A finer examination of the role that negative affect plays in the relationship between paternal alcoholism and the onset of alcohol and marijuana use.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to separately examine the relations between four fundamental components of negative affect (sadness, fear, guilt, and hostility) and the onset of substance use. An additional goal was to examine the potential mediating roles that these components of negative affect play in the relationship between paternal alcoholism and the initiation of substance use. METHOD: The sample included 200 adolescents ages 15-19 years (62% girls; 68% white; 56% children of alcoholics [COAs]) and their fathers. The adolescents were followed up 5 years later when they were in early adulthood. Participants completed a clinical psychiatric interview and self-report questionnaires that assessed negative affect and substance use. RESULTS: Results from structural equation modeling indicated that higher levels of hostility and lower levels of guilt were associated with earlier substance-use initiation. In addition, hostility played an indirect role in the relationship between paternal alcoholism and the onset of marijuana use, with COAs reporting higher hostility levels than non-COAs and higher hostility predicting earlier marijuana use. CONCLUSIONS: These results underscore the importance of separately examining different components of negative affect when investigating the role that negative affect plays in substance use.

Author information

Author/s: Ohannessian, Christine McCauley (CM); Hesselbrock, Victor M (VM);

Affiliation: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA. ohanness(-atsign-)udel.edu

Grants: 1K01-AA015059 (Agency:NIAAA NIH HHS) ; 5P50-AA03510 (Agency:NIAAA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs (J Stud Alcohol Drugs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-May; vol 70 (issue 3) : pp 400-8

Dates: Created 2009/04/17; Completed 2009/07/01;

PMID: 19371491, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 7/1/2009, IMS Date: 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Affect
Age of Onset
Alcohol Drinking - psychology
Alcoholism
Child of Impaired Parents - psychology
Depression - psychology
Emotions
Father-Child Relations

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