Alcohol use and personality trait change: pooled analysis of six cohort studies

Personality changes related to presence and treatment of substance use (disorders): a systematic review

Heavy substance use (SU) and substance use disorders (SUD) have complex etiologies and often severe consequences. Certain personality traits have been associated with an increased risk for SU(D), but far less is known about personality changes related to SU(D). This review aims to synthesize the existing literature on this research question. A systematic literature search was conducted from November 2022 to February 2023 in PubMed, EbscoHost, and Web of Science. Peer-reviewed original papers on SU(D)-related personality changes were included. Of 55 included studies, 38 were observational population-based studies and 17 were intervention studies. Overall, personality and SU measures, samples, study designs, and statistical approaches were highly heterogenous. In observational studies, higher SU was most consistently related to increases in impulsivity-related traits and (less so) neuroticism, while interventions in the context of SU(D) were mostly associated with increases in conscientiousness and self-efficacy and lasting decreases in neuroticism. Findings for traits related to extraversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness were mixed and depended on SU measure and age. Studies on bidirectional associations suggest that personality and SU(D) both influence each other over time. Due to their strong association with SU(D), impulsivity-related traits may be important target points for interventions. Future work may investigate the mechanisms underlying personality changes related to SU(D), distinguishing substance-specific effects from general SU(D)-related processes like withdrawal, craving, and loss of control. Furthermore, more research is needed to examine whether SU(D)-related personality changes vary by developmental stage and clinical features (e.g. initial use, onset, remission, and relapse).

Personality correlates of past-year alcohol use in individuals with severe alcohol use disorder and a lifetime history of involvement in alcoholics anonymous

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a highly impairing condition with important public health impacts. Despite the availability of treatment options for AUD, research shows that few people receive treatment, and even fewer can maintain abstinence/low-drinking levels. This study investigated the role of personality traits in past-year alcohol use among individuals with severe AUD who ever attended Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), a widespread and easily accessible self-help group for alcohol problems.

METHODS

Univariable and multivariable regressions were performed separately in females and males with alcohol consumption as an outcome. Socioeconomic factors, genetic liability, and psychopathology were included as covariates in the analyses.

RESULTS

Results from the multivariable model indicated that in females who attended AA, greater alcohol use was related to both positive and negative urgency and low sensation seeking, while in males, greater alcohol use was related to positive urgency. Results also showed that, in both sexes, younger age and lower educational levels were associated with greater alcohol use. Moreover, single males and individuals with lower AUD severity were at higher risk of using alcohol in the past year.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight sex-specific correlates of drinking in individuals with AUD who engaged in self-help groups. These findings may help to improve treatment options, as personality encompasses modifiable traits that can be targeted in psychological interventions.

Have the personality and socio-demographic profiles of Australian adolescent drinkers changed?

INTRODUCTION

Adolescent alcohol consumption has been declining across many countries, with rates of abstinence also increasing among younger cohorts. A range of socio-demographic variables and personality traits are associated with alcohol use; however, no study has examined whether the relationship between personality and drinking has changed over time as adolescent drinking has declined.

METHODS

Data from 15- to 17-year-old respondents were extracted from four waves (2004/2005, 2008/2009, 2012/2013, 2016/2017) of a long running Australian cohort study. Logistic regression analyses with interaction terms were used to determine whether personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability) and socio-demographic variables (age, gender, equivalised income, family structure, cultural background, school attendance and regionality) significantly differed between drinkers and abstainers and whether these relationships changed across cohorts.

RESULTS

The prevalence of drinking for 15- to 17-year-olds significantly declined over each survey wave from 54% in 2004/2005 to 24% in 2016/2017. Conscientiousness (odds ratio [OR] 0.82, confidence interval [CI] = 0.73, 0.93), extraversion ([OR] 1.25, [CI] = 1.11, 1.40) and emotional stability ([OR] 0.73, [CI] = 0.64, 0.83) were all significant predictors of alcohol consumption. No significant interactions between cohort and personality traits or socio-demographic variables were found.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The study found no evidence to indicate that the relationship between adolescent alcohol consumption and personality has changed. Similarly, socio-demographic relationships with drinking were stable as drinking prevalence dropped by more than half. This adds to the evidence that drinking declines among adolescents are spread broadly across the population and not concentrated within identifiable sub-groups of young people.

