Effects of Social Bonds and Childhood Experiences on Alcohol Abuse and Smoking

Abstract

Data from a national sample of 595 American adults were analyzed in an effort to evaluate simultaneously the potential effects of social bonds and childhood characteristics on smoking and alcohol use. Religious belief and belief in the importance of conformity with shared moral principles had significant negative effects on smoking, alcohol use, and alcohol abuse; commitment (satisfaction with one's socioeconomic status) inhibited smoking; and attachment (strong emotional bonds to family and friends) deterred alcohol abuse. Childhood trauma promoted both smoking and alcohol abuse.

Social bonding: regulation by neuropeptides

“…On the contrary, the lack of positive, enduring parental bonding is associated with poor child health at an early age (e.g., increased risk for asthma, as well as cardio-respiratory and infectious diseases) as well as with the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and medical problems (including but not limited to obesity, cancer, liver disease, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease) in adulthood (Flaherty et al, 2006; Lanier et al, 2010; Leeb et al, 2011; Shonkoff et al, 2012). In addition, the lack of positive parental bonds can also lead to reduced academic success, depression, aggression, and drug misuse (DeFronzo and Pawlak, 1993; Anda et al, 1999; Nation and Heflinger, 2006; Leeb et al, 2011; Shonkoff et al, 2012). As positive social bonds between parents and their children are essential for the psychological, physiological, and behavioral well-being of both parents and child, considerable efforts have been expanded to identify the neurobiological mechanisms underlying parental bond formation.…”

“…Adverse childhood experiences may also lead to reduced academic (i.e., failing in school) and post-academic (i.e., unemployment, poverty, and homelessness) success (Shonkoff et al, 2012). The experience of interpersonal distress during childhood is also correlated with depression, aggression, and drug misuse (e.g., cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and illegal drug use) later in life (DeFronzo and Pawlak, 1993; Anda et al, 1999; Nation and Heflinger, 2006; Leeb et al, 2011; Shonkoff et al, 2012). …”

Trajectories of Concurrent Substance Use Disorders: A Developmental, Typological Approach to Comorbidity

“…Previous work has shown childhood stressors to be associated with alcohol problems and alcohol use disorders (DeFronzo and Pawlak, 1993;Miller et al, 1993;Wilsnack et al, 1997), as well as with tobacco use (DeFronzo and Pawlak, 1993;Dembo et al, 1988). However, the association of childhood stressors with alcohol-tobacco comorbidity itself was more fully resolved using the typological approach.…”

Emotional reactivity across individuals with varying trauma and substance dependence histories

“…Trauma and substance dependence frequently coexist regardless of trauma type (DeFronzo & Pawlak, 1993; Saladin, et al, 1995; Stewart, et al, 1998) or the development of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD; Quimmette, et al, 2000). More specifically, trauma-exposed individuals have two times the risk of alcohol dependence and eight times the risk of drug dependence compared to individuals without trauma (Giaconia, 1995, 2000).…”