). Impulsivity, and sensation-seeking were prospectively associated with smoking in adolescence (Kelly et al., 2019;Krank et al., 2011). All these studies suggest an immature functioning of the PFC. ...
Article
There are a few studies suggesting that the hippocampus is involved in the regulation of impulsivity, and which attempt to explain drug seeking behavior in addiction. In addition, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) is highly expressed in the hippocampus (HPP). To further understand the potential role of the hippocampal CB1R in impulsive and drug seeking behaviors, we characterized impulsivity in adolescent and adult male rats, by means of a delay discounting task (DDT) by evaluating preference and seeking motivation for alcohol (10 % v/v) consumption, and analyzing CB1R expression in CA1, CA3 and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the HPP as well as in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Our results show that adolescent rats display more impulsive choices than adult rats in the DDT. The k value is statistically higher in adolescents, further supporting that they are more impulsive. Besides, adolescent rats have higher forced and voluntary alcohol consumption and display a higher alcohol conditioned place preference (CPP) vs. adult rats. In addition, CB1R expression in CA3 and the DG is higher in adolescent vs. adult rats. Our data further support the role of the hippocampus in impulsivity with the potential involvement of the endocannabinoid system, considering that CB1R in CA3 and DG is higher in adolescents, who display impulsivity and alcohol seeking and consumption.
... The higher the score in one dimension is, the greater the presence of the evaluated characteristic. Construct validity, convergent validity, and discriminative validity have been shown to be adequate in samples of adolescents and adults (Krank et al. 2011). In the present sample, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for this questionnaire was 0.786. ...
Article
Background: Cleaning is considered a female-dominant occupation. Women cleaning workers present a high risk of suffering impaired health probably as a result of performing low-skilled tasks. However, to date, no studies have been found that examine the health status of female cleaning workers in Spain. Objectives: The objectives were to 1) determine the level of perceived health in a sample of female cleaning workers, 2) evaluate the main psychosocial risks they face, 3) explore the relationship between perceived health and psychosocial risk factors, and 4) compare the perceived health of those women who present some psychosocial risk factor and those who do not. Methods: This is a multi-centered cross-sectional study carried out in the service sector of a Spanish company. The final sample was composed of 455 female cleaning workers. Sociodemographic variables, perceived health status and psychosocial risk factors were assessed. Results: Women presented a high perception of health status. The main psychosocial risk was lack of acknowledgement by their superiors, which affected 25.2% (n = 111) of the sample. Moderate negative correlations (r=-.222 to -.442; p < .01) were identified between perceived health and evident psychosocial risks. Those women who presented some psychosocial risk (n = 174; 38.3%) had a worse state of perceived health in all variables studied. Conclusion: Presence of psychosocial risk had a relationship with a worse health perception. This article highlights the need to orient preventive actions in the psychosocial field. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a new situation to renew the health promotion between cleaning workers.
... The higher the score in one dimension is, the greater the presence of the evaluated characteristic. Construct validity, convergent validity, and discriminative validity have been shown to be adequate in samples of adolescents and adults (Krank et al. 2011). In the present sample, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for this questionnaire was 0.786. ...
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Purpose The main goal was to identify the variables (sociodemographic, work, psychosocial, perceived health, and personality) associated with occupational accidents suffered in the past by women in the cleaning sector. Methods A sample of 455 women was evaluated. Results A total of 23.5% of the workers (n = 107) had suffered an occupational accident with medical leave. In general, women who had suffered some accident in their life had a worse situation in all areas evaluated. Two subsamples of women had a greater association with accidents. Specifically, the presence of work accidents was 15.9 times higher among those who presented a worse perception of their physical effort and a greater tendency towards risky behaviours and 13.5 times higher among those who had a moderate perception of physical exertion and a disability. Conclusion In general, the characteristics of female workers were found to be associated with different accident rates. Preventive actions should be designed individually.
... The PreVenture programme is an example of a strategy that adopts a personality-targeted approach to prevention, by specifically targeting youth with one of four personality traits linked to alcohol misuse: proneness to depression (negative thinking), anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity and sensation seeking (Castellanos-Ryan & Conrod, 2012;Krank et al., 2011). Process research investigating the messages communicated and received by youth participating in this particular programme suggests that the most dominant message is unrelated to substance use and related harms, but rather focuses on the cognitive-behavioural strategies that were taught to help with the management of the targeted personality trait. ...
Chapter
With the advent of more advanced biotechnological innovations, and especially the introduction of genomics and more individualized public health approaches, the twenty-first century has witnessed a growing optimism regarding the effective capacities of prevention work. This chapter demonstrates in what way neuroscientific explanations serve to improve prevention and it discusses the role of the epistemic project of addiction in the brain (EPAB) in both training and communication of prevention programmes. While neuropsychology-based prevention programmes offer promising results for addiction outcomes, they also engender new risks and ethical qualms that require greater refinement in our ethical conduct. To date, neuroscience has not substantiated its efficacy in substance (ab)use prevention to the extent envisioned.
... The PreVenture programme is an example of a strategy that adopts a personality-targeted approach to prevention, by specifically targeting youth with one of four personality traits linked to alcohol misuse: proneness to depression (negative thinking), anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity and sensation seeking (Castellanos-Ryan & Conrod, 2012;Krank et al., 2011). Process research investigating the messages communicated and received by youth participating in this particular programme suggests that the most dominant message is unrelated to substance use and related harms, but rather focuses on the cognitive-behavioural strategies that were taught to help with the management of the targeted personality trait. ...
