Sensation Seeking Scores Research Articles

Impulsive sensation seeking and gambling practice among a sample of online poker players: Comparison between non pathological, problem and pathological gamblers

The aims of this study are to assess impulsive sensation seeking among online poker players and to study the links between impulsive sensation seeking and gambling practice.One hundred and eighty (180) regular online poker players (i.e. playing at least once a week for a minimum duration of one year) completed three self-report scales on line assessing pathological gambling (SOGS), poker practice (poker questionnaire) and impulsive sensation seeking (ImpSS scale). Based on the SOGS scores, participants were divided into three groups: non-pathological gamblers (n=112), problem gamblers (n=37) and pathological gamblers (n=31).The impulsive sensation seeking scores of all the poker players are high. They all display high levels of sensation seeking, regardless of their intensity of gambling. However, pathological gamblers are more impulsive than problem and non-pathological gamblers. Impulsivity is a good predictor for pathological gambling.Online poker players are high sensation seekers who gamble to experience strong feelings and arousal, whereas impulsivity plays an important role in developing and maintaining pathological gambling. This study underlines the psychological specificities of online poker players and the need to take into account impulsive sensation seeking not only in the research on pathological gambling poker players but also in the development of preventive action.

Brain volumes and neuropsychological performance are related to current smoking and alcoholism history

BackgroundDual dependence on alcohol and nicotine is common, with many reports suggesting that more than 80% of alcoholics also smoke cigarettes. Even after cessation of alcohol consumption, many recovering alcoholics continue to smoke. In this exploratory study, we examined how current smoking and a history of alcoholism interacted in relation to brain volumes and neuropsychological performance.MethodsParticipants were 14 abstinent long-term alcoholics (seven current smokers and seven nonsmokers), and 13 nonalcoholics (six current smokers and seven nonsmokers). The groups were equivalent in age, gender, education, and intelligence quotient. Two multiecho magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient echo (MP-RAGE) scans were collected for all participants using a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner with a 32 channel head coil. Brain volumes for each gray and white matter region of interest were derived using FreeSurfer. Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tests measuring intelligence quotient, memory, executive functions, personality variables, and affect.ResultsCompared to nonsmoking nonalcoholics, alcoholics who smoke (the comorbid group) had volumetric abnormalities in: pre- and para-central frontal cortical areas and rostral middle frontal white matter; parahippocampal and temporal pole regions; the amygdala; the pallidum; the ventral diencephalic region; and the lateral ventricle. The comorbid group performed worse than nonsmoking nonalcoholics on tests of executive functioning and on visually-based memory tests. History of alcoholism was associated with higher neuroticism scores among smokers, and current smoking was associated with higher sensation seeking scores and lower extraversion scores among nonalcoholics.ConclusionResults from this exploratory study support and extend prior reports showing that alcoholism and smoking, alone and in combination, are associated with structural brain abnormalities and poorer performance on neuropsychological tests. Therefore, it is important to consider smoking status in alcoholism studies and vice versa.

Identifying the HIV Transmission Bridge

To gain insights into bridging behaviors and their correlates among male clients of female sex workers (FSWs). Men aged ≥18 years who recently paid or traded for sex with FSWs were recruited in Tijuana in 2008-2009. Participants underwent interviews and testing for HIV, chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. Logistic regression compared "bridgers" (clients who had unprotected sex with FSWs and with a wife or steady partner) with men who did not. Of 383 men, 134 (35%) had a steady partner. Half (n = 70) of those had unprotected sex with both FSWs and the steady partner. Prevalence of any sexually transmitted infection or HIV was 16.5% among bridgers and 2.3% among nonbridgers. Compared with other clients, bridgers were more likely to use drugs during sex with FSWs (81.4% versus 46.9%, P < 0.0001), had higher sensation-seeking (P < 0.0001) and misogyny scores (P = 0.05) and were more likely to offer FSWs extra money for unprotected sex (34.4% versus 1.6%, P < 0.0001). Factors independently associated with bridging were as follows: using drugs during sex with FSWs [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.4, P = 0.007], sensation seeking (AOR: 4.3 per unit increase, P = 0.05), and offering FSWs more money for unprotected sex (AOR: 24.5, P = 0.003). Sensation-seeking clients who use drugs during sex and coerce FSWs into unprotected sex may be less responsive to standard risk reduction interventions. Interventions are needed that target clients rather than rely on FSWs to change behaviors that may not be under their control.

