Poster #21 - The Role of Behavioral Activation and Inhibition in the Links between Proactive and Reactive Aggression and Past 30-Day Substance Use

• In Event: Poster Session 15

Abstract

Substance use among adolescents is prevalent and consequential for healthy development (Johnston et al., 2022). Justice-involved youth are at particularly heightened risk for substance use (Chassin, 2008) and the development of a substance use disorder (Sales et al., 2018). Understanding the individual attributes and behaviors that contribute to substance use provides opportunities for targeted prevention and intervention efforts. Both proactive (i.e., goal-oriented) and reactive aggression (i.e., response to perceived threat) have been directly and indirectly linked with substance use (Fite et al., 2008; Fite et al., 2012). Though both proactive and reactive aggression have been considered in the context of adolescent substance use, the roles of behavioral activation (i.e., approach or reward-seeking behaviors) or behavioral inhibition (i.e., avoidant or anxious behaviors) in these associations have yet to be examined. The present study examined the direct and indirect effects of proactive and reactive aggression on substance use through behavioral inhibition and behavioral activation. We hypothesized proactive and reactive aggression would be positively associated with substance use and that this association would be facilitated by both lower levels of behavioral inhibition and higher levels of behavioral activation.

Participants included 229 youths (74.5% male) incarcerated at two county-level juvenile detention cities in the Midwest. Youth self-reported aggressive behaviors, behavioral inhibition (e.g., “Criticism or scolding hurts me quite a bit”) and activation (e.g., “I often act on the spur of the moment), and past 30-day alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, e-cigarette, and prescription drug use. To test hypotheses, two models were developed. Model 1 included proactive and reactive aggression as independent variables and past 30-day frequency of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, e-cigarette, and prescription drug use as dependent variables. Indirect effects of aggression through behavioral activation were assessed. Model 2 retained the same independent and dependent variables but assessed indirect effects through behavioral inhibition.

In Model 1, neither proactive nor reactive aggression predicted behavioral activation. Behavioral activation was associated with e-cigarette use (B=-2.630, p=.029) with greater behavioral activation predicting increased e-cigarette use. Reactive aggression had direct effects on marijuana use (B=5.412, p=.006) with greater reactive aggressive behaviors associated with increased marijuana use. There were no significant indirect effects estimated in Model 1. In Model 2, proactive aggression was associated with behavioral inhibition (B=.421, p=.044) with higher aggression associated with reduced inhibition, and reduced behavioral inhibition was associated with increased marijuana use (B=2.874, p=.036)Reactive aggression did not predict behavioral inhibition. Like Model 1, reactive aggression was associated with an increased frequency of marijuana use (B=5.357, p=.007).

Results supported the hypothesis that there would be indirect effects present for proactive aggression on substance use through behavioral inhibition, but this was only true for past 30-day marijuana use. Results also supported the hypothesis that there would be direct effects present for reactive aggression, though these were only supported for past 30-day marijuana use. The current study supports the complex pathways to substance use with findings indicating associations across substances. Future research examining both aggression subtypes and approach styles is needed.

Authors

• Daryl Hesse, University of Kansas
  Presenting Author

• Rebecca Griffith, University of Kansas

• Paula Fite, University of Kansas