1
|
Johnson EC, Paul SE, Baranger DAA, Hatoum AS, Colbert SMC, Lin S, Wolff R, Gorelik AJ, Hansen I, Karcher NR, Bogdan R, Agrawal A. Characterizing Alcohol Expectancies in the ABCD Study: Associations with Sociodemographic Factors, the Immediate Social Environment, and Genetic Propensities. Behav Genet 2023; 53:265-278. [PMID: 36662388 PMCID: PMC10159951 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10133-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol expectancies (AEs) are associated with likelihood of alcohol initiation and subsequent alcohol use disorders. It is unclear whether genetic predisposition to alcohol use and/or related traits contributes to shaping how one expects to feel when drinking alcohol. We used the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study to examine associations between genetic propensities (i.e., polygenic risk for problematic alcohol use, depression, risk-taking), sociodemographic factors (i.e., parent income), and the immediate social environment (i.e., peer use and disapproval toward alcohol) and positive and negative AEs in alcohol-naïve children (max analytic N = 5,352). Mixed-effect regression models showed that age, parental education, importance of the child's religious beliefs, adverse childhood experiences, and peer disapproval of alcohol use were associated with positive and/or negative AEs, to varying degrees. Overall, our results suggest several familial and psychosocial predictors of AEs but little evidence of contributions from polygenic liability to problematic alcohol use or related phenotypes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA.
| | - Sarah E Paul
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David A A Baranger
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alexander S Hatoum
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sarah M C Colbert
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Shuyu Lin
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel Wolff
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Aaron J Gorelik
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Isabella Hansen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Nicole R Karcher
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Ryan Bogdan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in Saint Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid, CB 8134, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Willoughby JF, Hust SJT, Li J, Couto L. Measurement Invariance of the Sex-Related Cannabis Expectancies Scale across Age and Gender. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2021; 58:967-975. [PMID: 34236912 DOI: 10.1080/00224499.2021.1943736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sex-related cannabis expectancies have been found to be associated with intentions to use cannabis, cannabis use, and sexual behavior. However, the construct of sex-related cannabis expectancies has been adapted from research with limited examination of the scales themselves. We tested (N = 350 adolescents age 13-17; N = 929 young adults age 18-29) measurement invariance of a sex-related cannabis expectancies scale and found the scale invariant between adolescents and emerging adults as well as between genders. But the partial invariance across age groups suggested that one item from the scale contained systematic errors in assessing the age group differences and warrants additional examination. Latent mean difference tests revealed that young people's sex-related cannabis expectancies differ between age groups and genders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stacey J T Hust
- The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
| | - Jiayu Li
- The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
| | - Leticia Couto
- The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Heath LM, Wardell JD, Hendershot CS. An Evaluation of Alcohol Sensitivity in the Context of the Acquired Preparedness Model. ADDICTION RESEARCH & THEORY 2019; 28:335-344. [PMID: 33828442 PMCID: PMC8023335 DOI: 10.1080/16066359.2019.1653862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The acquired preparedness model (APM) posits that relationships between impulsivity-related traits and alcohol use are partly mediated by the biased acquisition of positive alcohol expectancies. Additionally, alcohol administration studies implicate associations between impulsivity-related traits and sensitivity to acute alcohol effects, suggesting that impulsivity-expectancy associations could be partly explained by individual differences in alcohol response. The present study assessed a theoretical extension of the APM by testing the prediction that self-reported sensitivity to alcohol would partly mediate impulsivity-expectancy relationships, and that the addition of alcohol sensitivity variables would account for increased variance in drinking quantity and problems relative to the traditional APM. METHOD Young adult heavy drinkers (N = 300, 53% women) completed the Alcohol Sensitivity Questionnaire, the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, and measures of alcohol expectancies (Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Questionnaire) and drinking quantity and related problems. Hypotheses were examined using path analysis. RESULTS Results supported significant indirect effects of sensation seeking on drinking quantity and problems via higher positive expectancies. Results also supported a significant indirect effect of negative urgency on drinking problems via negative expectancies. Although alcohol sensitivity variables showed unique associations with drinking outcomes, the addition of these variables did not improve model fit and hypothesized indirect paths involving impulsivity-related traits, alcohol sensitivity, and expectancies were not supported. CONCLUSIONS Future research is necessary to reconcile these results with laboratory findings suggesting that impulsive traits are frequently associated with sensitivity to alcohol's acute effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Heath