Sensation-seeking predicts initiation of daily smoking behavior among American Indian high school students

PurposeAmerican Indian (AI) youth have a high risk of smoking initiation. Sensation-seeking, defined as the tendency to seek novel and thrilling experiences, has been associated with smoking initiation in other groups but has never been examined in AI youth. MethodsData were from the Voices of Indian Teens Project (VOICES), a longitudinal study of AI youth from seven high schools in four AI communities in the western United States. Participants completed annual surveys in school over a three-year period. Our sample comprised 764 students who were non-smokers at baseline. Smoking initiation was defined as endorsement of daily smoking after baseline. We used binary logistic regression to evaluate the association of baseline sensation-seeking with odds of daily smoking initiation, stratified by gender. ResultsParticipants were 353 males and 411 females aged 13 to 21years at baseline. After adjusting for covariates, baseline sensation-seeking correlated with smoking initiation differently in males and females. Sensation-seeking did not predict daily smoking in males. Among females, however, higher sensation-seeking scores at baseline predicted daily smoking in both the unadjusted (odds ratio=1.4; 95% CI=1.1–1.8; p=0.005) and covariate-adjusted (odds ratio=1.3; 95% CI=1.0–1.6; p=0.04) models. ConclusionGender-specific prevention programs may be warranted in addressing different risk-factor profiles in this high-risk population.

Personality correlates of reporting Chinese words from the Deutsch “high-low” word illusion by Chinese-speaking people

When English-speaking people listen to the Deutsch "high-low" word illusion, they report hearing English words. Whether Chinese-speaking people report Chinese words when listening to the illusion, or whether any reported words might be correlated with personality traits as previous investigations have demonstrated for listening to music in other cultures, is open to question. The present study aimed to address this. A total of 308 right-handed, healthy volunteers (177 women and 131 men) were given the illusion test and asked to answer the Zuckerman-Kuhlman personality questionnaire (ZKPQ). Their depressive tendency was measured by the Plutchik-van Praag depression inventory (PVP). There was no gender effect regarding either the PVP score or the number of reported Chinese words from the illusion. Women scored higher on ZKPQ neuroticism-anxiety than men. The number of meaningful Chinese words reported was correlated with the ZKPQ impulsive sensation-seeking, aggression-hostility, and activity scores. Some words reported by participants who scored higher on these three traits were related in meaning to those scales. Our preliminary results suggest that when Chinese-speaking people listen to the Deutsch "high-low" word illusion, they might use personality-related, specific cognitive schemata.

Régulation émotionnelle chez des consommateurs de psychostimulants en milieu festif techno

Deficits in the communication and identifying of feelings are usually observed in substance abuse. Research in several countries has reported sensation seeking and alexithymia implication in addiction. According to a cognitive-developmental model of emotional experience proposed, alexithymia is a deficit in the cognitive processing of emotion that can be seen as an impairment in the ability to consciously experience feeling in the context of autonomic activation indicate of emotional arousal. The primary objective of this study was to identify certain personality dimensions linked with emotions' regulation, i.e. Zuckerman's sensation seeking, alexithymia, and emotional awareness in ecstasy and cocaine users at techno parties. Subjects were divided in two groups: 37 male ecstasy or cocaine abusers, and 37 male non-drug users. We hypothesized that ecstasy and cocaine users would exhibit high levels of sensation seeking (high level of sensation seeking,), and emotional dysregulation (high level of alexithymia and depression, low level of emotional awareness). The methodology comprised a questionnaire developed for the study, designed to record sociodemographic data and evaluate psychoactive substance use, the MlINI (mini international psychiatric interview), the Zuckerman 40-item Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-IV), the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-13). Subjects were recruited during rave-parties. The results showed significantly higher sensation seeking scores for ecstasy and cocaine users for the score total and the disinhibition and experience seeking subdimensions. Ecstasy and cocaine abusers exhibited higher TAS-20 and BDI-13 scores and lower levels of emotional awareness than non-drug users. No correlation between the TAS-20 and depression symptomatology emerged. No significant correlations were found between LEAS and TAS-20. These results provide new elements concerning the profile of drug users at techno parties and illustrate the changing practices of ecstasy use. The LEAS and the TAS-20 were not intercorrelated; it seems plausible that they reflect two sides of the emotional states self-report. These results reinforce the suggestion of combining the use of self-reports with non self-report methods.

