Risk factors in the development of addiction Flashcards
(21 cards)
What are all the risk factors?
Genetic vulnerability
Stress
Personality
Family influences
Peers
What is Genetic Vulnerability In terms of D2 Receptors?
-communicate with neurotransmitters such as dopamine which give pleasure
-number of D2 receptors you have are dependent on your genes
-Having fewer D2 receptors is associated with addiction as individual is unable to experience everyday pleasures
-turn to addictive substance to make up for the deficiency
What is genetic vulnerability in terms of metabolism?
-rate of metabolism is inherited by genes
-some metabolize quicker than others
-there more likely to form an addiction to gain the same effects leading to overdose
What is a strength of Genetic vulurability?
RTS-KENDLER ET AL
-looked at data in national Swedish adoption study
-looked at adults who were adopted from biological families
-if one family member had an addiction child greater risk
-compared to individuals who had no addictive parents in biological family
-supports inherently predisposed
What is a weakness of Genetic vulnurability?
Correlational research
-unable to establish cause and effect
-research has found a link between genetic vulnerability and addiction
-does not show what comes first
-e.g individuals may have a addiction which caused abnormality in there D2 Receptors
What is the Risk Factor of stress?
-individuals with stress turn to addictive substances as a form of self medication
-periods of long lasting stress and also traumatic events in childhood can lead to addiction
What do Anderson and Teicher say about stress?
-early experience of stress can lead to brain damage
-in the sensitive period of development
-increase vulnerability to stress later on
-further stressful experiences in later life can trigger the vulnerability to stress self medicate.
What is the correlational research of stress?
e.g may be due to addiction causing stress due to lack of money and sleep
What is the risk factor of personality?
-apd leads to higher risk of addiction
-Clondinger 3 innate dimensions associated with certain drugs and alcohol abuse
-novalty seeking, inhibited harm avoidance, increased reward dependancy
What is Novelty seeking?
-intensely excited in response to new stimuli
-continuously seek extreme experiences
What is inhibited harm avoidance?
-lack of inhibition such as worry and fear
-ignore the consequences
What is increased reward dependency?
-tendency to respond to a reward
-addictive behavior is seen as rewarding
What is a strength of the risk factor of personality?
RTS SNIEDER ET AL
-novalty seeking is mostly associated with alcohol and drugs
-found a positive correlation between novality seeking and relapse back in to drug abuse
-this supports as the personality traits may cause an individual to engage in addictive substances and increase relapse
What is the correlational research of personality?
Addiction may lead to an individual to take more risks leading to increased reward dependency.
What is the risk factor of family influences?
-perceived parental approval can increase your vulnerability to addiction
-if the family have a positive attitude to a substance then there also likely to take the substance as well.
What does Livington et al say about family influences?
parents who allow there children to drink in the house are likely to do it excessively in college.
children who believe there parents are less interested in monitoring them more likely to have an addiction.
What theory can link with family influences?
SLT- exposure to a role model who takes addictive substances can lead to observing imitate and identify
What is the strength for Family influences?
RTS MANDRAS ET AL
-studied adolecents who’s parents had cannabis
-strong positive correlation between the parents use of cannabis and the child’s use of cannabis
-beleives the percieved parental approval was accepting of substances so used themself
-SLT
Explain the Risk factor of PEERS?
-peers can influence individuals as they spend more time with them.
-act as a gateway of addictive behavior
What did O Conner et al
Attitude and norms towards drinking alcohol- there at risk if they associate with peers who drink alcohol
opportunities to drink alcohol-experienced peers provide opportunities for the risk individuals to drink alcohol
Individuals perception- overestimate how much there peers drink so drink more to keep up with them.
What is the weakness of correlation research with peers?
addiction can cause the individual to seek peers who would also have the same addictive behavior
