Journal article
Anxiety Symptoms and Coping Motives: Examining a Potential Path to Substance Use-Related Problems in Adolescents With Psychopathic Traits
Substance use & misuse, Vol.51(14), pp.1920-1929
12/05/2016
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/115842
PMID: 27612982
Abstract
Background: Although the relation between impulsive-irresponsible psychopathic traits and substance use is well-documented, the path to developing substance use problems is less understood in adolescents with these characteristics. Objectives: To examine the associations between psychopathy, anxiety, and substance use motives and a mechanism by which anxiety and alcohol and marijuana coping motives mediate the relation between psychopathic traits and substance use-related problems. Methods: A sample of 185 at-risk adolescent males from a residential military-style program reporting past alcohol or marijuana use (M age = 16.74) participated in the study. Results: Impulsive-Irresponsible psychopathic traits were uniquely and incrementally predictive of alcohol and marijuana use-related problems and anxiety. Anxiety and coping motives appeared to partially explain the association between impulsivity-irresponsibility and substance use-related problems. Conclusions/Importance: Findings suggest that youth expressing impulsive-irresponsible psychopathic traits may engage in problematic substance use at least partly as a function of heightened anxiety and a subsequent desire to alleviate distress by using alcohol or marijuana to cope.
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Details
- Title
- Anxiety Symptoms and Coping Motives: Examining a Potential Path to Substance Use-Related Problems in Adolescents With Psychopathic Traits
- Creators
- Christopher T. A Gillen - Department of Psychology, The University of Southern MississippiChristopher T Barry - Department of Psychology, Washington State UniversityLovina R Bater - Department of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi
- Publication Details
- Substance use & misuse, Vol.51(14), pp.1920-1929
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Identifiers
- 99900548030901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article