Personality Characteristics of Male Sufferers of Chronic Tension-Type and Cervicogenic Headache

Background and PurposeChronic tension-type headache (a primary headache disorder) and cervicogenic headache (a secondary headache disorder that is attributable to upper cervical spine pathology) share similar clinical manifestations, but their associated personality traits may differ. We evaluated the personality differences between sufferers of chronic tension-type headache and cervicogenic headache.MethodsWe administered the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ) and the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale (SSS) to 18 patients suffering from chronic tension-type headache, 19 suffering from cervicogenic headache, and 26 healthy volunteers. Depressive trends were measured with the Plutchik-van-Praag Depression Inventory (PVP).ResultsCompared to healthy controls, the chronic tension-type headache group scored significantly higher on ZKPQ Neuroticism-Anxiety and on the PVP, while the cervicogenic headache group scored significantly lower on SSS Thrill and Adventure Seeking. In addition, the total SSS score was significantly lower in the cervicogenic headache group than in both the chronic tension-type headache group and the healthy controls.ConclusionsThe results of this study indicate that higher scores for neuroticism-anxiety and depression were associated with chronic tension-type headache, while lower sensation-seeking scores were associated with cervicogenic headache.

Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence in Young Adult Couples: Nonviolent, Unilaterally Violent, and Mutually Violent Couples

This study examined nonviolent (NV), unilaterally violent (UV), and mutually violent (MV) patterns of perpetrated intimate partner violence in relation to dyadic relationship quality and partner injury. The respondents were 1,294 young adult, Add Health partners (AHP) and their non-Add Health partners (NAHP), in dating, engaged, or in marital relationships, who were participants in Wave III of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Using both partner reports of perpetration to classify intimate partner violence (IPV) patterns resulted in 25% of couples with a MV pattern, and 75% of couples with a UV pattern; among those couples (41%) reporting any perpetrated IPV. Results also showed poorer relationship quality and higher partner sensation-seeking scores among MV and UV couples when contrasted with NV couples. Those couples with MV patterns were more likely to contain partner injury than those with UV patterns.

Alcohol Use Disorders among Patients Examined in Emergency Departments after a Suicide Attempt

Aim of the Study: To assess the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) in a population of patients examined following attempted suicide and compare suicide attempts with and without AUD. Methods: 180 patients examined in an emergency department after a suicide attempt were compared with 180 controls paired for sex and age. All patients answered the CAGE and the Fagerström questionnaire. The DSM-IV-R criteria for alcohol, nicotine and cannabis abuse and dependence, as well as for borderline and antisocial personality, were checked. Results: The prevalence of AUD was 43% among suicide attempters. Suicide attempters with AUD were more often men (52 vs. 30%), living alone (64 vs. 31%) and older (35.9 vs. 32.3 years). They were more often dependent on nicotine (87 vs. 43%) and smoked more cannabis joints (1.4 vs. 0.5). They had taken alcohol before committing suicide more often (61 vs. 23%) and had more previous suicide attempts (2.5 vs. 0.9). Additionally, suicide attempters had higher scores of sensation seeking and presented more often with an antisocial or borderline personality. Conclusion: 43% of the patients examined after a suicide attempt presented with AUD. Emergency units may provide an opportunity to identify their dependence disorder and offer information and treatment.