Chapter
This chapter discusses references to the brain in addiction treatment settings. In these settings, conceptions surrounding the brain and neuroscience are communicated with the aims of recovery and are contextualized within the modalities of the environment’s practices. The chapter details results from an outpatient focus group study, which inquired into clients’ addiction ontologies, with particular interest in the role given to the brain. The study finds support for the notion that the closer we come to everyday addiction realities, the less direct use value we find for coherent theories and models of addiction, such as the BDMA. Outpatient treatment clients picked and mixed constructs for understanding their problems and recovery processes, the brain being one of many such elements.
... The PreVenture programme is an example of a strategy that adopts a personality-targeted approach to prevention, by specifically targeting youth with one of four personality traits linked to alcohol misuse: proneness to depression (negative thinking), anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity and sensation seeking (Castellanos-Ryan & Conrod, 2012;Krank et al., 2011). Process research investigating the messages communicated and received by youth participating in this particular programme suggests that the most dominant message is unrelated to substance use and related harms, but rather focuses on the cognitive-behavioural strategies that were taught to help with the management of the targeted personality trait. ...
... The PreVenture programme is an example of a strategy that adopts a personality-targeted approach to prevention, by specifically targeting youth with one of four personality traits linked to alcohol misuse: proneness to depression (negative thinking), anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity and sensation seeking (Castellanos-Ryan & Conrod, 2012;Krank et al., 2011). Process research investigating the messages communicated and received by youth participating in this particular programme suggests that the most dominant message is unrelated to substance use and related harms, but rather focuses on the cognitive-behavioural strategies that were taught to help with the management of the targeted personality trait. ...
Chapter
This chapter discusses science production as a communication context of the epistemic project of addiction in the brain, EPAB. It introduces data from a global survey investigating attitudes towards the brain paradigm of addiction within addiction research communities. Prior epistemological contestation has in particular reified divisions between positivist and structuralist traditions, whereas more recently the pro- and anti-brain disease model (‘BDMA’) constellations have grouped the field in new ways. Results in this segment of the book provide more elaborate illustration regarding cases of strategic promotion and operationalization of the BDMA (and other ontologies) in support of research agendas and epistemological contestation between competing traditions. Ethical and legal issues are discussed in light of the survey respondents’ replies.
... The PreVenture programme is an example of a strategy that adopts a personality-targeted approach to prevention, by specifically targeting youth with one of four personality traits linked to alcohol misuse: proneness to depression (negative thinking), anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity and sensation seeking (Castellanos-Ryan & Conrod, 2012;Krank et al., 2011). Process research investigating the messages communicated and received by youth participating in this particular programme suggests that the most dominant message is unrelated to substance use and related harms, but rather focuses on the cognitive-behavioural strategies that were taught to help with the management of the targeted personality trait. ...
Chapter
Popular representations can be studied as materials for the wider dissemination of an epistemic project of the addicted brain (EPAB). Their main logics, claims and stories are integrated in everyday speech, in mass media stories and as rationales for peoples’ habits and practices. This chapter discusses the use of neuroscience-informed media representations and the ethical consequences borne out by sensationalist and asymmetrical claims in science-reporting. Ethical guidelines are introduced at the end of the chapter, calling for more sound and nuanced media reporting on scientific progress.KeywordsPopular representationsMass mediaOpioid crisisMoral panicBrainNeuroessentialism
... The initiation of drug use generally begins during adolescence, and the maximum usage of drugs occurs among youth aged 18-25 years [9]. Most studies have shown that a person who takes a drug at a young age has a high risk of becoming addicted [20] and an increased risk of substance abuse problems in the future [21]. Adolescents who began consuming alcohol before the age of 14 were found to have a 40% higher risk of experiencing substance abuse problems when entering early adulthood [22,23]. ...
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Uncontrolled drug and substance use (DSU) may pose unprecedented threats to nation building and a country’s socioeconomic development. Despite considerable efforts made and resources used to address DSU concerns, Malaysia has seen a significant annual rise in cases of DSU. The bulk of the reported cases originate from youth between the ages of 15 and 40 years. To date, data related to DSU in Malaysia have been entirely dependent on operation statistics, arrest counts, and reported cases; DSU may therefore be under-reported and the data obtained not representative at the national level. This study aims to determine the prevalence of DSU among Malaysian youth through a large nationwide representative survey. Of the population of 11,129,316 youth aged 15–40 years, the prevalence of DSU among lifetime users was found to be 5.5%, while for those who had taken drugs in the past 30 days or who currently use them, the prevalence of DSU was found to be 3.5%. The most popular drugs for lifetime users were kratom or Mitragyna speciosa, while for current users the most popular drug was cannabis. The current study reports the magnitude of the problem at a country-wide level, which is a crucial preliminary effort for crafting evidence-based and well-informed policies.
... Students with anxiety sensitive traits have shown higher levels of alcohol use and drinking problems in previous research (Sher et al., 2000;Krank et al., 2011), andLammers et al. (2017) (Preventure) found significant intervention effects on reducing alcohol use within the anxiety sensitivity group, reducing binge drinking and binge drinking frequency. This is one of four personality profiles at higher risk of developing alcohol problems (sensation seeking, impulsivity, anxiety sensitivity, and negative thinking) (Comeau et al., 2001). ...
