title: Continued smoking and continued alcohol consumption during early pregnancy distinctively associated with personality.
abstract: Pregnancy is a unique period to quit smoking and alcohol consumption and although motivated, not all women succeed at this. We investigated the associations of personality with continued smoking and continued alcohol consumption during early pregnancy. In addition, we studied whether antenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms can explain these associations. Two antenatal measurements from the population-based Pregnancy Anxiety and Depression cohort study were used. Pregnant women in their first trimester were recruited via midwifery practices and hospitals. We analyzed a sample of women who continued (n=101) or quit smoking (n=254), and a sample of women who continued (n=110) or quit alcohol consumption (n=1230). Measures included questions about smoking, alcohol consumption, the NEO-Five Factor Inventory (personality), the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. We found associations between continued alcohol consumption and higher levels of openness to experience, and lower levels of conscientiousness (p<0.05). The association between conscientiousness and continued alcohol consumption was partly explained by both anxiety and depressive symptoms. No associations between personality and continued smoking emerged. This study contributes to the limited literature on personality differences between women who continue and quit smoking and alcohol consumption during early pregnancy. General population studies have not confirmed the association between openness to experience and alcohol consumption which implies that pregnancy is indeed a unique period. Increased insight in how personality influences continued smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy can help health professionals to improve lifestyle interventions targeted at pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center of Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: c.beijers@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beijers
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center of Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of General Practice, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Huibert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Epidemiology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tjitte
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, Department of Clinical Psychology, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Claudi L H
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bockting
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Interdisciplinary Center of Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ormel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D064829:Alcohol Abstinence / Q000523:psychology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000523:psychology; D037841:Pregnant People / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Alcohol consumption; Personality traits; Pregnancy; Smoking cessation