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jeffrey D. Wardell
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Christian S. Hendershot
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Foster DW, Ye F, O'Malley SS, Chung T, Hipwell AE, Sartor CE. Longitudinal Associations Between Alcohol-Related Cognitions and Use in African American and European American Adolescent Girls. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:962-971. [PMID: 29484671 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND African American (AA) girls initiate alcohol use later and drink less than European American (EA) girls, potentially reflecting differences in the development of drinking behaviors. This study examined alcohol-related cognitions: expectancies, attitudes, and intention to drink, as possible sources of variation by race in alcohol use. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature and degree of association between cognitions and use over time and by race in EA and AA girls. METHODS Data were drawn from the longitudinal Pittsburgh Girls Study (N = 2,450), an urban population-based sample of girls and their caregivers recruited when girls were between ages 5 and 8, and assessed annually through adolescence. Cross-lagged panel models were conducted separately by race (56.2% AA, 43.8% EA) to identify patterns of association between alcohol use and cognitions from ages 12 to 17 in 2,173 girls. RESULTS Endorsement of cognitions and use was higher overall in EA than AA girls but the magnitude of cross-lagged path coefficients did not differ significantly by race. In both groups, bidirectional effects emerged between intentions and use, and alcohol use largely predicted cognitions across ages. However, intention to drink was the only alcohol-related cognition that consistently predicted subsequent use (odds ratios ranged from 1.55 to 2.71). CONCLUSIONS Although rates of alcohol use and endorsement of cognitions were greater in EA than AA girls, the anticipated racial differences in longitudinal associations between cognitions and use did not emerge, indicating that variation in associations between use and cognitions does not account for the lower prevalence of alcohol use in AA compared with EA girls. Furthermore, our finding that intention to drink is a consistent, robust predictor of subsequent alcohol use suggests the need to investigate potentially modifiable factors that influence intention to drink across racial groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dawn W Foster
- Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Feifei Ye
- RAND Corporation , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Stephanie S O'Malley
- Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Tammy Chung
- Department of Psychiatry , University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Alison E Hipwell
- Department of Psychiatry , University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychology , University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Carolyn E Sartor
- Department of Psychiatry , Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Young-Wolff KC, Wang P, Tuvblad C, Baker LA, Raine A, Prescott CA. Drinking experience uncovers genetic influences on alcohol expectancies across adolescence. Addiction 2015; 110:610-8. [PMID: 25586461 PMCID: PMC4692255 DOI: 10.1111/add.12845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2014] [Revised: 11/15/2014] [Accepted: 12/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To test whether drinking onset moderates genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences in the etiology of alcohol expectancies across adolescence. DESIGN Longitudinal twin design. SETTING Community sample from Los Angeles, CA, USA. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1292 male and female twins, aged 11–18years, were assessed at 1 (n = 440), 2 (n = 587) or 3 (n = 265) occasions as part of the risk factors for the Antisocial Behavior Twin Study. MEASUREMENTS Social behavioral (SB) alcohol expectancies were measured using an abbreviated version of the Social Behavioral subscale from the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire for adolescents (AEQ-A). Drinking onset was defined as >1 full drink of alcohol. FINDINGS Alcohol expectancies increased over age and the increase became more rapid following onset of drinking. The importance of genetic and environmental influences on SB scores varied with age and drinking status, such that variation prior to drinking onset was attributed solely to environmental influences, whereas all post-onset variation was attributed to genetic influences. Results did not differ significantly by sex. CONCLUSION Only environmental factors explain beliefs about the social and behavioral consequences of alcohol use prior to drinking onset,whereas genetic factors explain an increasing proportion of the variance in these beliefs after drinking onset.