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Background Youth substance use is a public health problem globally, where alcohol is one of the drugs most consumed by children, and youth prevention is the best intervention for drug abuse. Objective Review the latest evidence of alcohol use prevention programs in empirical research, oriented to all fields of action among children and youth. Methods A narrative and critical review was carried out within international databases (PsychInfo, Pubmed, Web of Science, and Scopus) in August 2021 and was limited to empirical studies that appeared in the last five years (2017–2021). A flow diagram was used according to the PRISMA statements. Empirical research articles in English with RCTs and quasi-experimental design that included alcohol, children, and young people up to 19 years of age (universal, selective, or indicated programs) were included. The authors examined the results and conceptual frameworks of the Prevention programs by fields of action. Results Twenty-two articles were found from four fields of action: school (16), family (2), community (2), and web-based (2), representing 16 alcohol prevention programs. School-based alcohol prevention programs are clinically relevant [ Theory of Planned Behavior , Refuse , Remove, Reasons, Preventure , The GOOD Life , Mantente REAL , Motivational Interviewing (BIMI), Primavera , Fresh Start , Bridges/Puentes ], they are effective in increasing attitudes and intentions toward alcohol prevention behavior, while decreasing social norms and acceptance of alcohol, reducing intoxication, and increasing perceptions with regards to the negative consequences of drinking. Discussion This narrative and critical review provides an updated synthesis of the evidence for prevention programs in the school, family, community, and web-based fields of action, where a more significant number of programs exist that are applied within schools and for which would have greater clinical relevance. However, the prevention programs utilized in the other fields of action require further investigation.
... The SURPS is a 23-item questionnaire measuring personality risk for substance use and other behavioural problems according to four traits: anxiety-sensitivity (AS), described as a fear of anxietyrelated physical sensations (e.g., "I get scared when I'm too nervous"), hopelessness (HOPE), a tendency towards low mood, worthlessness and negative beliefs about oneself, the world and the future (e.g., "I feel that I'm a failure"), sensation seeking (SS), defined by a low tolerance to boredom, a strong need for stimulation, and a willingness to take risks for the sake of having novel and varied experiences (e.g., "I enjoy new and exciting experiences even if they are unconventional"); and impulsivity (IMP), characterized by unplanned responses to internal or external stimulation or fast responses to given stimuli without deliberation and evaluation of consequences (e.g., "I often don't think through before I speak") (Newton et al., 2016). This instrument has good concurrent, predictive and incremental validity with regards to differentiating individuals prone to reinforcement-specific patterns of substance use and has been shown to be sensitive and specific with respect to predicting future substance misuse and other mental health problems in adolescents Krank et al., 2011). Each personality trait was assessed using 5-7 items each rated on a 4-point scale (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = agree, 4 = strongly agree) (Castonguay-Jolin et al., 2013). ...
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Bullying victimization is common in adolescence and has been associated with a broad variety of psychopathology and alcohol use. The present study assessed time-varying associations between bullying victimization and alcohol use through internalizing and externalizing symptoms and whether this indirect association throughout time is moderated by personality. This 5-year longitudinal study (3,800 grade 7 adolescents) used Bayesian multilevel moderated mediation models: independent variable was bullying victimization; moderators were four personality dimensions (anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, impulsivity, and sensation seeking); internalizing symptoms (anxiety, depressive symptoms) and externalizing symptoms (conduct, hyperactivity problems) were the mediators; and alcohol use, the outcome. Results indicated significant between, within, and lagged effects on alcohol use through internalizing and externalizing symptoms. There were significant between and within effects on alcohol use through internalizing symptoms for adolescents with high anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness, and significant between, within, and lagged effects on alcohol use through externalizing symptoms for adolescents with high impulsivity and sensation seeking. These findings implicate two risk pathways that account for how bullying victimization enhances alcohol use risk and emphasize the importance of personality profiles that can shape the immediate and long-term consequences of victimization.
... Item reliability (the square of standardized factor loading) should be lower than the composite reliability, whose values >0.60 are desirable (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988). The common guideline of Cronbach's alfa is 0.70 (Nunnally, 1994); however, values between 0.60 and 0.70 are acceptable and under 0.60 is possible when the factor consists of a few items (Krank et al., 2011). Next, test-retest reliability was examined by correlating factor scores of the same subjects at an interval of 1 month. ...
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Objective: In contrast to the drug situation in the rest of the world, synthetic drugs, rather than traditional drugs, have been the dominant abused drugs in China since 2019. However, the public misconception that synthetic drugs are not as addictive as traditional drugs, such as opioids and the scarcity of specific measurement instruments, have hindered the clinical diagnosis and treatment of synthetic drug abusers, thus the development of a localized instrument to evaluate dependence on synthetic drugs is in urgently needed. Method: Using a sample of 618 Chinese synthetic drug abusers (Mean age = 34.69 years; 44.17% female), the present study developed and examined the psychometric properties of a self-reporting instrument, the Synthetic Drug Dependence Scale (SDDS), which consists of four subscales: physical dependence, psychological dependence, health injury, and social function injury. Results: The SDDS revealed a three-factor model structure (weighted root mean square residual (WRMR) = 0.876, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.965, Tucker–Lewis index (TLI) = 0.953, and Root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.070), with good internal consistency (composite reliability = 0.912, alfa = 0.801) and convergent validity. Elevated scores on the SDDS were associated with a higher level of reward sensitivity, punishment sensitivity, and stronger impulsivity. Interestingly, psychological dependence was the only significant predictor (p < 0.05) of criterion variables compared with the other three subscales, implying the important role of psychological factors in synthetic drugs dependence. Adequate measurement equivalence across sex, age (18–30 and 31–57 years old), and employment group (employed and unemployed) was also established. Conclusion: The SDDS appears to be an effective and reliable instrument that could be used to further investigate the characteristics of synthetic and traditional drug dependence, promoting a deeper understanding of the physical and psychological roles in drug dependence.
... The current study examined the independent and interactive effects of residence predictors and well-established individual-level predictors of HED and alcohol-related harms among first-year students living in residence. Consistent with past research, individual-level predictors (i.e., perceived drinking norms, personality, drinking motives) were robust risk factors of students' frequency of HED and harms in the expected directions (Krank et al., 2011;Kuntsche et al., 2014;McAlaney & McMahon, 2007). Students with greater perceived peer drinking norms, higher levels of impulsivity, sensation seeking, enhancement motives, and social motives reported a higher frequency of HED. ...