The Involvement of Age, Gender, and Personality Variables in Alcohol Consumption during the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romanian University Students

This study aimed to explore the age, gender, and personality variables involved in alcohol consumption (AC) at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania among 210 bachelor's and master's students aged between 19 and 25 years. The results of the Freiburg Personality Inventory-Revised and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were examined using a logistic model and cluster analysis. The prevalence of problematic AC was relatively low (10.5%). The risk of males being part of the problematic AC cluster was 5.223 times higher than that of females (p < 0.001). Increasing age was associated with a decrease in the risk of belonging to the problematic cluster by a factor of 0.733 (p = 0.001). Increasing scores on the Frankness and Somatic Complaints personality scales were associated with a decreased risk of belonging to the problematic cluster of AC, with factors of 0.738 (95% CI, 0.643 to 0.848), Wald χ²(1) = 18.424, and p < 0.001 and 0.901 (95% CI, 0.813 to 0.999), Wald χ²(1) = 3.925, and p = 0.048, respectively. More action to prevent AC is needed in men, especially in those at the beginning of their university studies. It is necessary to intervene to decrease the interest in making a good impression (low scores on the Frankness Scale) so as to increase healthy autonomy using critical thinking and find a balance between the internal and external loci of control. Students from faculties with profiles that deal with health and its promotion are less vulnerable to problematic alcohol consumption, even if they have a withdrawn, pessimistic personality (low scores on Somatic Complaints).

The Relationship between Selected Factors (Temperament, Bipolar Traits, Sleep Quality, Severity of Addiction) and Depressive Symptoms in Alcohol-Dependent Men

Clinical and epidemiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between alcohol addiction and mood disorders. Alcohol-dependent patients with depression tend to demonstrate clinically more severe manic symptoms, which complicates the process of diagnosis and therapy. However, the predictors indicating the risk of mood disorders in addicted patients remain unclear. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between personal dispositions, bipolar traits, depth of addiction, quality of sleep, and depressive symptoms in alcohol-dependent men. The study group comprised 70 men (age M = 46.06, SD = 11.29) diagnosed with alcohol addiction. The participants completed a battery of questionnaires: BDI, HCL-32, PSQI, EPQ-R and MAST. The results were tested using Pearson's correlation quotient and general linear model. The findings indicate that some of the studied patients are likely to have mood disorders of clinically significant severity. High neuroticism and poor sleep quality are independent predictors of depressive symptoms in alcohol-dependent patients. Among the components of sleep quality, problems with falling asleep and waking up at night appear to be most strongly associated with depressive symptoms. The intensity of depressive symptoms may relate to the intensity of certain bipolar features, such as risk-taking activity and irritability. High neuroticism and poor sleep quality are independent predictors of depressive symptoms in the studied group.

"I don't want them to judge me": Separating out the role of fear of negative evaluation, neuroticism, and low self-esteem in eating disorders

Fear of negative evaluation (FNE) is a transdiagnostic risk factor that has an important role in eating disorder (ED) onset and maintenance, as well as other psychopathologies. However, no research has explored whether FNE has associations with probable ED status when accounting for related vulnerabilities, and whether this relationship changes across gender and weight status. The current study sought out to explore how FNE explains probable ED status above and beyond heightened neuroticism and low self-esteem, with gender and BMI serving as potential moderators of this relationship. Participants were 910 university students (85 % females) aged 18-26 years (M_age = 19.90; SD_age = 2.06) living in Australia, who completed measures of psychological distress, personality, self-esteem, FNE, and ED status. Logistic regression analysis showed that FNE was associated with probable ED status. This relationship was stronger among individuals with underweight and healthy-weight, whilst an interaction with gender was not significant. These findings shed light on the unique role FNE has in probable ED status across gender, which appears to be more pronounced in those with a lower BMI. Therefore, FNE should be considered as a potential target in ED screening and early intervention alongside other important transdiagnostic risk factors.

The values in action character strengths model: a resource for people in addiction recovery

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the Values in Action (VIA) character strengths profile of people in addiction recovery, to identify which strengths are meaningfully represented in this population. This was compared with the generalised profile of a normative population to identify the differentiating features. Reasons for the profile variance and the significance this has for addiction recovery have also been explored.

