Personality, negative affect coping, and drinking alone: a structural equation modeling approach to examine correlates of adolescent solitary drinking

Abstract

Aims This study examined the personality traits of negative emotionality and constraint and the ability to resist drinking during negative affective states as correlates of solitary drinking in adolescence. We hypothesized that higher levels of negative emotionality and lower levels of constraint would predict solitary drinking and that these relationships would be mediated by the ability to resist drinking in response to negative emotions. Design Structural equation modeling was used to fit a path model from the personality traits of negative emotionality and constraint to solitary drinking status through intermediate effects on the ability to resist drinking during negative emotions using cross-sectional data. Setting Clinical and community settings in Pennsylvania, USA. Participants The sample included 761 adolescent drinkers (mean age = 17.1). Measurements Adolescents completed the Lifetime Drinking History, the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire, the Constructive Thinking Inventory and the Situational Confidence Questionnaire. Findings The path model provided a good fit to the data. The association between trait negative emotionality and solitary drinking was fully mediated by adolescents' ability to resist drinking during negative affective states (b = 0.05, P = 0.01). In contrast, constraint had a direct effect on solitary drinking (odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, b = –0.23, P<0.01), as well as an indirect effect through the ability to resist drinking during negative affective states (b = –0.03, P = 0.02). Conclusions The ability to resist drinking while experiencing negative feelings or emotions may be an important underlying mechanism linking trait negative emotionality (a tendency toward depression, anxiety and poor reaction to stress) and constraint (lack of impulsiveness) to adolescent solitary drinking.

Predicting problematic alcohol use with the DSM–5 alternative model of personality pathology.

“…The current results support the validity of the Criterion B trait model, in so far as they replicate prior work underscoring the importance of trait Disinhibition and Antagonism in the prediction of hazardous alcohol use (e.g., Creswell et al, in press; Few et al, 2013; Kotov et al, 2010; Read, Merrill, Griffin, Bachrach, & Khan, 2014; Ruiz et al, 2008). Notably, these same dimensions are also implicated in various PD diagnoses, including ASPD and BPD (Few et al, 2013; Hopwood et al, 2012; Samuel & Widiger, 2008).…”

Social anxiety and alcohol-related impairment: The mediational impact of solitary drinking

“…Specifically, individuals who have difficulty abstaining from alcohol or resisting the urge to drink could have the greatest risk of solitary drinking. In partial support of this contention, the relationship between negative affect and solitary drinking was fully mediated by resistance to drink during a negative affective state among an adolescent sample unselected for social anxiety (Creswell et al, 2015). Importantly, Creswell et al found that negative affect was not directly associated with solitary drinking, but rather the inability to refuse a drink during a negative affective state was found to promote problematic drinking behavior.…”

Solitary cannabis use in adolescence as a correlate and predictor of cannabis problems

“…Fourth, this study did not examine mechanisms that explain how solitary cannabis use may relate to cannabis problems cross-sectionally or longitudinally. Prior studies on adolescent solitary alcohol use have tended to support a self-medication framework, in which adolescents engage in solitary drinking to cope with or relieve negative affect (e.g., Creswell et al, 2014; Creswell et al, in press; Tomlinson and Brown, 2012). There is some evidence that adolescent solitary cannabis users also hold more negative reinforcement expectancies (e.g., beliefs that cannabis use will help them to relax, get away from their problems) than social-only users (Tucker et al, 2006, 2014), and future research should focus on identifying reasons for the emergence of solitary cannabis use among adolescents.…”