Negative affectivity and drug use in adolescent boys: Moderating and mediating mechanisms.

Abstract

This investigation examined variables that might qualify or detail the widely accepted relation between negative affectivity and drug use in adolescent boys. In Study 1, 311 boys (15-17 years old) completed inventories of negative affectivity, positive affectivity, constraint, delinquency, peer delinquency, and drug use. Negative affectivity was positively related to drug use, but only for individuals exhibiting high peer delinquency or low constraint. Study 2 examined mechanisms for this relation by following up 143 of the participants at ages 17-20 years. Delinquency and peer delinquency mediated the relation between negative affectivity and later drug use. These findings suggest that the relation between negative affectivity and drug use is best understood within the context of other drug use risk factors.

Impulse and Constraint: Perspectives From Personality Psychology, Convergence With Theory in Other Areas, and Potential for Integration

“…As was described earlier with regard to conscientiousness and agreeableness, constraint has also been related to criminal behavior over time (Krueger, 2002). Low constraint (in interaction with negative affectivity) has also been related to drug use (Shoal & Giancola, 2003).…”

Affective and Personality Risk and Cognitive Mediators of Initial Adolescent Alcohol Use

“…Multiple studies have identified a relationship between negative affect and increased substance use during adolescence (Colder and Chassin, 1997;Myers et al, 2003;Shoal and Giancola, 2003;Stice et al, 1998), suggesting that individuals use substances to alleviate or cope with negative affect (Sher and Trull, 1994). Several researchers, however, have found this relationship to be negative or inconclusive (Brook et al, 1986;McGue et al, 2001;Stice et al, 1998;White et al, 1986).…”

Delinquency as a mediator of the relation between negative affectivity and adolescent alcohol use disorder

“…They found these behaviors to covary significantly, indicating that adolescents high in negative affectivity are prone to engage in clusters of dangerous and antisocial activities as detailed in Jessor and Jessor's (1977) problem behavior theory. Evidence from other longitudinal studies indicates that the experience of negative affect is mediated in its relation to later drug use by general delinquency (Shoal & Giancola, 2003). Likewise, "difficult temperament," which includes irritability, intense reactions to stimuli, and general negative mood (Thomas & Chess, 1977) appears to be mediated in its relation to later drug use by general antisocial behavior (Giancola & Parker, 2001).…”

“…For example, Giancola and Parker (2001) found that peer delinquency mediates the relation between difficult temperament (which includes negative mood and intense reactions to stimuli) and drug use later in adolescence. Additionally, Shoal and Giancola (2003) showed that affiliation with delinquent peers mediates the relation between negative affectivity and overall substance use two years later. A significant limitation of this research, however, is that it has not pitted different delinquency variables against one another in order to determine which aspects of delinquency are most strongly related to affect and drinking.…”

“…Colder & Chassin, 1993;Krueger, Caspi, Moffitt, White, & Stouthamer, 1996;Labouvie, Pandina, White, & Johnson, 1990;Shoal & Giancola, 2003). However, efforts to apply traditional negative affect regulation models (Conger, 1956) to adolescent drinking have yielded mixed results (see Shoal & Giancola, 2003 for review).…”