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Vivre sur le campus constitue un facteur de risque en ce qui a trait à la consommation excessive d’alcool et aux dommages connexes. Toutefois, il existe une vaste gamme de taux de consommation et de dommages connexes parmi la population étudiante vivant dans les logements sur des campus. Des modèles multiniveaux ont été utilisés pour examiner les effets indépendants et interreliés des caractéristiques personnelles (personnalité, motifs, normes perçues) et des caractéristiques des résidences (densité sociale, type de chambres, distribution des genres, nombre de surveillants de résidence) en tant qu’indicateurs de la consommation d’alcool chez les étudiants. Les participants étaient en première année (N = 651; 71 % de femmes) et vivaient dans l’une des cinq résidences sur le campus d’une université de l’Est canadien. Les indicateurs de niveau 1 que sont l’impulsivité, la recherche de sensations, les normes perçues, le renforcement des motifs et les motifs d’ordre social étaient associés positivement à la consommation occasionnelle excessive d’alcool (COEA) et aux dommages liés à l’alcool. Les motifs d’adaptation et de conformité étaient aussi associés à davantage de dommages liés à l’alcool. Les caractéristiques des résidences n’influaient pas directement sur la consommation d’alcool, mais des liens significatifs entre la densité sociale et l’impulsivité, et entre la densité sociale et la recherche de sensations fortes ont été observés pour la COEA et les dommages y étant associés. L’analyse simple de la pente des liens significatifs a révélé que les étudiants présentant une impulsivité élevée ou moyenne et les étudiants ayant une recherche peu élevée ou moyenne des sensations fortes avaient tendance à rapporter une plus grande COEA et plus de dommages lorsqu’ils vivaient en résidence présentant une grande densité sociale. Les résultats suggèrent que la densité sociale des résidences peut poser un risque pour les étudiants présentant une certaine désinhibition. Des programmes de prévention ciblés selon la personnalité pourraient aider à réduire les risques en offrant à ces étudiants des compétences pour gérer leur vulnérabilité dans le cadre de contextes à risque élevé. De plus, des environnements à plus faible densité sociale pourraient réduire les pressions sociales à adopter des comportements à risque parmi les étudiants impulsifs.
... Impulsive personality types are prone to quick action and poor inhibitory control; sensation-seeking refers to a need for excitement and intolerance of boredom; hopelessness involves a tendency of negative beliefs about the self and world in general; and anxiety sensitivity involves a fear of physical sensations associated with anxiety (Woicik et al., 2009). Canadian and Australian research has demonstrated prospective associations between smoking and sensation seeking, impulsivity and hopelessness (Kelly et al., 2019;Krank et al., 2011). In adolescents aged 14-16, high sensation seeking was associated with an almost 3-fold increase in the odds of recent tobacco use, high impulsivity had 3.3 times the odds of recent tobacco use and high hopelessness was associated with 2.3 times the odds of recent use, compared to those students demonstrating low levels of these personality traits (Kelly et al., 2019). ...
Article
This is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of Preventure, a selective personality-targeted prevention program, in reducing the uptake of tobacco smoking over a three-year period in adolescence. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Preventure. Schools were block randomised to either the Preventure group (n = 7 schools) or the Control group (n = 7 schools) and students were assessed at five time points (baseline, 6-, 12-, 24- and 36-months post-baseline) on measures of tobacco use, intentions to use and self-efficacy to resist peer pressure to smoke tobacco. Intervention effects were estimated using mixed models to account for the hierarchical data structure. Exploratory analyses assessed intervention effects among internalising and externalising personality traits. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12612000026820; www.anzctr.org.au). A total of 1005 adolescents (mean age: 13.4 years, SD = 0.47) attending 14 Australian schools in February 2012 were recruited to the study. Relative to students in Control schools, students in Preventure schools were less likely to report recent tobacco use (OR = 0.66 95% CI = 0.50, 0.87) and intentions to use tobacco in the future (OR = 0.77 95% CI = 0.60, 0.97) over the three-year follow-up. Students in Preventure schools with internalising personality traits had a greater increase in their likelihood to report high self-efficacy to resist peer pressure to smoke sustained three-years post program delivery (OR = 1.85 95% CI = 1.0, 3.4). Findings from this study support the use of selective personality-targeted preventive interventions in reducing tobacco smoking during adolescence.
... In addition to this, many studies found that hopelessness is associated with addictive related behavior such as substance misuse. 21,22 Similarly, the sense of hopelessness may lead individuals to become addicted to internet games to escape the challenges of reality. However, few studies have examined the role of hopelessness in the relationship between ADHD and IGD. ...
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Purpose The mediating role of depressive symptoms and hopelessness on the relationship between attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and internet gaming disorder (IGD) symptoms has not yet been elucidated. This study assessed this mediating effect in college students. Participants and Methods Participants consisted of 1236 freshmen recruited at a local university. Symptoms of ADHD, IGD, depression and hopelessness were measured using self-report scales. The effect of ADHD on IGD mediated by depression and hopelessness was analyzed by Haye’s PROCESS macro for SPSS (Model 6) using the bias-corrected percentile bootstrap method with 5000 bootstrapped samples. Results Symptoms of ADHD, depression and hopelessness were common in college students and were strongly associated with the appearance of IGD symptoms. ADHD symptoms of college students impacted their IGD symptoms directly and indirectly via depressive symptoms and hopelessness. The total effect of ADHD symptoms on IGD symptoms was 0.075 (standard error [SE]: 0.009, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.057, 0.093), with a direct effect of 0.037 (SE: 0.010, 95% CI 0.018, 0.056, effect ratio: 49.3%), and total indirect effect was 0.038 (SE: 0.005, 95% CI 0.029, 0.050, effect ratio: 50.7%). Conclusion Depressive symptoms and hopelessness can mediate the relationship between ADHD and IGD symptoms among college students. These findings point to the importance of evaluating ADHD, depressive and hopelessness symptoms for the prevention and treatment of adult IGD.
