title: Positive urgency predicts illegal drug use and risky sexual behavior.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, USA. tamika.zapolski@gmail.com
authors: Tamika C B
authors: TC
authors: Zapolski
authors: Melissa A
authors: MA
authors: Cyders
authors: Gregory T
authors: GT
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs