Positive urgency predicts illegal drug use and risky sexual behavior.
There are several different personality traits that dispose individuals to engage in rash action. One such trait is positive urgency: the tendency to act rashly when experiencing extremely positive affect. This trait may be relevant for college student risky behavior, because it appears that a great deal of college student risky behavior is undertaken during periods of intensely positive mood states. To test this possibility, the authors conducted a longitudinal study designed to predict increases in risky sexual behavior and illegal drug use over the course of the first year of college (n=407). In a well-fitting structural model, positive urgency predicted increases in illegal drug use and risky sexual behavior, even after controlling for time 1 (T1) involvement in both risky behaviors, biological sex, and T1 scores on four other personality dispositions to rash action. The authors discuss the theoretical and practical implications of this finding.
Zapolski
Tamika C B
TC
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA. tamika.zapolski@gmail.com
Cyders
Melissa A
MA
Smith
Gregory T
GT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011594:Psychometrics; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012718:Set, Psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
D013287:Illicit Drugs