Design/methodology/approach

An independent group design was adopted using purposive sampling. This saw participants (n = 100) complete the VIA Inventory of Strengths-P assessment to establish a character strengths profile for people in addiction recovery. To identify the differences in this profile, a mean score and rank order comparison was conducted, using data taken from a normative population. Additional exploratory analysis was conducted to establish if there were any significant differences in the character strength profile of males and females.

Findings

In descending order, the top five ranked strengths were kindness, humour, honesty, fairness and teamwork. The lesser five strengths in the profile were spirituality, zest, perseverance, prudence and self-regulation. A distinguishing feature was the presence of humour as a top five strength for people in addiction recovery. The existence of teamwork also deviated from the generalised normative population. There were two strengths shown to have a meaningfully higher score for females, teamwork and love. This did not change the strengths present in the overall top five for males or females, however.

Originality/value

This study contributes useful knowledge to the understanding of character strengths in addiction recovery. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time character strengths have been examined in a sample of people in addiction recovery.

Longitudinal Associations between Sensation Seeking and Its Components and Alcohol Use in Young SWISS Men-Are There Bidirectional Associations?

The association between alcohol use and sensation seeking is well known. Less is known about whether longitudinal changes in alcohol use are associated with changes in sensation seeking and in which direction influence might flow. 5125 men aged 20.0 years old at baseline and 25.4 years old at follow-up responded to the Brief Sensation Seeking Questionnaire, which measures four subscales of experience seeking, boredom susceptibility, thrill- and adventure-seeking, and disinhibition. Alcohol use was measured using volume (drinks per week) and binge drinking (about 60 g or more per occasion). Associations were calculated using cross-lagged panel models and two-wave latent change score models. Correlations between the latent change scores for alcohol use and the sensation-seeking subscales were all positive, being largest for disinhibition (r > 0.3) and much smaller (r ~ 0.1) for the others. Disinhibition was the dominant effect over the entire sensation-seeking scale. Cross-lagged paths were (except for thrill- and adventure-seeking) bidirectional and mostly higher from alcohol use to sensation seeking (e.g., path_{volume-disinhibition} = 0.136, and path_{disinhibition-volume} = 0.072). Again, effects were highest for disinhibition. Given the bidirectional links between sensation seeking and alcohol use, preventive efforts aiming to achieve stable positive changes in alcohol use and personality should target both simultaneously and focus on disinhibition.

Initiation of drug and alcohol use and personality development during adolescence

Personality traits predict both the initiation and continued usage of alcohol and drugs. Less established is if substance use is associated with subsequent changes in personality, especially during the sensitive period of adolescence. We used three approaches to disentangle selection and socialization effects to address whether substance use is associated with personality development (impulsivity, sensation-seeking, depression, self-esteem). First, we used a multi-wave longitudinal sample of adolescents ( N = 8,303) from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - Child and Young Adult dataset to study the first use of several substances. Second, we used propensity score weighting to equate users and abstainers on a range of background variables. Third, we investigated changes before, during, and after initiation of substances. Overall, there was unique variability and effects in personality across time for average levels, trajectories, and magnitudes of change both between users and abstainers as well as within users of specific substances. Results suggest that initiation of substance use is associated with changes in personality; the specifics of which are largely contingent upon the substance being used. Impulsivity and sensation-seeking were the traits associated with the most change while cocaine and cigarettes were the substances associated with the greatest changes.

Income moderates changes in big-five personality traits across eighteen years

The role of income in adult personality change remains poorly understood. Using latent growth modeling, we performed exploratory analyses of how longitudinal trajectories of change in personal income and the Big Five personality traits would be related. We examined 4234 participants (2149 Males, 2085 Females; MT1age = 46.42, SDT1age = 13.36, age range at T1: 20–74 years) across three time points spanning 18 years using data from the Midlife in the United States study. Results indicated that starting levels of income moderated changes in four personality traits. Specifically, income moderated the slopes of openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, such that for high-income individuals, openness to experience, extraversion, and agreeableness were less likely to decline and more likely to either increase or remain stable over time, while neuroticism was less likely to increase and more likely to remain stable over time. Conversely, personality traits were weaker predictors of income change as slopes of income were not moderated by starting levels of any of the personality traits. Moreover, changes in income were not correlated with changes in any of the personality traits. The findings suggest that individual differences in income could potentially explain diverging trajectories of personality change.

