Addiction - Risk Factors in the Development of Addiction Flashcards
What are the risk factors in the development of addictions?
- genetic vulnerability
- stress
- personality
- family influences
- peers
How may genetic vulnerability be a risk factor in the development of addictions?
Genes are not inevitable causes of addiction on their own but may explain why some people become dependent and others do not.
Possible direct genetic mechanisms:
- Dopamine: low numbers of D2 receptors inherited; people compensate by engaging in addictive behaviour.
- Nicotine metabolised by CYP2A6 enzyme: people are less likely to smoke if enzyme is not fully functioning because nicotine levels are higher.
How may stress be a risk factor in the development of addictions?
Epstein et al. (1998) found a strong correlation between incidence of childhood rape and adult alcohol addiction, but only for women with PTSD - stress increases vulnerability.
Early experiences of distress damage the brain during a ‘sensitive period’ - creates a vulnerability to addiction in adolescence (Andersen and Teicher 2008).
How may personality be a risk factor in the development of addictions?
No ‘addictive personality’ but some traits (e.g. hostility) linked.
Antisocial personality disorder (APD) strongly correlated with addiction-related behaviour and begins in early adolescence. Key component in impulsivity: risk-taking, a lack of planning and a preference for immediate gratification. Ivanov et al. (2008) suggest that impulsivity and addiction may share a genetic and neurological basis.
How may family influences be a risk factor in the development of addictions?
Parents may approve: Livingston et al. (2010) found when parents allowed their children to drink alcohol at home in their final school year, their children were more likely to drink excessively at college the next year. Parents may simply not care about their child’s behaviour.
Exposure: Adolescents are more likely to start using alcohol where it is an everyday feature of family life or where there is a history of alcohol addiction.
How may peers be a risk factor in the development of addictions?
Peer behaviours do not have to specifically concern drugs. Instead a group norm that favours rule-breaking generally can be influential.
O’Connell et al. (2009) suggest there are three major elements to peer influence for alcohol addiction:
- attitudes about drinking are influenced by associating with peers who use alcohol
- peers provide more opportunities to use alcohol
- individuals overestimate how much their peers are drinking and attempt to keep up with the perceived norm
What are the strengths of looking at risk factors in the development of addictions?
- there is research support for genetic vulnerability
- genes may help to explain indirect effects
- real-life applications
What are the weaknesses of looking at risk factors in the development of addictions?
- risk factors all interact
- cause and effect
What research support is there for genetic vulnerability?
Kendler et al. (2012) used data from the National Swedish Adoption Study. At least one biological parent had an addiction.
Those with a biological parent with addiction had a greater risk of developing addiction (8.6%) compared to those with no addicted biological parent (4.2%).
This is strong evidence for the role of genetic vulnerability as an important risk factor, and it is supported by other research.
How may genes help to explain indirect effects?
Self-control and the ability to regulate emotions may well be at least partly genetically determined.
A young person with less self-control may be less able to succeed in school leading to negative attitudes, disruptive behaviour and low achievement.
They may gravitate to friends with similar characteristics, leading ultimately to involvement in drugs. Genetic vulnerability is therefore a significant risk factor.
What real-life applications are there of the risk factors?
Hawkins et al. (1992) believe that if we understand the risk factors we can identify those at risk and intervene.
For example, Tobler et al. (2000) created a peer-pressure resistance training programme to help prevent young people from taking up smoking.
This suggests that a focus on risk factors can have useful and beneficial results.
How do all the risk factors interact?
Mayes and Suchman (2006) point out that different combinations of risk factors partly determine the nature and severity of an addiction.
Furthermore genetic, stress, personality, family and peer influences can be protective - i.e. make addiction less likely (e.g. less impulsive personality).
Understanding that there are many ‘pathways’ to addiction is a more realistic approach to addiction than a focus on single factors.
Why is the issue of cause and effect a weakness of risk factors?
Many studies have shown a strong correlation between stressful experiences and addiction behaviours.
Indeed, many addictions create higher levels of stress because of their negative effects on relationships and finances.
Because risk factors and addiction co-relate, it makes it very difficult to separate the effects of one upon the other.
