Prospective and reciprocal effects of alcohol use and impulsivity among adolescents in Argentina.

RIVAROLA-MONTEJANO, GABRIELA; BRAVO, ADRIAN J.; PILATTI, ANGELINA; PAUTASSI, RICARDO M.

Congreso; 2022 Virtual Meeting of the Latinamerican Society of Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (LASBRA).; 2022

Alcohol use and impulsivity exhibit a complex relationship. Alcohol use can promote impulsivebehavior, yet those with higher impulsive traits are more likely to engage in alcohol use, especiallyhazardous alcohol use. This longitudinal study examined the bidirectional relationship betweenalcohol use and impulsivity in Argentinean adolescents. High school students (N=793,M=12.45±0.93; 55% women) reported last-year frequency of alcohol use and completed theImpulsivity UPPS-P Scale (5 dimensions: Positive [POS URG] and Negative Urgency [NEGURG], Sensation Seeking [SENS], Lack of Premeditation [PREM] and Lack of Perseverance[PERS]). Data collection occurred in 3 time points (T1-T3), each wave 1 year apart. We conductedCross-Lagged Panel Model analyses to examine reciprocal changes in alcohol use andimpulsivity over time. We found that higher levels of (lack of) PERS predicted higher frequency ofalcohol use at both timepoints (T2 and T3). Adolescents with higher levels of NEG URG and (lackof) PREM at T1 exhibited higher frequency of alcohol use at T2, whereas those with higher levelsof POS URG and SENS at T2 showed higher alcohol use at T3. On the other hand, adolescentswith higher frequency of alcohol use showed higher levels of NEG URG at T2 and T3 and higherlevels of SENS at T2. Altogether, these results provide evidence that an impulsive personalitycan be a predictor of increases in alcohol use a year later, and that alcohol use can also predictlater increases in impulsive personality. These findings can be useful for treatment andintervention efforts