Collapse
|
6
|
Pilatti A, Caneto F, Garimaldi JA, Vera BDV, Pautassi RM. Contribution of time of drinking onset and family history of alcohol problems in alcohol and drug use behaviors in Argentinean college students. Alcohol Alcohol 2013; 49:128-37. [PMID: 24322673 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agt176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The aim of the study was to analyze independent and potential interactive effects of age at drinking onset and family history of alcohol abuse on subsequent patterns of alcohol drinking, alcohol-related problems and substance use. METHODS Participants were college students (60.3% females, mean age = 20.27 ± 2.54 years) from the city of Córdoba, Argentina. Several measures were used to assess alcohol, tobacco and drug use. The Spanish version of the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire was used to assess alcohol-related problems. Factorial analyses of variance, or its non-parametric equivalent, were performed to explore differences in substance use behaviors and alcohol-related problems in subjects with early or late drinking onset and with or without family history of alcohol abuse. Chi-square tests were conducted to analyze the association between these two risk factors and categorical measures of alcohol, tobacco and drug use. RESULTS Early onset of drinking was associated with amount of consumption of alcohol including up to hazardous levels, as well as tobacco and drug use. However, the frequency of alcohol problems and frequency of episodes of alcohol intoxication were only related to age of onset in those with a positive family history of alcohol problems. CONCLUSION Delaying drinking debut is particularly important in the prevention of future alcohol problems in those adolescents who have a family history of such problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Pilatti
- Corresponding author: Laboratorio de Psicología, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Enrique Barros y Enfermera Gordillo s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Córdoba, CP 5000, Argentina.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Samek DR, Keyes MA, Iacono WG, McGue M. Peer deviance, alcohol expectancies, and adolescent alcohol use: explaining shared and nonshared environmental effects using an adoptive sibling pair design. Behav Genet 2013; 43:286-96. [PMID: 23644917 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-013-9595-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Previous research suggests adolescent alcohol use is largely influenced by environmental factors, yet little is known about the specific nature of this influence. We hypothesized that peer deviance and alcohol expectancies would be sources of environmental influence because both have been consistently and strongly correlated with adolescent alcohol use. The sample included 206 genetically related and 407 genetically unrelated sibling pairs assessed in mid-to-late adolescence. The heritability of adolescent alcohol use (e.g., frequency, quantity last 12 months) was minimal and not significantly different from zero. The associations among peer deviance, alcohol expectancies, and alcohol use were primarily due to shared environmental factors. Of special note, alcohol expectancies also significantly explained nonshared environmental influence on alcohol use. This study is one of few that have identified specific environmental variants of adolescent alcohol use while controlling for genetic influence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana R Samek
- Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, N218 Elliott Hall, 75 E River Road, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kristjansson SD, Pergadia ML, Agrawal A, Lessov-Schlaggar CN, McCarthy DM, Piasecki TM, Duncan AE, Bucholz KK, Madden PAF, Sher KJ, Heath AC. Smoking outcome expectancies in young adult female smokers: individual differences and associations with nicotine dependence in a genetically informative sample. Drug Alcohol Depend 2011; 116:37-44. [PMID: 21194853 PMCID: PMC3105190 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2010] [Revised: 10/01/2010] [Accepted: 11/13/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Outcome expectancy is a central construct in models of addiction. Several outcome expectancies associated with smoking cigarettes have been identified, and studies suggest that individual differences in smoking expectancies are related to important aspects of tobacco use, including levels of smoking, nicotine dependence and smoking cessation. In the present study, we used a novel analytic method, exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), to quantify smoking expectancies from a subset of items adapted from the Smoking Consequences Questionnaire (SCQ; Brandon and Baker, 1991) and SCQ-Adult (Copeland et al., 1995). In our sample of 1262 monozygotic and dizygotic young adult, female twins who were regular smokers, we quantified six smoking expectancy factors similar to those reported in previous studies. These included Negative Affect Reduction, Boredom Reduction, Weight Control, Taste Manipulation, Craving/Addiction and Stimulation-state Enhancement. We used genetic model-fitting to examine the extent to which individual differences in the expectancies were influenced by latent genetic, shared environmental and non-shared environmental factors. We also examined the validity of the expectancy factors by examining their associations with nicotine dependence (ND) before and after adjusting for comorbid diagnoses of drug dependence and alcohol use disorder. Results of the validity analysis indicated that all of the expectancies were associated with ND after covariate adjustment. Although we lacked the statistical power to distinguish between genetic and shared environmental sources of variance, our results suggest that smoking outcome expectancies aggregate in families, but the majority of variance in these expectancies is due to environmental factors specific to the individual.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean D. Kristjansson
- Corresponding Author: Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States. Tel: +1 314 286 2213; fax: +1 314 454 0432.
