Personality Traits Related to Binge Drinking: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The pattern of alcohol consumption in the form of binge drinking (BD) or heavy episodic drinking has increased notably worldwide in recent years, especially among adolescent and young people, being currently recognized as a global health problem. Although only a minority of binge drinkers will develop a substance use disorder, BD may have negative personal and social consequences in the short and medium term. The objective of this article is to review the findings on personality traits related to binge drinkers and to emphasize the aspects that should be examined in order to make progress in this area. The main characteristics of personality related to the practice of BD, regardless of the theoretical model used, are high Impulsivity and high Sensation seeking, as well as Anxiety sensitivity, Neuroticism (Hopelessness), Extraversion and low Conscientiousness. The data obtained may have theoretical implications to elucidate the endophenotype of BD, but they are especially useful for their preventive applications. Integration into prevention programs of emotional self-control skills, decision-making, social skills, and strategies to manage negative emotions will minimize the risk factors or consequences of BD associated with personality and will improve their effectiveness. In the future, it is necessary to harmonize a common measurement instrument for the assessment of personality, develop longitudinal studies with large samples that also integrate biological and neurocognitive measurements, and determine the reciprocal relationship between personality and BD together with its modulating variables, as well as the possible cultural differences.

Commentary on Kristjansson et al. (2018): Caffeine use during early adolescence as a possible risk factor for initiation of smoking and alcohol use

“…Another potential shared risk factor, noted by the authors, is personality. This aligns with extensive research showing that personality is associated strongly with smoking and alcohol use , as well as caffeine intake . Most notable are the personality traits impulsiveness, sensation‐seeking and extraversion.…”

Inhibitory‐control event‐related potentials correlate with individual differences in alcohol use

“…Evidence for the utility of impulsivity‐specific (eg, BIS‐11) versus broad trait personality measures (eg, NEO‐FFI) for statistical prediction of alcohol is mixed. Adan and colleagues reviewed personality correlates of binge drinking across studies and found that high impulsivity, as well as anxiety sensitivity, neuroticism, extraversion, and low conscientiousness across studies, were most strongly related to binge drinking. We examined this in model 2 (all non‐ERP variables) and found that high anxiety symptoms, followed by high impulsivity (Stroop interference effect; BIS‐11 Nonplanning and Motor subscales; IRV), high Agreeableness and lower Neuroticism and Conscientiousness were linked to greater alcohol use.…”

“…These include increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among university students, with increasing evidence suggesting that impulsive behaviors are affected by affective states . Furthermore, personality traits are important factors in determining alcohol‐related trajectories yet are rarely examined in conjunction with more specific impulsive traits . Self‐reported–trait impulsivity, as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale 11th version (BIS‐11), is strongly linked to alcohol use, alcohol‐related problems, and early‐onset disordered use .…”

Investigating causal pathways between liability to ADHD and substance use, and liability to substance use and ADHD risk, using Mendelian randomization

“…Around 5.9-7.1% of children and adolescents and 5.0% of adults are thought to meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD 2 , and genetic studies support the notion that a clinical diagnosis represents the extreme end of a continuum of impulsivity and/or attention problems in the general population 3,4 . Both ADHD diagnosis and higher levels of impulsivity and attention problems are associated with higher levels of cigarette smoking 5,6 , cannabis use 7,8 , alcohol use 7,9 and caffeine consumption 10,11 . The exact nature of these associations is not fully understood, which hampers the development of evidence-based interventions and public health messages.…”