Agreeableness and Its Consequences: A Quantitative Review of Meta-Analytic Findings

Agreeableness impacts people and real-world outcomes. In the most comprehensive quantitative review to date, we summarize results from 142 meta-analyses reporting effects for 275 variables, which represent N > 1.9 million participants from k > 3,900 studies. Arranging variables by their content and type, we use an organizational framework of 16 conceptual categories that presents a detailed account of Agreeableness’ external relations. Overall, the trait has effects in a desirable direction for 93% of variables (grand mean [Formula: see text]). We also review lower order trait evidence for 42 variables from 20 meta-analyses. Using these empirical findings, in tandem with existing theory, we synthesize eight general themes that describe Agreeableness’ characteristic functioning across variables: self-transcendence, contentment, relational investment, teamworking, work investment, lower results emphasis, social norm orientation, and social integration. We conclude by discussing potential boundary conditions of findings, contributions and limitations of our review, and future research directions.

Maternal personality and alcohol use during pregnancy in Japan: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Studies on associations between maternal personality and alcohol use have examined only one time point during pregnancy in Western countries. We aimed to examine the association between maternal personality and alcohol use in early and middle pregnancy in Japan.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 17,144 pregnant women in Japan who participated in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study from 2013 to 2017. Personality was assessed using the short-form Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised. Women were dichotomized as current drinkers or non-drinkers in both early and middle pregnancy. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for alcohol use in early and middle pregnancy and continued alcohol use between early and middle pregnancy were calculated for 1 standard deviation increase in each personality scale, adjusted for age, as well as education, work status, fertility treatment, and parity.

RESULTS

Higher extraversion scores were associated with alcohol use in early (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.12-1.20) and middle pregnancy (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.25). Higher psychoticism scores were associated with continued alcohol use into middle pregnancy (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01-1.14) and alcohol use in middle pregnancy (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.13). Neuroticism was not associated with alcohol use in early or middle pregnancy. Lower lie was associated with alcohol use in early (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.98), but not in middle pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Different personality scales are associated with alcohol use at different points during pregnancy.

Post-traumatic growth as positive personality change: Challenges, opportunities, and recommendations

OBJECTIVE

Post-traumatic growth typically refers to enduring positive psychological change experienced as a result of adversity, trauma, or highly challenging life circumstances. Critics have challenged insights from much of the prior research on this topic, pinpointing its significant methodological limitations. In response to these critiques, we propose that post-traumatic growth can be more accurately captured in terms of personality change-an approach that affords a more rigorous examination of the phenomenon.

METHOD

We outline a set of conceptual and methodological questions and considerations for future work on the topic of post-traumatic growth.

RESULTS

We provide a series of recommendations for researchers from across the disciplines of clinical/counseling, developmental, health, personality, and social psychology and beyond, who are interested in improving the quality of research examining resilience and growth in the context of adversity.

CONCLUSION

We are hopeful that these recommendations will pave the way for a more accurate understanding of the ubiquity, durability, and causal processes underlying post-traumatic growth.

Memory and Personality Development in Adulthood: Evidence From Four Longitudinal Studies

OBJECTIVES

Personality traits have been related to concurrent memory performance. Most studies, however, have focused on personality as a predictor of memory; comparatively less is known about whether memory is related to personality development across adulthood. Using 4 samples, the present study tests whether memory level and change are related to personality change in adulthood.

METHOD

Participants were drawn from 2 waves of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduates (WLSG; N = 3,232, mean age = 64.28, SD = 0.65) and Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Siblings (WLSS; N = 1,570, mean age = 63.52, SD = 6.69) samples, the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS; N = 1,901, mean age = 55.43, SD = 10.98), and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; N = 6,038, mean age = 65.47, SD = 8.28). Immediate and delayed recall and the 5 major personality traits were assessed at baseline and follow-up.

RESULTS

There was heterogeneity in the associations across samples. A meta-analysis of latent change in the four samples indicated that lower baseline memory performance was related to an increase in neuroticism (B = -0.002; 95% CI = -0.004, -0.0008) and a decrease in agreeableness (B = 0.004; 95% CI = 0.002, 0.007) and conscientiousness (B = 0.005; 95% CI = 0.0008, 0.010). In addition, declines in memory were related to steeper declines in extraversion (B = 0.06; 95% CI = 0.003, 0.11), openness (B = 0.04; 95% CI = 0.007, 0.069), and conscientiousness (B = 0.05; 95% CI = 0.019, 0.09).