... Therefore, scores on each of the four personality traits, as measured by the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) [46], were entered as covariates in the models. The reliability and validity of the SURPS has been established among youth populations in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, and Australia [43,[46][47][48][49][50]. ...
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(1) Background: More time spent on social media has been linked to increased alcohol use, with exposure to peer alcohol-related content on social media (content exposure) named as a critical factor in this relationship. Little is currently known about whether early content exposure may have lasting effects across adolescent development, or about the capacity of parental monitoring of social media use to interrupt these links. (2) Methods: These gaps were addressed in both cross-sectional and longitudinal contexts among a longitudinal sample of Australian secondary school students (n = 432) across the ages of 13–16. (3) Results: Evidence was found for links between social media use and alcohol use frequency in early development. Social media time at age 13 was significantly associated with concurrent alcohol use frequency. At age 13, alcohol use frequency was significantly higher among those who reported content exposure compared to those who reported no exposure. Longitudinally, the frequency of alcohol use over time increased at a faster rate among participants who reported content exposure at age 13. In terms of parental monitoring, no longitudinal effects were observed. However, parental monitoring at age 13 did significantly reduce the concurrent relationship between alcohol use frequency and content exposure. (4) Conclusion: The impact of social media content exposure on alcohol use in adolescence may be more important than the time spent on social media, and any protective effect of parental monitoring on content exposure may be limited to the time it is being concurrently enacted.
... Evidence suggests that impulsive tendencies precede onset of problem behaviour. For instance, elevated levels of impulsivity in adolescents was associated with increased levels of drug use over time (Krank et al., 2011;Quinn & Harden, 2012), and progression to substance use disorders in adulthood (Wilens et al., 2011). In relation to gambling, impulsivity in childhood was associated with problem gambling in adulthood (Shenassa et al., 2012) and increased gambling among university students (Cyders & Smith, 2008). ...
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Impulsivity as measure by delay discounting and entrapment have been known to influence gambling, but their individual and joint influence on problem gambling among Soccer gamblers are not yet understood. We examine the direct and moderation influences of entrapment and delay discounting on problem gambling among 174 Soccer gamblers in Nigeria. Data were obtained by means of self-report questionnaires of entrapment, delay discounting and problem gambling. Results from Hayes PROCESS moderated regression showed that delay discounting moderated the association between entrapment and problem gambling such that the association between entrapment and problem gambling was strong when delay discounting was high and diminished when delay discounting was low. Our findings provide insight into the conditional effect of delay discounting on the entrapment-problem gambling association.
... Mean scores were calculated for each subscale. The SURPS has shown good concurrent, predictive, and discriminant validity (Krank et al., 2017;Woicik et al., 2009) and adequate to good internal reliability (α = .70-.90) (Woicik et al., 2009). In the present study, reliability was acceptable (α = .64-.78). ...
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Dysregulated autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity has been associated with adolescent risk-taking and internalizing behavior, but previous results in community samples have been mixed. We investigated whether ANS activity was associated with higher risk-taking and internalizing behavior in young adolescents (age 11/12; n = 875), and whether adolescents' gender, parents' parenting style or a combination of both moderated these associations. Adolescents and their parents were recruited as part of the population-based, longitudinal Amsterdam Born Children and their Development (ABCD) study. Risk-taking behavior was assessed with the Balloon Analogue Risk Task and the personality characteristics sensation seeking and impulsivity, measured with the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS). Internalizing behavior was assessed via the SURPS subscales anxiety sensitivity and hopelessness. Authoritative (AUTH-SW) and authoritarian (AUTH-S) parenting styles were measured with the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. Resting ANS activity was assessed via heart rate and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Hierarchical, multivariable regression analyses showed higher RSA, but not heart rate, being associated with higher risk-taking behavior and sensation seeking. The associations between ANS activity and risk-taking variables were not significantly moderated by gender, parenting, or interactions between gender and parenting. Our findings suggest that RSA activity may be a relevant factor in mild to moderate risk-taking behavior in adolescents from the general population, regardless of their gender or the type of parenting they experience.
... It may be that adolescents with depressive symptoms may be more likely to seek out substances to cope, whereas those displaying anxiety traits such as social phobic traits are more likely to avoid social contexts that involve substances [85]. Although plausible that young people with anxious traits may be less likely to drink underage [86,87] for fear of engaging in a deviant behaviour and thus, internalising might have a positive relationship with substance use once at older ages, results of the current review show the opposite relationship [24,25,27,28]. Finally, given the comorbidity of internalising and externalising symptoms in adolescence [88], measuring internalising symptoms without controlling for externalising symptoms may erroneously attribute the effects of unmeasured externalising behaviour to internalising symptoms [89]. ...
