Research Society on Alcoholism – 2022, Orlando, FL
PERSONALITY INFLUENCES EXPECTED AFFECT FOR ALCOHOL USE IN YOUNG ADULTS
M. A. Pilin, J. M. Robinson, & M. D. Krank
Psychology Department, University of British Columbia, 1147 Research Road, Kelowna, BC, V1V 1V7, Canada
Purpose: Existing research has demonstrated that personality influences adolescent and young adult substance use. For instance, various research has demonstrated that impulsive individuals are more likely to engage in polysubstance use (Conrod et al., 2000) and that negative thinking independently predicts past year alcohol use and future drug use (Krank et al., 2011). While existing research has focused on personality risk factors’ effects on substance use behaviors, fewer studies have examined how personality influences substance use expectancies. Additionally, few studies have specifically examined individuals’ expectancies of the intensity of emotions they will experience while consuming alcohol. This knowledge gap is critical given the growing body of evidence that expectancies influence future substance use behaviors. Methods: The current study examined whether four personality risk factors (impulsivity, negative thinking, anxiety sensitivity, and sensation-seeking) predicted alcohol use expectancies in a sample of 455 young adults (Mean Age = 21.02, SD = 3.12). Results: A MANOVA demonstrated that personality risk factors predicted the intensity of emotions individuals expected to experience when consuming alcohol, F(20, 1367.40) = 3.10, p < .001. Specifically, negative thinkers had consistently lower expected intensities of happiness, fun, and excitement. Additionally, past drinking frequency interacted with personality style to influence forecasts, F(12, 1116.80) = 2.21, p < .01. Participants who reported being drunk on a more frequent basis predicted that they would experience a greater intensity of fun while drinking, with the exception of impulsive individuals, who predicted similarly high levels of fun regardless of drinking history. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that personality likely influences individuals’ thoughts and predictions about alcohol use prior to consumption. As such, this study provides further evidence that personality-based substance use prevention programs may be one viable path to reducing risky drinking behaviors.