Predictive utility of the NEO-FFI for later substance experiences among 16-year-old adolescents

Parchetka, Caroline; Strache, Nicole; Raffaelli, Bianca; Gemmeke, Isabel; Wei�, Katharina; Artiges, Eric; Banaschewski, Tobias; Bokde, Arun; Bromberg, Uli; Buechel, Christian; Conrod, Patricia; Desrivi�res, Sylvane; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny A.

Abstract

Purpose

The onset of substance use mostly occurs during adolescence. The aim of the present study is to investigate the relevance of personality on the basis of the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) to future experiences with tobacco, alcohol and cannabis.

Methods

The test data were derived from the baseline assessment and first follow-up of the IMAGEN study, a European multicenter and multidisciplinary research project on adolescent mental health. In the present study 1004 participants were tested. The characterization of personality was conducted with the NEO-FFI at the age of 14 (T1). The data on substance use were collected with the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) questionnaire at the age of 16 (T2). For the statistical analysis, t-tests and univariate analyses of variance were performed.

Results

The scores of Conscientiousness at T1 were significantly lower for adolescents with tobacco, alcohol and cannabis experiences at T2. We found lower scores of Agreeableness at T1 in participants with tobacco and cannabis use at T2. Extraversion at T1 was significantly higher for adolescents with smoking experiences at T2. No significant associations between Neuroticism or Openness and future substance use were observed.

Conclusion

Low scores of Conscientiousness and Agreeableness seem to have the greatest value for a prediction of later experiences with substance use. As the present study is the first one to examine the predictive value of the NEO-FFI for future substance use in an adolescent sample, further studies are necessary to enable a better applicability in a clinical context.

Citation

Parchetka, C., Strache, N., Raffaelli, B., Gemmeke, I., Weiß, K., Artiges, E., Banaschewski, T., Bokde, A., Bromberg, U., Buechel, C., Conrod, P., Desrivières, S., Flor, H., Frouin, V., Garavan, H., & Gowland, P. A. (in press). Predictive utility of the NEO-FFI for later substance experiences among 16-year-old adolescents. Journal of Public Health, 24, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0747-2

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 6, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jun 25, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jan 11, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 11, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Public Health
• Print ISSN: 1741-3842
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-3850
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 24
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0747-2
• Keywords: Adolescence, Personality, Five-factor model of personality, NEO-FFI, Substance use
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/793571
• Publisher URL: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10389-016-0747-2
• Additional Information: The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0747-2
• Contract Date: Jan 11, 2017