title: Early Adolescent Trajectories of Impulsiveness and Sensation Seeking in Children of Fathers with Histories of Alcohol and Other Substance Use Disorders.
abstract: Problem substance use often begins in adolescence. This vulnerability likely stems, at least partially, from relatively rapid increases in sensation seeking occurring in early to mid-adolescence and more gradual improvements in impulse control occurring through later adolescence. Better understanding how these processes develop in high-risk youth may lead to enhanced substance use disorder treatment and prevention strategies.
  
  
  
  We characterized trajectories of self-reported impulsivity and sensation seeking in 305 FH+ youths who at minimum had a father with a history of alcohol or other drug use disorders and 81 youths with no family histories of substance use disorders (FH-). Assessments started at ages 10 to 12 and continued at 6-month intervals for up to 42 months. In addition, a subset of 58 FH+ youths who began alcohol or other drug use before age 15 (FH+ Users) were compared to 58 FH+ propensity-matched adolescents who did not initiate substance use before age 15 (FH+ Non-Users).
  
  
  
  Compared to FH- youths at preadolescence, FH+ youths reported higher general impulsivity and higher impulsivity related to poor planning and attention. Over time, there were no differential effects of FH status on changes in impulsivity or sensation seeking across adolescence. FH+ Users had smaller decreases in general impulsivity and impulsivity related to restlessness and fidgeting across adolescence than FH+ Non-Users. FH+ Users also had greater increases in sensation seeking across adolescence than FH+ Non-Users.
  
  
  
  Increased impulsivity in FH+ youths may make them less able to regulate sensation seeking drives that peak in adolescence, which may contribute to their high risk for developing substance use disorders. Additionally, FH+ adolescents who initiate early use may be at increased risk in part due to increased impulsivity coupled with greater increases in sensation seeking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.|Research Imaging Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acheson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lake
authors.affiliation: The Methodology Center, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Bethany C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Bray
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Charles W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Mathias
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Stacy R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Nora E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Charles
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dougherty
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders
keywords: Adolescence; Early-Onset Substance Use; Family History; Impulsivity; Sensation Seeking