Relationship of serum serotonin and salivary cortisol with sensation seeking

The present study was conducted to investigate the possible relationship of serum serotonin and salivary cortisol with the sensation seeking (SS) trait. Blood and saliva samples were taken from 57 male volunteers (mean age 23 ± 5 years) to measure serum serotonin and salivary cortisol concentrations. Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-V) was used to assess SS. Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed that high serum serotonin levels did not correlate significantly with low SS scores (r = 0.12). However, a negative correlation between SS scores and salivary cortisol levels (r = − 0.34, p < 0.01) was significant, suggesting that high SS scores are related to low concentrations of salivary cortisol. The negative correlation between salivary cortisol and SS is clearly compatible with the optimal level of Catecholamine system activity (CSA), component of SS theory, indicating that high sensation seekers (HSSers) tend to seek excitement and novelty to compensate for the shortage of CSA achieving optimal arousal. Further investigation is needed before conclusions can be drawn regarding the relationship of serum serotonin and SS.

Risk of Marijuana Use in Male and Female College Student Athletes and Nonathletes

A large minority of collegiate athletes report past-year marijuana use even though there is a significant possibility of experiencing negative athlete-specific consequences related to performance, eligibility, and scholarship. The present study examined risk factors that can drive or curb marijuana use in college athletes and nonathletes. Logistic regressions, performed separately for men and for women, assessed the relationship of past-year marijuana use to sensation seeking, negative mood, perceptions of peer marijuana use, motivations for marijuana use, and stress related to body image and academics in athletes (233 men, 156 women) and nonathletes (184 men, 313 women). Risk factors also were compared for male past-year marijuana users who reported using (n = 26) or not using (n = 61) the substance during their competitive season. For athletes and nonathletes of both genders, being White, being past-year cigarette smokers, having higher sensation-seeking scores, and having exaggerated perceptions of student use norms were associated with past-year marijuana use. Enhancement motivations for use were higher among athletes compared with their same-gender nonathlete peers. In women, but not in men, greater body image stress and lower academic stress were associated with past-year marijuana use. Male athletes who continued using marijuana into their competitive season demonstrated a qualitatively different risk profile compared with athlete past-year users who reported no in-season use, including greater coping motivations for marijuana use. This preliminary study suggests that although the overall risk profile of college athletes and nonathletes is similar, athletes appear to be particularly motivated to use marijuana because of its enhancement or pleasurable properties.

Effects of 24 Hours of Tobacco Withdrawal and Subsequent Tobacco Smoking Among Low and High Sensation Seekers

Previous studies have indicated that high sensation seekers are more sensitive to the reinforcing effects of nicotine, initiate smoking at an earlier age, and smoke greater amounts of cigarettes. This study examined the influence of sensation-seeking status on tobacco smoking following deprivation in regular tobacco users. Twenty healthy tobacco-smoking volunteers with low or high impulsive sensation-seeking subscale scores completed 2 consecutive test days per week for 3 consecutive weeks. Each week, a range of self-report, performance, and cardiovascular assessments were completed during ad libitum smoking on Day 1 and before and after the paced smoking of a tobacco cigarette containing 0.05, 0.6, or 0.9 mg of nicotine following 24 hr of tobacco deprivation on Day 2. In addition, self-administration behavior was analyzed during a 2-hr free access period after the initial tobacco administration. In high sensation seekers, tobacco smoking independent of nicotine yield ameliorated deprivation effects, whereas amelioration of deprivation effects was dependent on nicotine yield among low sensation seekers. However, this effect was limited to a small subset of measures. Subsequent cigarette self-administration increased in a nicotine-dependent manner for high sensation seekers only. Compared with low sensation seekers, high sensation seekers were more sensitive to the withdrawal relieving effects of nonnicotine components of smoking following 24 hr of deprivation on selective measures and more sensitive to nicotine yield during subsequent tobacco self-administration. These results are consistent with studies suggesting that factors driving tobacco dependence may vary as a function of sensation-seeking status.

The alternative five-factor model of personality, nicotine dependence and relapse after treatment for smoking cessation

Personality is one of several factors that have been related to the initiation, maintenance and cessation of smoking. This paper aims to analyze the relationship between the alternative five-factor model of personality (AFFM), nicotine dependence (ND), nicotine use (NU) and cessation after twelve months of a cognitive–behavioral therapy combined with medication. In this prospective study, a sample of 103 smokers who were taking part in a workplace smoking cessation intervention, answered the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire. ND and NU were measured with the Fagerström Test for the Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and the number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD), respectively. Tobacco cessation was self-reported at twelve months follow-up and biologically confirmed. Results varied according to gender. In men, low scores on Sociability predicted high ND and large number of CPD. In addition, low scores on Sensation Seeking and high scores on Impulsivity predicted also a high smoking rate at baseline. No personality traits were found to explain ND in women, but high Impulsivity–Sensation Seeking and General Activity predicted high CPD. Predictors of cessation also differed by gender. Apart from FTND level, high levels on Impulsivity predicted relapse in males. In women, high levels on Sociability predicted relapse. This model correctly classified two thirds of abstainers and relapsers for men and three fourths for women at 12 months. Furthermore an interaction between personality and gender was observed. The AFFM appears to have a substantial power for predicting cessation. Personality assessment when beginning treatment for smoking cessation could allow incorporating strategies to improve outcomes.

Preliminary Evidence for Associations of CHRM2 with Substance Use and Disinhibition in Adolescence

Evidence for shared heritable influences across domains of substance use suggests that some genetic variants influence broad risk for externalizing behaviors. Theories of externalizing psychopathology also suggest that genetic liability for substance use manifests as temperamental risk factors, particularly those related to behavioral disinhibition, during adolescence. The cholinergic muscarinic receptor 2 gene (CHRM2) is a promising candidate for studying genetic influences on broad-based risk for externalizing traits. This study examined a candidate CHRM2 polymorphism (rs1455858) in relation to substance use and personality measures of disinhibition in a sample of high-risk adolescents (n = 124). Bivariate analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) evaluated associations of rs1455858 with measures of drug involvement (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana) and disinhibition (indexed by impulsivity and sensation seeking scores). Bivariate analyses showed significant associations of CHRM2 with several behavioral phenotypes. In SEM analyses CHRM2 related significantly to latent measures of substance use and disinhibition; additionally, disinhibition mediated the association of CHRM2 with substance use. These results suggest that CHRM2 variants are potentially relevant for adolescent substance use and that temperamental risk factors could contribute to these associations.

The mechanism of inhibitory control in sensation seeking:an event-related potential study

Objective To investigate the neural mechanism of inhibitory control in sensation seeking by using the event-related potential(ERP) technique. Methods High and low sensation seekers( 16 people in each group ), who were selected according to their sensation seeking scores, performed a Go/Nogo task in which the stimuli possessed two levels of difficulty. Electro- encephalogram(EEG) signals were recorded continuously by a set of 32 Ag/AgCI electrodes. Results For two types of stimuli ( Congruent, Incongruent) :( 1 )The amplitude(FCZ) of Nogo N2 and Nogo P3 were( (1.61 ±4.25)μV,(-2.32±4.55)μV)and((16.44±5.74)μV,(17.00±5.71)μV). (2)There was no significant main effects of group for the Nogo N2 amplitude( F (1.30) =0.31, P=0. 59,η2=0. 01;F(1.30) =0.07,P=0.80,η2=0.002) ,the N2d amplitude( F(1.30) =1.18,P=0.29,η2=0.04;F(1.30) =0.004, P=0.95, η2 ＜ 0.001 ) ,the Nogo P3 amplitude( F (1.30) =0.13, P=0.72, η2 =0.004;F(1.30)=0.28, P=0.60, η2 =0.009) and the P3d amplitude( F(1.30) =0.08, P=0.50, η2 =0.02; F (1.30) =0.56,P=0.46, η2 =0.02). (3)Neither of main effects for the N2 and P3 latency was significant (P＞0.05). Conclusion The inhibitory control is similar across high and low sensation seeking groups,indicating that there is no relationship between the sensation seeking behaviors and the individual inhibitory control. Key words: Sensation seeking; Inhibitory control; Event-related potential

Sensation seeking in females from opposite- versus same-sex twin pairs: hormone transfer or sibling imitation?

