A recent study found that young adults with antisocial alcoholism (AAL) had an impoverished self-concept--few positive and many negative domains of self-definition--that predicted high levels of alcohol use (Corte & Stein, 2004). It is unclear, however, whether the impoverished self was a contributor to or a consequence of AAL. This study explores relationships between the impoverished self and drinking outcomes in adolescents 12-14 (n=332) and 15-17 (n=302) at risk for AAL from the Michigan Longitudinal Study, using a cognitive model of the self. Differences in the number of positive and negative self-definitions were examined using items endorsed as “really true of me” from the Harter Self-Perception Profile. Outcomes included age of drinking onset and age of first drunk episode (study’s drinking/drug questionnaire). Survival analysis showed that adolescents with an impoverished self had an earlier drinking onset than adolescents with a well-developed self (12.78 years vs 14.03 years, p<.001). Linear regression using positive (POS) and negative (NEG) self-definitions, and known risk factors for AAL--paternal alcoholism and antisociality--predicted age of first drunk episode, R2=.27, F(10,115)=4.23, p<000. Two interactions were found: (1) POS X NEG and (2) NEG X ANTISOCIALITY. Analysis of simple slopes showed that (1) as the number of negative self-definitions increased, the age of first drunk episode was earlier, but only for adolescents with few positive self-definitions (p<.000), and (2) as antisociality increased, the age of first drunk episode was earlier, but the effect was stronger for those with many negative self-definitions (p<.000) compared to those with few negative self-definitions (p<.06). Results suggest that an impoverished self is a cognitive vulnerability for early problem alcohol use in adolescents with high antisociality. Interventions designed to foster a well-developed self-concept may delay drinking onset and prevent alcohol problems in children at risk for AAL. NIAAA R37AA07065 & T32AA0747
Session #1189 - Addiction: Alcohol & Tobacco Use
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)