DISCUSSION

The present study indicates that poor memory and declines in memory over time are related to maladaptive personality change. These associations, however, were small and inconsistent across samples.

Are Changes in Personality Traits and Alcohol Use Associated? A Cohort Study Among Young Swiss Men

Objective: It is well known that certain personality traits are associated with alcohol use. Because less is known about it, we wished to investigate whether changes in alcohol use were longitudinally associated with changes in personality and in which direction the influence or causation might flow. Methods: Data came from the self-reported questionnaire answers of 5,125 young men at two time points during the Cohort study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF). Their average ages were 20.0 and 25.4 years old at the first and second wave assessments, respectively. Four personality traits were measured: (a) aggression-hostility; (b) sociability; (c) neuroticism-anxiety; and (d) sensation seeking. Alcohol use was measured by volume (drinks per week) and binge drinking (about 60+ grams per occasion). Cross-lagged panel models and two-wave latent change score models were used. Results: Aggression-hostility, sensation seeking, and sociability were significantly and positively cross-sectionally associated with both alcohol use variables. Drinking volume and these three personality traits bidirectionally predicted each other. Binge drinking was bidirectionally associated with sensation-seeking only, whereas aggression-hostility and sociability only predicted binge drinking, but not vice versa. Changes in alcohol use were significantly positively associated with changes in aggression-hostility, sensation seeking, and sociability. Associations reached small Cohen's effect sizes for sociability and sensation seeking, but not for aggression-hostility. Associations with neuroticism-anxiety were mostly not significant. Conclusion: The direction of effects confirmed findings from other studies, and the association between changes in personality and alcohol use support the idea that prevention programs should simultaneously target both.

Hazardous alcohol consumption among older adults: A comprehensive and multi-national analysis of predictive factors in 13,351 individuals

Background

Older adults exhibit heightened vulnerability for alcohol-related health impairments. Increases in the proportion of older adults within the European Union’s total population and prevalence rates of alcohol use disorders in this age group are being observed. This large scale international study was conducted to identify those older adults with an increased risk to engage in hazardous drinking behaviour.

Methods

Socio-demographic, socio-economic, personality characteristics (Big Five Inventory, BFI-10), and alcohol consumption patterns of 13,351 individuals from 12 different European countries, collected by the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe, were analyzed using regression models.

Results

Age, nationality, years of education, as well as personality traits, were significantly associated with alcohol intake. For males, extraversion predicted increased alcohol intake (RR = 1.11, CI = 1.07–1.16), whereas conscientiousness (RR = 0.93, CI = 0.89–0.97), and agreeableness (RR = 0.94, CI = 0.90–0.99), were associated with a reduction. For females, openness to new experiences (RR = 1.11, CI = 1.04–1.18) predicted increased alcohol intake. Concerning excessive drinking, personality traits, nationality, and age-predicted consumption patterns for both sexes: Extraversion was identified as a risk factor for excessive drinking (OR = 1.15; CI = 1.09–1.21), whereas conscientiousness was identified as a protective factor (OR = 0.87; CI = 0.823–0.93).

Conclusion

Hazardous alcohol consumption in the elderly was associated with specific personality characteristics. Preventative measures, crucial in reducing deleterious health consequences, should focus on translating the knowledge of the association of certain personality traits and alcohol consumption into improved prevention and treatment.

How Does Substance Use Affect Personality Development? Disentangling Between- and Within-Person Effects

Little is known about the effects of substance use on changes in broad personality traits. This 10-year longitudinal study sought to fill this void using a large, representative sample of the Dutch population ( N = 10,872), which provided annual assessments of drug use (tobacco, alcohol, sedatives, soft drugs, ecstasy, hallucinogens, and hard drugs), Big Five personality traits, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. Using multilevel models, we examined the longitudinal associations between drug use and personality both between and within persons. Results indicated that individuals with low levels of conscientiousness, life satisfaction, and self-esteem, as well as high levels of neuroticism, used more drugs on average (between-person effects). In contrast, we found little evidence for personality change following substance use (within-person effects). We discuss these findings in the context of previous empirical and theoretical work and highlight opportunities for future research.