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Background and aims Childhood adversity is a strong, and concerningly prevalent, risk factor for the later development of substance misuse. Yet despite substantial accumulating evidence for causal mechanisms, there has been little attempt to synthesize the strength of the evidence. Importantly, these mechanisms may be amenable to intervention, providing targets for substance use prevention among those exposed to childhood adversity. The present review aimed to systematically identify mediating and moderating mechanisms operating between childhood adversity and substance use. Methods A systematic review was conducted. Electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL) were searched from 1998 to 2020 for modifiable mediators and moderators of the relationship between childhood adversity and substance use in people aged 10–24. Data was qualitatively synthesised, using a socio-ecological perspective to group mediators/moderators into individual, interpersonal, community, and public policy/cultural levels of behaviour. Results After screening against eligibility criteria, 50 studies were included in the current review. The mediators at the individual level of behaviour showing the largest and most consistent effect sizes included externalising behaviour, anger, coping motives for substance use, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Among individual-level moderators, religiosity, future orientation and depressive symptoms all attenuated the relationship between childhood adversity and substance use. At the interpersonal level, peer relationships and mother-child relationships mediated the effect of adversity on substance use. Moderators included family cohesion and relationship quality. Community factors were less commonly studied, though school mobility and educational achievement mediated 14% and 28% of the total effect of childhood adversity on substance use respectively. No mediators or moderators were identified for public policy/culture. Conclusions A substantial proportion of the relationship between childhood adversity and substance use in youth is mediated through individual, interpersonal and community factors. Coupled with the knowledge that existing, evidence-based programs effectively address many of the identified mediators and moderators, this review advances knowledge on optimal targets to prevent substance misuse among those exposed to childhood adversity.
... Sum scores were used for all four subscales. Internal consistency scores for the SURPS is adequate (a = 0.60 or above; Krank et al. 2011). The internal consistencies for the SURPS subscales in this sample ranged from adequate to good (α = 0.72-86) at baseline. ...
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Alcohol misuse and depression are highly comorbid. Self-medication theory posits that depressed individuals use alcohol to reduce negative emotions. Research suggests that the co-pattern of depression and alcohol misuse is not uniform, and that emerging adults transitioning out of university can be differentiated into subgroups based on their co-patterns. We aimed to replicate and extend this study with emerging adults during university by examining whether baseline individual differences predicted subgroup membership. Undergraduates (N = 300) completed four waves of self-reports at 6-month intervals over 18-months. Parallel process latent class growth modeling supported three classes: Class 1, the 'high-risk comorbid' group, had high stable depression and high stable alcohol misuse (n = 28). Class 2, the 'moderate-risk depression-only group' had high stable depression but low decreasing alcohol misuse (n = 87). Class 3, the 'low-risk normative' group, had low stable depression and low decreasing alcohol misuse (n = 185). Multinomial regressions showed that male sex, higher hopelessness, impulsivity, and anxiety sensitivity, and higher coping-with-depression and enhancement drinking motives, differentiated Class 1 from Class 3. Higher impulsivity and lower hopelessness, and higher enhancement motives, differentiated Class 1 from Class 2. Higher hopelessness, and higher coping-with-depression and conformity motives, differentiated Class 2 from Class 3. We utilized a subclinical sample and a short follow-up period. Emerging adults display differing co-patterns of depression and alcohol misuse over time during university, including both high-, moderate-, and low-risk subgroups. Our results provide novel evidence subgroups that can be distinguished based on sex, drinking motives, and personality.
... Each item is rated on a 4-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Overall this scale has shown good psychometric properties in adolescent samples (e.g., Castellanos- Castonguay-Jolin et al., 2013;Chandrika Ismail et al., 2009;Krank et al., 2011;Schlauch et al., 2015;Woicik et al., 2009). Test-retest reliability is as high as 0.80 (e.g., Woicik et al., 2009) and Cronbach's alphas are satisfactory ranging from .65 to .76 (e.g., Schlauch et al., 2015;Woicik et al., 2009). ...
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Alcohol use is common among individuals attending university and frequent use is associated with several negative effects. It is therefore important to assess individual difference factors preceding alcohol use. Materialism, a value one holds that prioritizes status through the acquisition of money and possessions, has received minimal research focus in relation to alcohol use and has predominantly been examined using cross-sectional designs (i.e., data collected at one time point). The present study was the first to test the association between materialism, risky drinking motives (i.e., motives preceding alcohol use associated with increased consumption and related problems), and risky personality traits (i.e., stable characteristics associated with frequent substance use and related problems) using a short-term longitudinal design. Undergraduate student drinkers (N = 317) completed self-report questionnaires at baseline and follow-up (2 weeks later). Hierarchical regression analyses found that greater levels of materialism significantly predicted each drinking motive while controlling for risky personality traits. Materialism significantly predicted drinking to cope with depression when controlling for trait hopelessness (β = .16, p = .014), drinking to cope with anxiety while controlling for anxiety sensitivity (β = .11, p = .024), and drinking for enhancement while controlling for sensation seeking (β = .24, p < .001). Results provide evidence that materialism is associated with risky drinking motives, which may inform prevention and treatment efforts for problematic use among undergraduate students.
... Each item is rated on a 4point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree). Overall this scale has shown good psychometric properties in adoles cent samples (e.g., CastellanosRyan et al., 2013;CastonguayJolin et al., 2013;Chandrika Ismail et al., 2009;Krank et al., 2011;Schlauch et al., 2015;Woicik et al., 2009). Testretest reliability is as high as 0.80 (e.g., Woicik et al., 2009) and Cronbach's alphas are satisfactory ranging from .65 to .76 (e.g., Schlauch et al., 2015;Woicik et al., 2009). ...
Article
Although more students are enrolling in college than ever before, far too many fail to complete their degrees. The financial, personal, and societal costs of leaving college can be high. The current study explored the relationship between 2 key psychosocial factors, social support and coping, and 2 measures of psychological well-being; specifically, life satisfaction, and perceptions of the campus environment, both of which have been related to grade point average (GPA) and student retention. Path analysis results indicated that social support (B = .31, p < .001) and life satisfaction (B = .36, p = .005) were positively related to perception of university environment, whereas the use of problematic coping strategies (B = −.42, p = .003) was negatively related to perception of university environment. In addition, higher class year (B = −.11, p = .004) and first-generation student status (B = −.25, p = .013) were negatively related to GPA. These findings suggest that university efforts to help students develop positive social support resources and effective coping strategies have the potential to increase both psychological well-being and academic success.
