Risk Factors - created from Mind Map

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STRESS

engage in addictive behaviours as means of coping with everyday stress.

contribute to initiation, maintenance as well as relapse as stress due to abstinence & withdrawal may lead them to start again

some may not get addicted or engage in behaviours as personality type means they can cope better with stress

may be just those that are more easily stressed that are more vulnerable to addiction

stress may be from the dependency itself

smoking actually increases stress levels. Stress may be a risk factor but the addiction doesn't give the desired effect. but once taken up, it may reduce stress that arises from the desire to have another cigarette.

traumatic stress increases vulnerability

30% drug addicts & 15% alcoholics had post traumatic stress

AGE

social crowd plays more important role in adolescence & close friends/ romantic partners more important in adulthood.

positive correlation between early onset & reduced probability of abstaining and more likely to relapse when trying to quit.

PEERS

increased levels of smoking linked to peer encouragement & approval & message that it promotes popularity

social learning : behaviour learned through observation of others. likely to imitate those in most social contact with.

research supports claim that exposure to peer models increases likelihood of taking up smoking. also support for claim that perceived rewards like social status are instrumental in why teens begin to smoke & why they continue.

social identity: group members adopt the norms central to the group. also form of conforming to gain acceptance & status & avoid rejection.

little known about extent to which social groups influence their members to smoke. May be impervious to such demands if they conflict with their own.

social selection rather than influence? those already dependent may look to join groups also dependent

study found peer group drinking predicted individual drinking but individual drinking also predicted peer group drinking, suggesting social selection is a stronger influence than social influence.

PERSONALITY

extraverts are chronically unaroused, bored and seek external stimulation to increase cortical arousal.

evidence from rats that supports claim that personality comes first. The sensation seeking group self administered large doses of cocaine. Ones with high impulsiveness took smaller doses but were the ones to get addicted.

people high in neuroticism experience negative affect & use behaviours to alleviate this.

psychoticism leads to reacting with little forethought.

link found between addiction & high scores on neuroticism & psychoticism

Cloniger personality traits that predispose individuals to substance abuse

novelty seeking (engaging in new experiences)

harm avoidance (worrying & being pessimistic)

reward dependence (repeating behaviours that are rewarding)

explains why some become addicted & others don't

research only correlational, traits can be common amongst addicts but don't predict addiction.

study found the problematic mobile phone users tended to be low in self esteem & high in self monitoring, supporting the view that people who become addicted share certain personality characteristics

study indicated addictions may be more rewarding to some people with certain personality like impulsiveness & sensation seeking due to hypersensitive dopamine response system. heightened response to anticipated reward makes individuals less fearful of consequences of their behaviour.

smokers scored high in extroversion, impulsiveness, neuroticism & sensation seeking. But while personality can be a direct causal factor it can also mediate other causal factors. But study found smokers can be low academic achievers, high risk takers & have low self esteem while others were popular, high in self esteem & leaders of academic & social activities illustrating that smoking can have different explanations & be performed for wide range of reasons like social acceptance or stress release.

Risk Factors