Stability of and change in substance use risk personality: Gender differences and smoking cigarettes among early adolescents

A.D Rozema,M Hiemstra,J A M Van Oers,J J P Mathijssen,M W J Jansen

doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100360

A.D Rozema, M Hiemstra + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100360

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Journal: Addictive Behaviors Reports	Publication Date: Jun 4, 2021
Citations: 5	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Tilburg University

Abstract

ObjectiveAdolescents show a steadily increasing inclination toward health risk behaviors, including smoking cigarettes. There is ample evidence that personality traits are related to smoking behavior. However, less is known about the stability of and change in these personality traits during early adolescence and whether smoking behavior affects the developmental trajectories. Moreover, less is known about the influence of gender on the course of personality. MethodLongitudinal data of three waves were used from 1121 early adolescents. To measure personality, the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale was used. Individual growth curve models were conducted to measure the stability, mean-level change and individual differences in change for personality. ResultsStability of personality was moderate for boys and ranged from moderate to high for girls. On average early adolescents became more impulsive and more sensation seeking over a period of 18 months. Furthermore, hopelessness for girls increased and the increase in sensation seeking was higher for girls than for boys. Third, smoking behavior was related to all personality traits, indicating that smoking adolescents are more anxious, hopeless, impulsive and sensation seeking than non-smoking adolescents. ConclusionsOur results are in line with the disruption hypothesis, i.e., during early adolescence there is a dip in personality maturity. There are clear differences between girls and boys in stability of and change in personality traits. Besides, although smoking behavior is related to personality, the change in personality is probably related to other variables.

Highlights

Adolescence is a period of rapid change
On average early adolescents became more impulsive and more sensation seeking over a period of 18 months
The present study tested the stability of and the change in smoking related personality traits during early adolescence and whether gender and smoking behavior affects the course of personality during an 18month period in early adolescence

Summary

Introduction

Adolescence is a period of rapid change. Besides brain development and an increasing independence, adolescents show a steadily increasing inclination toward health risk behaviors, including smoking cigarettes (Arnett, 1999; Wellman et al, 2016; Yurgelun-Todd, 2007). Differential continuity refers to the extent to which individual differences in a given trait remain steady over time. In a comprehensive meta-analysis of longitudinal studies, Roberts and DelVecchio (2000) determined that stability for personality traits was lowest in studies of children, rose to higher levels among young adults, and reached a plateau for adults between the ages of 50 and 70. Mean-level change refers to the extent to which the average values of scores on any given trait within a group rise or fall over time. A meta-analysis by Roberts et al (2006) has suggested mean-level changes in personality indicating that people become more confident, agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable with age. Individual dif ferences in change refer to the differences that exist between individuals in the way their personality develops over time (Shek & Ma, 2011)

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