... A 4-point Likert scale is used for item ratings from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The SURPS has shown good reliability, construct validity (convergent and discriminant), criterion validity (concurrent and predictive), and content/structural validity [34][35][36]. Internal consistencies were adequate for all subscales in the present study sample (αSS = 0.74, αIMP = 0.75 αHOP = 0.70, αAS = 0.74). ...
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Alcohol consumption and associated harms are an issue among emerging adults, and protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are actions with potential to minimize these harms. We conducted two studies aimed at determining whether the associations of at-risk personality traits (sensation-seeking [SS], impulsivity [IMP], hopelessness [HOP], and anxiety-sensitivity [AS]) with increased problematic alcohol use could be explained through these variables’ associations with decreased PBS use. We tested two mediation models in which the relationship between at-risk personality traits and increased problematic alcohol use outcomes (Study 1: Alcohol volume; Study 2: Heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related harms) was partially mediated through decreased PBS use. Two samples of college students participated (N1 = 922, Mage1 = 20.11, 70.3% female; N2 = 1625, Mage2 = 18.78, 70.3% female). Results partially supported our hypotheses, providing new data on a mechanism that helps to explain the relationships between certain at-risk personality traits and problematic alcohol use, as these personalities are less likely to use PBS. In contrast, results showed that AS was positively related to alcohol-related harms and positively related to PBS, with the mediational path through PBS use being protective against problematic alcohol use. This pattern suggests that there are other factors/mediators working against the protective PBS pathway such that, overall, AS still presents risks for alcohol-related harms.
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Though anxiety sensitivity (AS)—fear of anxiety-related experiences—is primarily tied to anxiety vulnerability, AS has also been prospectively associated with general negative affect and depression. Furthermore, depression has been longitudinally associated with different forms of substance use, and some AS subfactors (e.g., cognitive concerns) have been associated more consistently with depression and substance use than others. However, no previous study has investigated if longitudinal associations of AS with substance use may be mediated by depression or whether aspects of AS may be prospectively associated with substance use among adolescents. Hence, the present study tested depressive affect (the negative affective aspect of depression) as a prospective mediator of AS associations with substance use and examined longitudinal AS subfactor associations with substance use and problems. High school 9th graders (N = 2,877; Mage = 14.1 years; 55.3% female) completed self-report measures at baseline and at 6 months and 1 year later. Depressive affect mediated AS associations with subsequent alcohol, cigarette, electronic cigarette, cannabis, benzodiazepine, and opioid use. Also, AS cognitive and social concerns (vs. physical concerns) were more consistently associated with later depressive affect and substance use and problems. Current findings suggest that adolescents high in anxiety sensitivity tend to prospectively experience greater depressive affect, which in turn is related to a higher likelihood of engaging in several different forms of substance use. Thus, it is possible that interventions which target AS (particularly AS cognitive concerns) may help to treat or prevent depression and substance use among adolescents.
Article
Objective: Research shows highly palatable foods can elicit addictive eating behaviours or 'food addiction'. Early adolescence is theorised to be a vulnerable period for the onset of addictive eating behaviours, yet minimal research has examined this. This study explored the prevalence and correlates of addictive eating behaviours in a large early adolescent sample. Methods: 6640 Australian adolescents (Mage = 12.7 ± 0.5, 49%F) completed an online survey. Addictive eating was measured with the Child Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS-C). Negative-binomial generalised linear models examined associations between addictive eating symptoms and high psychological distress, energy drink consumption, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption, alcohol use, and cigarette use. Results: Mean YFAS-C symptom criteria count was 1.36 ± 1.47 (of 7). 18.3% of participants met 3+ symptoms, 7.5% endorsed impairment and 5.3% met the diagnostic threshold for food addiction. All examined behavioural and mental health variables were significantly associated with addictive eating symptoms. Effects were largest for high psychological distress and cigarette use; with those exhibiting high psychological distress meeting 0.65 more criteria (95%CI = 0.58-0.72, p < 0.001) and those who smoked a cigarette meeting 0.51 more criteria (95%CI = 0.26-0.76, p < 0.001). High psychological distress and consumption of SSB and energy drinks remained significant when modelling all predictors together. Conclusion: In this large adolescent study, addictive eating symptoms were common. Further research should establish directionality and causal mechanisms behind the association between mental ill-health, alcohol and tobacco use, and addictive eating behaviours. Cross-disciplinary prevention initiatives that address shared underlying risk factors for addictive eating and mental ill-health may offer efficient yet substantial public health benefits.
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An increasing number of students are entering university with reading difficulties—whether they be diagnosed or self-reported. Research demonstrates that university students who self-report a history of reading difficulties (HRD) have lower academic achievement and higher anxiety about academic performance as compared to peers without this history (NRD). Here we study other aspects of HRD students’ university experiences, focusing on alcohol consumption. Specifically, we investigated the drinking motives and personality characteristics likely to increase risk of hazardous alcohol consumption among HRD vs. NRD undergraduates. We identified 42 HRD and 54 NRD participants based on responses to a reading history questionnaire. Participants completed questionnaires assessing hazardous drinking, drinking motives, and alcohol-risk personality traits. Both groups reported similarly high levels of hazardous drinking. HRD students reported drinking more to conform with peers, and less to enhance positive moods, than NRD students. HRD students also scored higher in the alcohol personality risk of impulsivity. Our results support a unique pattern of motives and personality risks among HRD students, a pattern that likely puts them at increased risk for sustained hazardous drinking. Clinical implications for preventing problem drinking among HRD undergraduates are considered.
