Impulsive sensation seeking, parental history of alcohol problems, and current alcohol and tobacco use in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
This study attempted to evaluate whether impulsive sensation seeking mediated the relationship between parental alcohol problems and offspring alcohol and tobacco use.


METHODS
Participants were Connecticut high school students (n = 2733) completing a survey of high-risk behaviors. Variables of interest included past month alcohol use, past month binge alcohol use, frequency of past month alcohol use, past month tobacco use, having a biological parent with an alcohol problem, and score on the impulsive sensation seeking (ImpSS) scale from the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire - Form III.


RESULTS
ImpSS scores were elevated in past month users of alcohol, binge users of alcohol, users of both tobacco and alcohol, and they increased with increasing frequency of past month alcohol use. Also, parental history of alcohol use increased the likelihood of past month alcohol use, binge use, use of both tobacco and alcohol, and higher levels of past month alcohol use. Mediational analyses did not appear to support the hypothesis that impulsive sensation seeking mediates the relationship between parental history of alcohol problems and alcohol and tobacco use in offspring.


CONCLUSIONS
Impulsive sensation seeking and parental history of alcohol problems appear to be independent factors that contribute to the co-occurrence of alcohol and tobacco use in adolescents. These findings can inform prevention and treatment efforts.
Schepis
Ty S
TS
Yale University School of Medicine.
Desai
Rani A
RA
Smith
Anne E
AE
Cavallo
Dana A
DA
Liss
Thomas B
TB
McFetridge
Amanda
A
Potenza
Marc N
MN
Krishnan-Sarin
Suchitra
S