The aims of this study were to replicate the results of a previous study (Resnick et al. 1993) and to extend them by examining the evidence for prenatal exposure to androgens versus sibling imitation as a potential cause of group differences in levels of sensation seeking. Participants were members of the Australian Twin Registry who had participated in a structured interview study and completed the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale. Three sets of group comparisons were conducted: (1) the sensation seeking scores of females from same-sex twin pairs (n=1,947) were compared to females from opposite-sex twin pairs (n=564), (2) females from same-sex twin pairs without a brother (n=580) were compared to same-sex females with a close-in-age older brother (n=300), and (3) same-sex females who had a close-in-age older brother (n=300) were compared to females from opposite-sex twin pairs (n=564). Females from opposite-sex twin pairs obtained significantly higher scores than females from same-sex twin pairs on the experience-seeking (d=0.12) and thrill and adventure seeking (d=0.10) subscales, but not the boredom susceptibility (d=-0.01) or disinhibition (d<0.01) subscales of the Sensation-Seeking Scale. The modest effects obtained could not be explained by the psychosocial effect of having a close-in-age brother. Considering these effects alongside the overall sex differences in the Sensation-Seeking Scales of experience-seeking (d=0.12 vs. d=0.18) and thrill and adventure-seeking (d=0.10 vs. d=0.83) suggests that prenatal androgens may actually play a large role in the sex difference in the personality trait of experience seeking, and a smaller role in thrill and adventure-seeking; there was no evidence from this study that prenatal androgens are important for explaining sex differences in the traits of boredom susceptibility or disinhibition.

Sensation seeking predicts established smoking and binge drinking in adolescents

QUESTION Question: Can sensation seeking be used to predict binge drinking and established smoking among adolescents and target adolescents for substance use interventions? Patients: 6522 adolescents aged 10–14 years at baseline, contacted by random digit dial telephone survey. Comparing the age, sex and census region of the participants, and income groupings of their parents with the US 2000 Census data confi rmed that the participants were a representative sample. Ethnicity was 62% white, 18.2% Hispanic and 13.6% black. Setting: Telephone survey, USA; recruitment June to October 2003. Test: Sensation seeking was measured using a four-item scale: thrill seeking, adventure seeking, boredom susceptibility and intensity seeking. Scores for individual items ranged from one to four and were summed across items (total scores 4–16). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were used to analyse effectiveness of sensation seeking as a predictor of binge drinking and established smoking. Diagnostic standard: Participant report of binge drinking or established smoking at 24 months. Participants were surveyed three times at 8-month intervals. If 24-month data was not available, data from the 16- or 8-month assessments was used. At each time point participants were asked if they had ever had more than fi ve drinks within a couple of hours; answering yes indicated binge drinking. Participants were asked how many cigarettes they had smoked in their lifetime, with more than 100 indicating an established smoker. Outcomes: Area under receiver operating curve (AROC), sensitivity and specifi city, false positive and false negative rates. METHODS Design: Cohort study. MAIN RESULTS 5834 participants had one or more follow-up assessments and were used in the analyses. Retention was 71% at 24 months (n=4575). At baseline, 3.4% (n=200) adolescents were binge drinkers, and 0.55% were established smokers (n=32). Among the non-binge drinkers at baseline, binge drinking was reported at follow-up interviews by 12.7% (n=717). Among non-established smokers at baseline, established smoking was reported by 2.5% (n=144). Mean sensation seeking score at baseline was 8.0 (SD 2.5), and median sensation seeking score was 7.0. A cut-off level at the median score of 7 would identify 52% of the population at risk. A cut-off of 9 would identify 25%, and a cut-off of 11 would identify 9% of the population at risk. Sensation seeking at baseline was a moderately good predictor of binge drinking at follow-up (AROC 0.71, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.73). Sensation seeking at baseline was a better predictor of established smoking at follow-up (AROC 0.80, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.83). For binge drinking, using a cut-off of 1 SD above the mean, 16% of the population would be identifi ed for intervention and would include approximately one-third of future binge drinkers (sensitivity 31%, false positive rate 12%). Half the population would be identifi ed using a median split cut-off and would include 77% of future binge drinkers (false positive rate 46%). For established smoking, using a cut-off of 1 SD above the mean would identify approximately 50% of future smokers (sensitivity 53%, false positive rate 14%). Using a median split cut-off would include 92% of future smokers (false positive rate 50%). CONCLUSIONS Sensation seeking is an effective predictor of established smoking and a moderately effective predictor of binge drinking in adolescents.

