Cognition, negative affectivity and substance use in adolescent boys with and without a family history of a substance use disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to test a model of substance use in adolescent males. The model is based on the premise that cognitive distortions and poor constructive thinking represent weaknesses in the ability to adaptively cope with everyday problems. It is postulated that failures in adaptive coping result in increased negative affectivity (e.g., frustration, anger, and anxiety), which fosters substance use as a means of alleviating unpleasant feelings.


METHODS
Subjects (N = 276) were 15- to 17-year-old males with a positive (FHP; n = 118) or a negative (FHN; n = 158) family history of a substance use disorder (SUD). Subjects completed self-report measures of constructive thinking, cognitive distortions, negative affectivity, substance use frequency and substance use problems.


RESULTS
Negative affectivity mediated the relations between constructive thinking and both substance use variables, in separate analyses, for the FNP and FHN groups. Negative affectivity also moderated the relation between constructive thinking and substance use frequency, such that constructive thinking was negatively related to substance use frequency but only for individuals high in negative affectivity.


CONCLUSIONS
Poor constructive thinking skills are related to increased substance use in adolescent males, in part through an association with greater negative affectivity. SUD treatment and prevention efforts may benefit from strategies aimed at improving constructive thinking abilities and reducing negative affectivity.
Shoal
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GD
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40506-0044, USA.
Giancola
P R
PR
D000293:Adolescent; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*