| | - Michele L. Pergadia
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Arpana Agrawal
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Christina N. Lessov-Schlaggar
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Denis M. McCarthy
- University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Psychological Sciences, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
| | - Thomas M. Piasecki
- University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Psychological Sciences, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
| | - Alexis E. Duncan
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Kathleen K. Bucholz
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Pamela A. F. Madden
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| | - Kenneth J. Sher
- University of Missouri-Columbia, Department of Psychological Sciences, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO, 65211, United States
| | - Andrew C. Heath
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 606 South Euclid, Box 8134, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hendershot CS, Witkiewitz K, George WH, Wall TL, Otto JM, Liang T, Larimer ME. Evaluating a cognitive model of ALDH2 and drinking behavior. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2010; 35:91-8. [PMID: 21039630 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2010.01325.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite evidence for genetic influences on alcohol use and alcohol-related cognitions, genetic factors and endophenotypes are rarely incorporated in cognitive models of drinking behavior. This study evaluated a model of ALDH2 and drinking behavior stipulating cognitive factors and alcohol sensitivity as accounting for genetic influences on drinking outcomes. METHODS Participants were Asian-American young adults (n = 171) who completed measures of alcohol cognitions (drinking motives, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and alcohol expectancies), alcohol sensitivity, drinking behavior, and alcohol-related problems as part of a prospective study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluated a model of drinking behavior that stipulated indirect effects of ALDH2 on drinking outcomes through cognitive variables and alcohol sensitivity. RESULTS The full model provided an adequate fit to the observed data, with the measurement model explaining 63% of the variance in baseline heavy drinking and 50% of the variance in alcohol-related problems at follow-up. Associations of ALDH2 with cognitive factors and alcohol sensitivity were significant, whereas the association of ALDH2 with drinking was not significant with these factors included in the model. Mediation tests indicated significant indirect effects of ALDH2 through drinking motives, drinking refusal self-efficacy, and alcohol sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS Results are consistent with the perspective that genetic influences on drinking behavior can be partly explained by learning mechanisms and implicate cognitive factors as important for characterizing associations of ALDH2 with drinking.
