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The Development of Impulsivity and Sensation Seeking: Associations with Substance Use among At‐Risk Adolescents
Author(s) -
Wasserman Alexander M.,
Mathias Charles W.,
HillKapturczak Nathalie,
KarnsWright Tara E.,
Dougherty Donald M.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of research on adolescence
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.342
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1532-7795
pISSN - 1050-8392
DOI - 10.1111/jora.12579
Subject(s) - sensation seeking , impulsivity , psychology , substance use , family history , substance abuse , clinical psychology , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology , personality
We investigated if the dual systems model could explain the increased rates of substance use among at‐risk youth. This study sampled 365 adolescents, 289 of which had a family history of substance use disorder, assessed biannually between the ages 13–16 years old. Growth curve analyses revealed that higher levels of impulsivity were related to higher levels of sensation seeking and a slower rate of decline in impulsivity was related to a faster rate of increase in sensation seeking. Only family history status and sensation seeking were directly associated with substance use (marijuana, alcohol) at age 16, though family history status was also indirectly related to substance use through higher levels of impulsivity to higher levels of sensation seeking.