Travel Characteristics and Risk‐Taking Attitudes in Youths Traveling to Nonindustrialized Countries

International travel to developing countries is increasing with rising levels of disposable income; this trend is seen in both adults and children. Risk-taking attitude is fundamental to research on the prevention of risky health behaviors, which can be an indicator of the likelihood of experiencing illness or injury during travel. The aim of this study is to investigate whether risk-taking attitudes of youths are associated with travel characteristics and likelihood of experiencing illness or injury while traveling to nonindustrialized countries. Data were analyzed from the 2008 YouthStyles survey, an annual mail survey gathering demographics and health knowledge, attitudes, and practices of individuals from 9 through 18 years of age. Travelers were defined as respondents who reported traveling in the last 12 months to a destination other than the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, or New Zealand. Risk-taking attitude was measured by using a four-item Brief Sensation-Seeking Scale. All p values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant. Of 1,704 respondents, 131 (7.7%) traveled in the last 12 months. Females and those with higher household income were more likely to travel (odds ratio = 1.6,1.1). Of those who traveled, 16.7% reported seeking pretravel medical care, with most visiting a family doctor for that care (84.0%). However, one-fifth of respondents reported illness and injury during travel; of these, 83.3% traveled with their parents. Males and older youths had higher mean sensation-seeking scores. Further, travelers had a higher mean sensation-seeking score than nontravelers. Those who did not seek pretravel medical care also had higher mean sensation-seeking scores (p = 0.1, not significant). Our results show an association between risk-taking attitudes and youth travel behavior. However, adult supervision during travel and parental directives prior to travel should be taken into consideration. Communication messages should emphasize the importance of pretravel advice, target parents of children who are traveling, and be communicated through family doctors.

So You Think You're Bulletproof: Development and Validation of the Invincibility Belief Index (IBI)

Risk-taking propensity can be influenced by sensation-seeking traits and self-perceived invincibility. We hypothesized that the latter factor may reflect a stable trait that endures across situations and may influence risk-taking behavior. We developed and validated a 20-item scale, the Invincibility Belief Index (IBI) to measure this construct. The IBI demonstrated good internal consistency and excellent test-retest reliability in the development sample (n = 100) and sustained similar levels of reliability in a cross-validation sample (n = 74). Principal components analysis yielded three orthogonal factors measuring self-perceived impunity (immunity from consequences), boldness/audacity (self-assuredness and competitiveness), and adroitness (mental agility and survival skill). In the prediction of risk taking, IBI scores contributed additional unique variance beyond sensation-seeking scores alone. IBI scores demonstrated convergent and discriminant validity with concurrently administered measures. These preliminary results support the reliability and validity of the IBI as a brief measure of self-perceived vulnerability-invincibility in the face of adversity.

Perceived stress, sensation seeking, and college students’ abuse of the Internet

College students ( n = 140) were examined to test whether sensation seeking and perceived stress would predict abuse of the Internet. Previous studies have found that disinhibition, boredom susceptibility, and total sensation seeking scores were related to Internet abuse ( Chaney & Chang, 2005; Lin & Tsai, 2001). Because stress has been documented to have a negative effect on students ( Pierceall & Keim, 2007), and may be linked to Internet use ( Lavoie & Pychyl, 2001), it was tested as a possible predictor of Internet abuse. This study also analyzed abuse of the Internet for sexual purposes, because sexuality is prevalent online, and college students are in an age of sexual exploration. Results of stepwise regression analyses revealed that disinhibition and total perceived stress were predictive of Internet abuse for sexual purposes, and perceived hopelessness and boredom susceptibility were predictive of Internet abuse for non-sexual purposes. Implications for students and Internet abuse are discussed.