Personality, disability-free life years, and life expectancy: Individual participant meta-analysis of 131,195 individuals from 10 cohort studies

OBJECTIVE

We examined how personality traits of the Five Factor Model were related to years of healthy life years lost (mortality and disability) for individuals and the population.

METHOD

Participants were 131,195 individuals from 10 cohort studies from Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States (n = 43,935 from seven cohort studies for the longitudinal analysis of disability, assessed using scales of Activities of Daily Living).

RESULTS

Lower Conscientiousness was associated with higher mortality and disability risk, but only when Conscientiousness was below its median level. If the excess risk associated with low Conscientiousness had been absent, population life expectancy would have been 1.3 years longer and disability-free life 1.0 years longer. Lower emotional stability was related to shorter life expectancy, but only among those in the lowest 15% of the distribution, and disability throughout the distribution: if the excess risk associated with low emotional stability had been absent, population life expectancy would have been 0.4 years longer and disability-free life 2.4 years longer.

CONCLUSIONS

Personality traits of low Conscientiousness and low emotional stability are associated with reduced healthy life expectancy of individuals and population.

Are personality traits associated with smoking and alcohol use prior to and during pregnancy?

Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have detrimental effects on the developing fetus, including fetal alcohol syndrome and low birth weight. Surprisingly little is known about the association of personality traits with smoking and alcohol consumption in the specific subpopulation of pregnant women. This study analyzed data from a geographically diverse sample of 603 pregnant women, aged 18 years and older, who provided information regarding their smoking and drinking habits before and during pregnancy. We compared women who consumed alcohol or smoked cigarettes before pregnancy with women who quit or continued smoking or drinking during pregnancy. Associations between personality and maladaptive behaviors prior to and during pregnancy were modeled using logistic regression. The study revealed that women who scored high on openness to experience were significantly more likely to continue alcohol consumption during pregnancy (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.01, 1.14, p = .02). This association was maintained after adjusting for potential confounds. This study demonstrated a significant relationship between personality traits and women's likelihood of continued alcohol consumption prior to and during pregnancy. Understanding personality-based determinants of health-detrimental behavior is important in order to design interventions that aim at decreasing rates of maladaptive health behaviors among pregnant women.

Health behaviors and psychological distress: changing associations between 1997 and 2016 in the United States

OBJECTIVES

Smoking rates have declined with a slower pace among those with psychological distress compared to those without. We examined whether other health behaviors (heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, short sleep duration) showed similar trends associated with psychological distress. We also examined differences by age and birth cohort.

METHODS

Data were from the annually repeated cross-sectional U.S. National Health Interview Surveys (NHIS) of 1997-2016 (total n = 603,518). Psychological distress was assessed with the 6-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6).

RESULTS

Psychological distress became more strongly associated with smoking (OR 1.09 per 10 years; 95% CI 1.07, 1.12), physical inactivity (OR 1.08; 1.05, 1.11), and short sleep (OR 1.12; 1.06, 1.18), but less strongly associated with heavy alcohol consumption (OR 0.93; 0.89, 0.98). The associations of smoking and alcohol consumption attenuated with age, whereas the association with physical inactivity strengthened with age. Compared to older birth cohorts, smoking became more strongly associated with psychological distress among younger birth cohorts up to those born in the 1980s.

CONCLUSIONS

The strength of associations between psychological distress and health behaviors may vary by time period, age, and birth cohort.

Alcohol Advertisements, Hazard Warnings, Knowledge of Alcohol-Related Harm and Health-Profession Students' Drinking in Inner Mongolia