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Substance use is an important risk factor for physical and mental health, particularly in adolescents and young adults. The Substance Use Risk Profile Scale (SURPS) is a standardized questionnaire to measure personality traits linked to reinforcement-specific substance use profiles. However, the reliability and validity of Chinese version of the SURPS remains unknown. We therefore examined the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS. A total of 1,431 Chinese adolescents and young adults were enrolled in the study. We used the construct validity, internal reliability, and criteria-related validity analysis to test the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS. The Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS had a better construct validity than the original 28- and 23-item SURPS. The Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS had adequate internal reliability (0.69–0.76) for all four dimensions (Anxiety Sensitivity, Sensation Seeking, Hopelessness, Impulsivity). In addition, the criteria-related validity of the Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS was revealed by significant correlations with depression, life satisfaction, and personality traits. The Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS predicted 37% of substance use (frequency of smoking, drinking, and illicit drug use). The present study revealed that the Chinese version of the 23-item SURPS is a reliable and effective measure of personality traits that are linked to substance-related behavior in Chinese adolescents and young adults.
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Adolescents and young adults with mild intellectual disabilities or borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF) are a high-risk group for developing substance use disorders. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie substance use in this particular population. We tested the mediating role of substance use motives in the relationship between personality dimensions and substance use-related outcomes. Self-reported data on substance use risk personality dimensions (i.e., sensation seeking, impulsivity, anxiety sensitivity, and negative thinking), substance use motives (i.e., social, enhancement, coping, and conformity motives), and substance use were obtained from 163 individuals with MID-BIF (mean age 18.9 years). Results show that coping motives played a main role in the associations between personality dimensions and substance use in adolescents and young adults with MID-BIF, with significant relationships between impulsivity and negative thinking and severity of alcohol use or drug use via coping motives. Moreover, findings indicated a relatively high risk for several substance use motives and associated substance use (disorder) in individuals high on impulsivity. Results show significant relationships between impulsivity and severity of alcohol use or drug use via social, enhancement, and coping motives. No mediating associations were found for conformity motives, nor did we find any mediation associations in individuals with high levels of anxiety sensitivity. These insights provide the possibility of tailoring interventions to specific motives that underlie substance use in different types of users with MID-BIF based on personality dimensions.
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Objective: This study was conducted to determine the correlation between self-efficacy for substance addiction prevention and parental attachment levels of adolescents. Method: A total of 120 adolescents participated in this study, which was conducted as a descriptive correlational study. The data collection tools include "Personal Information Form", "Self-Efficacy Scale for Protection from Substance Addiction (SESPSA)" and "Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI)" applied to the participants. Results: Adolescents' average SESPSA total score is 76.47 ± 28.31. A significant correlation was found between the average total and subscale SESPSA scores and certain demographic characteristics of adolescents. It was revealed that the protection levels of female adolescents, whose mothers were secondary school graduates had higher protection from substance addiction. It was discovered that there was a significant difference between adolescents' substance using status and parental attachment rates. Conclusion: Therefore, adolescents are at risk for substance abuse. Especially as the low maternal education level, male gender and negative parental attitudes increase this risk ratio for adolescents. It is recommended to plan protection, prevention and early diagnosis and for these groups, which are found to have a higher risk for substance addiction.
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This study explored the validity of classifying a community-recruited sample of substance-abusing women (N = 293) according to 4 personality risk factors for substance abuse (anxiety sensitivity, introversion–hopelessness, sensation seeking, and impulsivity). Cluster analyses reliably identified 5 subtypes of women who demonstrated differential lifetime risk for various addictive and nonaddictive disorders. An anxiety-sensitive subtype demonstrated greater lifetime risk for anxiolytic dependence, somatization disorder, and simple phobia, whereas an introverted–hopeless subtype evidenced a greater lifetime risk for opioid dependence, social phobia, and panic and depressive disorders. Sensation seeking was associated with exclusive alcohol dependence, and impulsivity was associated with higher rates of antisocial personality disorder and cocaine and alcohol dependence. Finally, a low personality risk subtype demonstrated lower lifetime rates of substance dependence and psychopathology.
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• A systematic method for clinical description and classification of both normal and abnormal personality variants is proposed based on a general biosocial theory of personality. Three dimensions of personality are defined in terms of the basic stimulus-response characteristics of novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and reward dependence. The possible underlying genetic and neuroanatomical bases of observed variation in these dimensions are reviewed and considered in relation to adaptive responses to environmental challenge. The functional interaction of these dimensions leads to integrated patterns of differential response to novelty, punishment, and reward. The possible tridimensional combinations of extreme (high or low) variants on these basic stimulusresponse characteristics correspond closely to traditional descriptions of personality disorders. This reconciles dimensional and categorical approaches to personality description. It also implies that the underlying structure of normal adaptive traits is the same as that of maladaptive personality traits, except for schizotypal and paranoid disorders.
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A series of interrelated analyses were conducted on 2 samples of college students to examine the reliability and validity of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and to develop and validate a short version of the scale. Factor analyses were conducted and tended to approximate Cloninger's proposed model, Novelty Seeking predicted a range of substance use and abuse measures, and substance use disorders. Harm Avoidance was unrelated to substance use but predicted alcohol problems and dependence phenomena. No support was found for the quadratic and specific interaction effects proposed by Cloninger (1987). The Short-TPQ, a 44-item scale derived through exploratory factor analysis, demonstrated levels of reliability and validity quite comparable to those of the full scale. These results provide moderate support for the reliability and validity of both the TPQ and the Short-TPQ. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
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