اثرات متقابل تاریخچه نوشیدن و تکانشگری در نوشیدن کالج

The transition from adolescence into emerging adulthood is a critical developmental period for changes in alcohol use and drinking related problems. Prior research has identified a number of distinct developmental alcohol use trajectories, which appear to be differentially related to young adult drinking outcomes. Another correlate of alcohol use in early adulthood is impulsivity. The primary aim of this study was to examine the moderating role of impulsivity in the relation between patterns of past alcohol use and hazardous drinking during the first year of college. Participants (N = 452; 49% male; mean age 18.5 years; 82% Caucasian) completed self-report measures during the first year of college, including retrospective alcohol use calendars, current alcohol use and drinking problems, and personality. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify groups with similar adolescent drinking history from retrospective, self-report. Four groups were identified: abstainers/very light users, late/moderate users, early/moderate users, and steep increase/heavy users. The abstainer/very light user group reported the lowest levels of alcohol use and problematic drinking in college; the steep increase/heavy use group reported the highest levels of alcohol use and problematic drinking. As predicted, the role of personality—specifically urgency, or emotion-based rash action—was strongest among moderate use groups. These findings may be helpful in guiding targeted prevention and intervention programs for alcohol use and abuse.

Alcohol use among adolescents and young adults presents a tremendous public health concern. Teens who drink are at an increased risk for academic and social problems as well as changes in brain development (Brown et al., 2009 and Windle et al., 2008). The transition to college coincides with marked increases in the rates of alcohol use and problem drinking (Schulenberg & Maggs, 2008). A substantial research effort has centered on defining risk factors for problem drinking in late adolescence and early adulthood (e.g., Brown et al., 2009, Masten et al., 2009 and Windle et al., 2008). Two reliable predictors are (a) patterns of prior use, and (b) impulsivity, yet relatively little attention has been paid to the possible interaction between these domains. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to examine whether impulsivity moderated the relation between adolescent alcohol use and college drinking habits.