Collapse
|
10
|
Damashek A, Williams NA, Sher K, Peterson L. Relation of caregiver alcohol use to unintentional childhood injury. J Pediatr Psychol 2009; 34:344-53. [PMID: 18784184 PMCID: PMC2671980 DOI: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsn097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2007] [Revised: 08/22/2008] [Accepted: 08/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study used a case-crossover design to investigate the association of caregiver alcohol consumption and supervision to children's injury occurrence and severity. METHOD A community sample of 170 mothers of toddlers was interviewed biweekly about their children's daily injuries for a period of 6 months. RESULTS Proximal caregiver-reported alcohol use predicted higher likelihood of injury occurrence and higher injury severity, whereas caregiver-reported supervision predicted lower likelihood of injury occurrence and lower injury severity. CONCLUSION Even at low levels, proximal caregiver alcohol use may contribute to higher risk for childhood injuries and more severe injuries. The combined effect of supervision and drinking on injury likelihood warrants further exploration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Damashek
- Center on Child Abuse & Neglect, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 NE 13th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73126-0901, USA.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Chung T, Hipwell A, Loeber R, White HR, Stouthamer-Loeber M. Ethnic differences in positive alcohol expectancies during childhood: the Pittsburgh Girls Study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2008; 32:966-74. [PMID: 18445108 DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2008.00651.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Positive expectancies about alcohol's effects are more likely to be endorsed with increasing age through adolescence, and the strength of positive alcohol expectancies in children appears to differ by ethnicity. Little is known about the extent to which differences in a measure's psychometric properties as a function of development and ethnicity may account for changes that are observed over time and ethnic differences. This study used measurement invariance methods to examine ethnic differences in the development of alcohol expectancies, and examined risk factors associated with girls' positive expectancies. METHODS African-American (56%) and Caucasian (44%) girls (n = 570) in the age 7 cohort of the Pittsburgh Girls Study, and the girl's primary caretaker, were followed annually for 4 years (ages 7-10). Girls reported on alcohol expectancies at each wave, and physical aggression at Year 1. In Year 1, caretakers reported on neighborhood drug use, their own substance-related problems, and depression in the girl. Structural equation modeling was used to examine measurement invariance of positive alcohol expectancies, and to test associations of risk factors to initial level and change in expectancies. RESULTS Five of 8 positive alcohol expectancy items showed measurement equivalence for African-American and Caucasian girls in cross-sectional, but not longitudinal, analyses. Measurement equivalence over ages 7-10 was demonstrated for Caucasian girls, and over ages 7-8 and 9-10 (i.e., a two-part model) for African-American girls. Risk factor analyses indicated that, for Caucasian girls, greater physical aggression was associated with higher initial positive expectancies. CONCLUSIONS Some developmental change and ethnic differences in the performance of positive expectancy items were identified, highlighting the utility of measurement invariance methods. Risk factor analyses suggest the potential benefit of targeted alcohol prevention interventions for certain girls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tammy Chung
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Agrawal A, Dick DM, Bucholz KK, Madden PAF, Cooper ML, Sher KJ, Heath AC. Drinking expectancies and motives: a genetic study of young adult women. Addiction 2008; 103:194-204. [PMID: 18199298 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02074.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Constructs such as drinking expectancies (beliefs regarding the effects of alcohol) and motives (drinking alcohol to achieve a valued end) have been shown to be associated with various stages of alcohol use behaviors. However, little is known of the extent to which genetic and environmental influences contribute to individual differences in expectancies and motives. METHODS Using data from 3,656 young adult same-sex female twins, we examined the association between measures of drinking expectancies and motives and drinking behaviors. Using twin models, we estimated the extent to which genetic, shared and non-shared environmental factors influenced individual differences in expectancies and motives and also tested whether the extent of the genetic and environmental contributions on expectancies varied across abstainers and users of alcohol. RESULTS Expectancies predicted initiation of alcohol use. Both motives and expectancies were associated with frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and drinks-to-intoxication. There was no evidence for heritable influences on expectancies and enhancement motives, with familial similarity for these traits being due to shared environment. Heritable influences on social, coping and conformity motives ranged from 11% to 33%. When expectancies were stratified by alcohol use, significant heritable influences (31-39%) were found for cognitive-behavioral impairment and risk-taking/negative self-perception (RT/NSP) in abstainers only, while environmental influences contributed to familial variance for other measures of expectancies in alcohol users. CONCLUSIONS Environmental influences (both familial and individual-specific) shape alcohol expectancies, while heritable influences may predispose to motives for drinking. Individual differences in expectancies are moderated by alcohol use, suggesting that sources of individual differences in expectancies may vary in drinkers versus abstainers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arpana Agrawal
- Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Prescott CA, Madden PAF, Stallings MC. Challenges in genetic studies of the etiology of substance use and substance use disorders: introduction to the special issue. Behav Genet 2006; 36:473-82. [PMID: 16710779 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-006-9072-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2006] [Accepted: 03/14/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Misuse of psychoactive substances is associated with substantial costs to users and to society. A growing literature suggests individual differences in vulnerability to develop substance related problems are influenced to a large degree by genetic factors. We review the evidence from genetic epidemiologic and molecular genetic studies of problematic use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, then discuss the challenges for the next generation of studies of genetic influences on substance use. These challenges are addressed in the remaining papers of this special issue. The papers cover a variety of approaches, substances, and non-human as well as human studies, but are united by their focus on going beyond heritability estimates to address the mechanisms and processes underlying the development of substance use and substance related problems, including measurement, precursors of substance abuse, stages of substance involvement, and specificity of genetic influences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Prescott
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, SGM 501, Los Angeles, CA, 90036, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Kirisci L, Tarter RE, Vanyukov M, Reynolds M, Habeych M. Relation between cognitive distortions and neurobehavior disinhibition on the development of substance use during adolescence and substance use disorder by young adulthood: a prospective study. Drug Alcohol Depend 2004; 76:125-33. [PMID: 15488336 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2004.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2003] [Revised: 04/05/2004] [Accepted: 04/20/2004] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Previous research has demonstrated that neurobehavior disinhibition increases the risk for a diagnosis of substance use disorder (SUD). This investigation tested the hypothesis that a deficiency in the capacity to appraise the effects of alcohol and drugs and interpret social interactions mediates the relation between neurobehavior disinhibition in childhood and SUD by early adulthood. METHODS Boys with fathers having lifetime SUD (N=88) and no SUD or other psychiatric disorder (N=127) were prospectively tracked from ages 10-12 to 19 years. Neurobehavior disinhibition was evaluated at baseline followed by assessments of cognitive distortions and substance use involvement in early and mid-adolescence. SUD outcome was evaluated up to age 19 years. RESULTS Cognitive distortions (age 12-14 years) mediated the association between neurobehavior disinhibition (age 10-12 years) and marijuana use (age 16 years) which, in turn, predicted SUD by age 19 years. Cognitive distortions in early adolescence did not directly predict SUD by young adulthood. CONCLUSIONS Inaccurate social cognition, significantly predicted by childhood neurobehavior disinhibition, biases development toward marijuana use prodromal to SUD. These results indicate that cognitive processes, in conjunction with psychological self-regulation, comprise important components of the individual liability to SUD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Levent Kirisci
- Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research (CEDAR), School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, 711 Salk Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Prescott CA, Cross RJ, Kuhn JW, Horn JL, Kendler KS. Is Risk for Alcoholism Mediated by Individual Differences in Drinking Motivations? Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2004; 28:29-39. [PMID: 14745300 DOI: 10.1097/01.alc.0000106302.75766.f0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual differences in motivations to drink have been proposed as a mechanism that mediates risk for alcoholism. We investigated the genetic and environmental sources of variation in motivations for drinking, as assessed by four scales of the Alcohol Use Inventory (AUI), and then examined the extent to which genetic and environmental variations in risk for alcoholism are mediated by individual differences in drinking motives. METHODS Data on four AUI scales (assessing drinking to manage mood states, to relieve social anxiety, in social situations, and to improve mental functioning) and lifetime DSM-IV alcohol abuse and/or dependence (AAD) were obtained from 2529 female and 3709 male adult twins, including 2229 complete twin pairs, from the population-based Virginia Twin Registry. RESULTS Logistic regression analyses indicated that higher scores on each of the four AUI variables were significantly associated with AAD, with increases in risk for diagnosis of 40% to 141% per standard deviation increase in AUI score. Structural modeling analyses conducted using Mplus indicated that individual differences in AUI scores were in part due to genetic variation, particularly among women. Among males, genetic factors were substantial for drinking to alter mood but small for other measures. A substantial portion of the genetic variation in AAD overlapped with drinking to manage mood states. Results from bivariate twin models of AAD and the AUI scales were consistent with the mediation hypothesis for the social anxiety and social interaction scales but not drinking to manage mood or to enhance mental functioning. CONCLUSIONS Genetic contributions to variation in risk for alcoholism may be mediated in part by individual differences in motivations related to drinking in social settings. Drinking to manage mood indexes genetic risk for alcoholism but does not appear to act as a direct cause of alcoholism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carol A Prescott
- Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|