Psychological Factors Associated with the Risk for Alcoholism

Abstract

VIDENCE accumulated during the past two decades E suggests that cognitive and behavioral disturbances may presage alcoholism. The findings implicating psychological disturbances are based on investigations of children followed into adulthood who subsequently developed alcoholism, alcoholics' retrospective descriptions of their behavior during childhood and adolescence, children at high risk for becoming alcoholic, twins discordant for drinking behavior, and adolescents who present prodromal indication of problem drinking. To date, the research effort has focused primarily on males, therefore, this discussion will be confined to the psychological literature pertinent to the risk for alcoholism in men.The ensuing discussion examines the psychological factors implicated to be associated with the risk for alcoholism. Although it will be noted that the findings are generally in agreement among the various studies, it must be emphasized that systematic empirical inquiry has only recently been initiated. Consequently, the results should be viewed as tentative and still in need of verification. The dearth of investigations notwithstanding, the study of psychological processes with respect to elucidating the characteristics of alcoholism vulnerability holds promise for clarifying the etiological determinants of alcoholism, as well as for developing more effective and efficient techniques for prevention and treatment intervention. HIGH RISK PARADIGMSons of alcoholics are at approximately fourfold risk, compared to the male offspring of nonalcoholics, to develop alcoholism. ' Contrasting the sons of alcoholics and nonalcoholics is, therefore, a useful strategy for revealing the characteristics that may be associated with alcoholism vulnerability. Employing the high risk paradigm, it has been found, for example, that sons of alcoholics can be discriminated from the sons of nonalcoholics on neurophysiologica12. and bi~chemical~-~ measures. There is also preliminary evidence illustrating that during ine-

Visual P3a in Male Alcoholics and Controls

“…From a behavioral perspective, alcoholism is frequently associated with impulsive and disinhibited behavior that is often associated with a high prevalence of attentional problems which include distractibility and difficulties in sustained attention. These characteristics have been related to deficits of prefrontal functioning and have been proposed to antecede alcohol abuse (Tarter and Edwards, 1988;Peterson and Pihl, 1990), an interpretation consistent with biobehavioral models of alcoholism vulnerability (Peterson and Pihl, 1990;Tarter 1991). The present study provides evidence that a neurophysiological index of processing of distractor stimuli is also impaired, although a selective impairment of the frontal structures is not suggested.…”

Childhood conduct problems, attention deficit behaviors, and adolescent alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use

“…brock, & Smallish, 1990;Block, Block, & Keyes, 1988;Brook, Whiteman, Gordon, & Cohen, 1986;Gittelman, Manuzza, & Bonagura, 1985;Halikas, Meller, Morse, & Lyttle, 1990;Lambert, 1988;Lerner & Vicary, 1984;Manuzza et al, 1991;Shedler & Block, 1990;Tarter & Edwards, 1988;Windle, 1990). In general, these studies have found that the extent of disruptive, troublesome, or inattentive behaviors in childhood is positively associated with the later use and misuse of alcohol and other substances.…”

Does Conduct Disorder Mediate the Development of Substance Use Disorders in Adolescents With Bipolar Disorder?

“…This issue is important considering the high comorbidity between BPD and CD3, 11, 21–25,26, 27 and the well documented association between CD and SUD, particularly in context to mood dysregulation28, 29 30–33. Further understanding of the nature of the associations between BPD, CD and SUD is of high relevance.…”