Risk Factors

Question 1

What are the risk factors for addiction?

Answer 1

1. Genetic vulnerability
2. Stress
3. Family
4. Peers
5. Personality

Question 2

How does genetic vulnerability play a role in addiction?

Answer 2

• Predisposes individuals to become addicted to some substances.
• Enhances positive/negative effects of drug.

Question 3

Explain how being less susceptible to a drug’s negative effects can make you more likely to become addicted.

Answer 3

• Some people are more able to metabolise (break down) substances - less likely to experience negative effects of substances.
• Therefore take those substances again or consume larger amounts of them.

Question 4

Give examples of how metabolism & enzymes can influence addiction.
(Alcohol - Asian vs European)
(Smoking - enzyme metabolising nicotine)

Answer 4

• Europeans metabolise alcohol quickly so don’t feel sick but 50% of Asians metabolise alcohol slowly so feel nauseous after drinking small amount.
• Asians less likely to become addicted to alcohol.
• Michael Pianezza et al. (1998) found some people lack fully functioning enzyme (CYP2A6) - responsible for metabolising nicotine. These smoke significantly less
  than smokers with functioning version.

Question 5

Explain how being more susceptible to a drug’s positive effects can make you more likely to become addicted.

Answer 5

• Blum & Payne (1991) - people vulnerable to drug addiction have abnormally low dopamine levels & decreased ability to activate dopamine receptors in reward centre of brain.
• Therefore anything increasing dopamine levels produces strong feelings of euphoria
  (positive effect).

Question 6

Explain the Self-medication Model (Gelkopf et al., 2002) in regards to stress.

Answer 6

• Some people intentionally use forms of pathological behaviour (alcohol, drugs, gambling) to ‘treat’ psychological symptoms they experience due to everyday stressors in their life.
• Although engaging in behaviour may not make things better (decrease stress), the perception that it does leads to behaviour becoming addiction.

Question 7

Explain how people exposed to severe stress (post-traumatic stress) are more vulnerable to addictions.

Answer 7

• Robins et al. (1974) interviewed US soldiers within year of return from Vietnam War.
• Half used opium or heroin during war.
• 20% developed physical/psychological dependence for heroin at some point during time in Vietnam.

Question 8

How can family influence create vulnerability to addiction, using the Social Learning Theory?

Answer 8

• Seeing role models rewarded for their behaviour - vicarious reinforcement
  increases likelihood of imitating behaviour.
• Observing parents smoking/drinking - seeing them more relaxed or experiencing pleasure, imitates behaviour to get same result.
• Repeated exposures over time lead to addiction.

Question 9

How can perceived parental
approval create vulnerability to addiction?

Answer 9

• Extent to which adolescent
  believes their parents have positive attitudes towards drug
• Livingston et al. (2010) - final year high-school students who were allowed by parents to drink alcohol at home significantly more likely to drink excessively following year at college.

Question 10

How do older siblings contribute to substance use and addiction?

Answer 10

• Power imbalance between older and younger siblings suggests older siblings serve as ‘role models’ for younger sibling
• As modelling normalises substance
  use, younger siblings may gravitate towards peers who resemble and validate
  their older siblings’ behaviour.

Question 11

What are the 3 major elements to
peer influence as a risk factor for alcohol addiction?

Answer 11

1. Attitudes & norms about drinking are influenced by associating with peers who use alcohol.
2. These peers provide more opportunities for them to use alcohol.
3. They over-estimate how much their peers are drinking - drink more to keep up with the perceived norm.

Question 12

What is peer pressure?

Answer 12

Direct or indirect encouragement from your own age group to engage in activities that we may or may not wish to engage in

Question 13

How does Social Identity Theory explain why individuals are likely to be influenced by peer pressure?

Answer 13

• Significant part of self-concept is formed as a result of the groups they’re part of (ingroups).
• As it’s essential to be associated with ingroup to be socially accepted, more likely to adopt their behaviours.

Question 14

What are the 3 traits of Cloninger’s (1987) tri-dimensional theory of addictive personality?

Answer 14

• Novelty seeking - need for change & stimulation, actively seek new environments & experiences.
• Harm avoidance - amount a person worries & sees negative elements of situation.
• Reward dependence - reacting & learning from rewarding situation quickly.

Question 15

How does impulsivity contribute to addiction?

Answer 15

• Lack of planning
• High degree of risk-taking
• Preference for immediate gratification of desires
• Chaotic lifestyle

Question 16

Explain the relationship between personality disorders and addiction.

Answer 16

• 44% prevalence of personality disorders in alcoholics.
• 70% in cocaine addicts.
• 79% in opiate addicts.