Personality, Antisocial Peer Affiliation, and their Interactions as Predictors of Alcohol Use Disorder Symptoms

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Developmental Psychopathology

Abstract

Background. Antisocial peer affiliation and the personality traits of negative emotionality and low constraint are consistent predictors of substance use problems (e.g., Olivia et al., 2012; Ramierez et al., 2020; Samek, et al., 2018), but few studies have tested their interactive and incremental effects over time. It is important to identify whether such effects are limited to earlier adolescence vs. later adulthood and whether each trait is equally predictive of substance use problems across time.

Methods. Data were from the Minnesota Twin Family Study (N = 2,769; 52% female, ≥ 87% retention across waves). Alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms were assessed via structured clinical interviews (Robins et al., 1987, 1988) at ages 17, 20, 24, and 29. Antisocial personality affiliation and personality were assessed via questionnaires at ages 17, 24, and 29 (Walden et al., 2004; Tellegen & Waller, 2008). Latent growth curve modeling was fit to test the main, incremental, and interaction effects of antisocial peer affiliation, constraint, and negative emotionality on the initial status (intercept) and growth (linear and quadratic slopes) of symptoms of AUD from ages 17 to 29.

Results. As shown in Table 1, we detected a significant interaction between constraint and antisocial peer affiliation at age 17 in predicting the intercept and linear slope of AUD symptoms. As shown in Figure 1b, the combination of low constraint and high antisocial peer affiliation at age 17 was associated with greater average AUD symptoms at ages 17, 20, and 24 followed by a steep decline from ages 24 to 29. The rest of the sample showed comparatively lower average AUD symptoms at age 17, which was generally followed by moderate growth from ages 17 to 24, then a decline from ages 24 to 29. Adding the time-varying (dynamic) covariates of personality traits and antisocial peer affiliation at ages 24 and 29 and their interactions showed some support for incremental effects. Lower constraint and greater antisocial peer affiliation at ages 24 were significantly associated with greater average AUD symptoms at ages 24 and 29, particularly for those low in constraint at age 24. Negative emotionality at age 24 only predicted greater average AUD symptoms at age 24. Regarding the slopes, greater antisocial peer affiliation and lower constraint at age 24 were associated with a decrease in the growth of AUD symptoms, as initial levels of AUD symptoms were relatively high. Lower constraint at age 29 was associated with an increase in the growth in AUD symptoms, as initial levels were low.

Conclusion. Results align with developmental theory emphasizing the compounding effects of selecting into “risky” environments as a result of one’s personality, and heighted social influence as a result of such exposure (Caspi et al., 2005). As lower constraint was consistently associated with greater AUD symptoms, particularly under conditions of environmental context in which problematic drinking and delinquency are reinforced, it may represent a useful “upstream” target for AUD prevention and intervention in adolescence and the transition to young adulthood (e.g., see Bleidorn et al., 2019; Conrod, 2016).

Authors

• Diana R. Samek, Auburn University
  Presenting Author

• Ben Hinnant, Auburn University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brian M Hicks, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Brian Reeves, Auburn University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Matt McGue, University of Minnesota
  Non-Presenting Author

• William G Iacono, University of Minnesota
  Non-Presenting Author