Background: Consumption of alcohol among adults in Inner Mongolia is high even among health professionals. Little is known of the alcohol consumption patterns of health-profession students. Objectives: To assess the association of knowledge of alcohol-related harm (KAH), and exposure to media-based promotional alcohol sales advertisements (PASA) and alcohol hazard warnings (AHW) with drinking frequency of health-profession university students. Methods: Health-profession students (N = 1277) in the Medical University of Inner Mongolia were interviewed in 2017 regarding their alcohol drinking frequency, KAH, and exposure to PASA and AHW. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between exposure and drinking frequency. Results: Overall, 9% were nondrinkers, 35% occasional drinkers, and 56% frequent drinkers. Females were slightly less commonly drinkers but more commonly frequent drinkers. The prevalence of drinking decreased with age. Mongolians were more commonly frequent drinkers than Han. A majority of students had low KAH. Exposure to PASA was more common among drinkers, and exposure to AHW more common among nondrinkers. The main reason for drinking was social gathering. The relative probability of being an occasional or frequent drinker was lower among older students, those with higher KAH, and those exposed to AHW on television and internet but higher among those exposed to PASA in mini-supermarkets on campus. Conclusions: Students' drinking behavior was associated with low KAH and exposure to alcohol advertisements and warning media messages. Prevalence of frequent drinking might be reduced by wider use of AHW on internet and television and improving the level of knowledge of alcohol-related harm.

Contribution of the Five Factors of Personality and Peers on Adolescent Alcohol Use: A Cross-National Study

Personality characteristics such as extraversion, low agreeableness and low conscientiousness are relevant for alcohol use during adolescence. In addition, having friends who use alcohol is one of the strongest predictors of adolescent alcohol consumption and its negative outcomes. The selection model posits that friends display similar alcohol consumption when their friendships are formed on the basis of common characteristics as, among others, personality. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the mediation role of peers in the association between the five-factor model of personality and adolescent alcohol use in two cultures. One hundred and twenty Scottish and 221 Spanish respondents, all aged 12-15 years, answered the Alcohol Intake Scale (AIS). Adolescents were asked about the alcohol used at the weekend and also about the alcohol consumed by their friends. Scottish adolescents' personality was measured by the NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3). The Junior Spanish version of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (JS NEO) was used to assess personality in the Spanish sample. Low agreeableness and low conscientiousness correlated with own alcohol quantity in both countries. We performed an independent structural equation modeling for each country. Extraversion (β = .205, p < .05) and low agreeableness (β = -.196, p < .01) for Scottish adolescents, and low conscientiousness (β = -.175, p < .05) for Spanish youths, predicted alcohol use through peer alcohol consumption at weekends. These findings support the relevance of personality traits and peer affiliation in relation to alcohol consumption in adolescence.

Cloninger's Temperament Dimensions and Longitudinal Alcohol Use in Early Midlife: A Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 Study

BACKGROUND

Temperament is theorized to be an important factor contributing to the development of alcohol use disorder, but longitudinal studies on how temperament is related to alcohol use among general population in midlife are scarce. Our aims were to investigate potentially reciprocal associations between temperament and changes in alcohol use from age 31 to 46 using prospective birth cohort data.

METHOD

Within the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966, alcohol use and temperament were studied at ages 31 and 46. Participants (N = 5,274) were classified into moderate users, abstainers and heavy users based on their mean alcohol use (g/d). Additionally, participants were categorized as steady users, reducers, or increasers. Multinomial regression analyses were conducted with Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scores as factors influencing alcohol use using moderate and stable users as reference groups. Reciprocity of relations was assessed with cross-lagged structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Temperament and alcohol use are rather stable in midlife. Novelty seeking (NS) predicted heavy use (OR = 1.4; CI: 1.3 to 1.6 for men, OR = 1.3; CI: 1.1 to 1.5 for women) and increasing use (OR = 1.2; CI: 1.1 to 1.4 for men, OR = 1.1; CI: 1.0 to 1.3 for women), whereas low NS predicted abstaining among women (OR = 0.7; CI: 0.6 to 0.8). High harm avoidance (HA) predicted abstaining (OR = 1.3; CI: 1.1 to 1.5) for men. Low persistence (P) among men predicted both abstaining (OR = 0.9; CI: 0.7 to 0.98) and heavy use (OR = 0.9; CI: 0.8 to 0.98). Among women, low reward dependence (RD) predicted heavy use (OR = 0.8; CI: 0.7 to 0.9). Among TCI scores, only NS predicted increasing use in the cross-lagged models.

CONCLUSIONS

Temperament has an impact on alcohol use in midlife. Of the TCI dimensions, only NS seems to predispose to increased alcohol use and problem use throughout life. Additionally, RD among women and P among men are significant factors from a life-course perspective. Our results did not support Cloninger's theory on type I alcoholism, as HA showed no relation to problematic alcohol use in midlife.