title: Identifying the facets of impulsivity that explain the relation between ADHD symptoms and substance use in a nonclinical sample.
abstract: Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at higher risk to use substances than their nonclinical peers. Increased levels of impulsivity are generally thought to contribute to their increased levels of risk. Impulsivity is a multifaceted construct, however, and little research to date has attempted to identify which facets of impulsivity contribute to the increased rates of substance abuse among individuals with ADHD. The current study examined the relation among ADHD symptom clusters (i.e., hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention), substance use rates (i.e., alcohol use, nicotine use, and marijuana use), and personality processes associated with impulsive behavior in a group of young adults. Participants were 361 undergraduate students. Both symptom clusters were positively associated with rates of substance use. Specifically, hyperactive/impulsive symptoms were associated with alcohol and nicotine use, and inattentive symptoms were associated with alcohol use. Several pathways from hyperactive/impulsive symptoms to alcohol, nicotine, and marijuana use via specific facets of impulsivity were identified. These findings have implications for understanding the relation between ADHD symptoms and substance use, as well as clinical implications for preventing and treating substance use problems in individuals with symptoms of ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 115 Kastle Hall, Lexington KY, 40506, United States.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 115 Kastle Hall, Lexington KY, 40506, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: National Crime Victims Research & Treatment Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 37 President Street, MSC 681, 2nd Floor, IOP South Bldg. Charleston, SC, 29425, United States.
authors.forename: Zachary W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, 703 Third Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, United States.
authors.forename: Donald R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lynam
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 115 Kastle Hall, Lexington KY, 40506, United States. Electronic address: milich@email.uky.edu.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Milich
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ADHD; Alcohol; Impulsivity; Marijuana; Nicotine