Risk Factors in Addiction. Flashcards
Outline the effect of stress on addiction.
increased stress levels positively correlated with developing an addiction.
social stressors - poor housing.
everyday stressors - work overload.
more vulnerable to stress = more vulnerable to addiction - increased stress caused by quitting may lead to addiction.
What do brain scans suggest about stress and addiction?
molecular changes associated with chronic stress and addiction.
addicts may experience heightened stress due to addiction - e.g. financial cost.
stress is a consequence of addiction rather than a cause.
Outline Kostem’s research.
Rats isolated for one hour - greater tendency to cocaine.
Evaluate stress and addiction.
Correlation.
Practical applications - create stress index - predict level of risk of developing an addiction. Intervention = more successful.
Outline the effect of personality on addiction.
neurotic/psychopathic personalities = more vulnerable.
substance abuse - escape stresses that wouldn’t bother those who are psychologically fit. Personality –> addiction rather than the other way around.
Eyesenck - Psychological Resource Model - become dependent on something because it fulfills the needs of our personality types. high levels of neuroticism = more vulnerable to addiction.
Outline Eyesenck’s research.
Gave personality quiz to 221 addicts and 310 non-addicts.
addiction scale - most addicts linked to neuroticism, depression and anxiety.
Evaluate the effect of personality on addiction.
Supported by research - people become addicted to many things at the same time or over time. e.g. drug addict also likely to be an alcoholic.
People who give up their addiction find it necessary to put their time into something else - e.g. long distance running. Addictive personality - always need to be doing something.
Outline the effect of peer pressure on addiction.
Peers have positive attitudes = you are likely to try the addictive behaviour/substance.
NSI - desire to be liked, avoid ridicule.
accept addictive behaviour as the norm - becomes part of the ‘in-group’ behaviour - used to show loyalty to the group. identify the group as separate to other ‘out-groups’.
Operant conditioning - receive praise/increased status.
SLT - models of addictive behaviour. vicarious reinforcement.
CC - associate old peer group with addiction, go back to them, feel pressured to start again.
How can peers act as a gateway to other addictions?
In peer groups where there are plenty of opportunities for new drug experiences, cannabis smokers were more likely to progress to cocaine.
Evaluate the effect of peers on addiction.
Those who are already dependent select peer groups that conform to their own addictive behaviours?
Many other social context effects - financial/social deprivation add increased vulnerability to addiction.
Outline the effects of age on addiction.
Teen years = most vulnerable to start - 17.3% of teenagers from 132 countries were smokers in 2006.
Starting younger = increased likelihood of starting other addictive behaviours e.g. smoking then drinking. Initial behaviours = gateway.
Addiction also correlated with later dependency. A third of alcoholics develop their addiction after retirement. change in lifestyle/status = increased risk of addiction. Other factors linked to old age - boredom, death of loved ones.
What is the sleeper effect?
Research shows that those who smoked later in life were likely to have tried smoking at an early age. Early experiences of smoking create a dormant vulnerability to addiction which can take years to emerge.
Evaluate the impact of age on addiction.
Practical applications - public health interventions more effective if targeted at specific age groups. e.g. adolescents more likely to experiment with smoking - prevent initiation.
