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Impulsive Personality Traits Mediate the Relationship Between Adult Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms and Alcohol Dependence Severity
Author(s) -
Daurio Allison M.,
Aston Sean A.,
Schwandt Melanie L.,
Bukhari Mohammad O.,
Bouhlal Sofia,
Farokhnia Mehdi,
Lee Mary R.,
Leggio Lorenzo
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/acer.13538
Subject(s) - impulsivity , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , alcohol use disorder , psychology , clinical psychology , odds , psychiatry , odds ratio , logistic regression , intervention (counseling) , comorbidity , personality , medicine , alcohol , biochemistry , chemistry , social psychology
Background While the role of attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a risk factor for developing alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been established, the underlying pathways connecting the two are still not fully understood. Overlapping constructs such as impulsivity may explain the increased risk for developing AUD in individuals with ADHD. Methods In this study, we assessed whether adult ADHD symptoms increase the odds of having a diagnosis of AUD. Furthermore, we tested whether facets of impulsivity explained the relationship between ADHD symptoms and alcohol dependence (AD) severity. Results In a logistic regression of 749 participants (464 = AD, 285 = controls), overall adult ADHD symptoms, and more specifically, symptoms of hyperactivity/restlessness and problems with self‐concept, increased the odds of having a diagnosis of AD. Within the AD sample, we found that impulsivity mediated the relationship between adult ADHD symptoms and AD severity. In particular, negative and positive urgency meditated the relationship of overall adult ADHD symptoms, and symptoms of hyperactivity/restlessness and problems with self‐concept with AD severity. Conclusions These results highlight the importance of looking at cohorts of ADHD symptoms and facets of impulsivity to assess the risk of developing AUD. They also suggest potential avenues for intervention strategies in individuals with preexisting adult ADHD symptoms who are seeking treatment for AUD.