Alcohol Misuse in College Freshmen: Effects of Impulsivity and Family HistoryAlcohol Misuse in College Freshmen: Effects of Impulsivity and Family HistoryM.K. Ginley1, C.S. Austad3, H. Tennen4, S.A. Raskin5, D.C. Glahn1,2, M.C. Stevens1,2 & G.D. Pearlson1,2

1Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center, Institute of Living at Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT, 2Dept. of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 3Dept. of Psychology, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT, 4University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington,

CT, 5Dept. of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Trinity College, Hartford, CT

HYPOTHESIS

MATERIALS AND METHODS

INTRODUCTION

REFERENCES

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS-While family history of alcoholism is widely recognized as a risk factor for the development of problematic drinking, not all studies have consistently found correlations between family history and reports of problems4.

-Research on children of problem drinkers emphasizes alcohol abuse and dependence classifications5.  -Many studies are further limited by recruitment of volunteers from samples in treatment2 or requiring participants to meet criteria for “healthy control” i.e. no Axis 1 diagnoses3. -A cluster of behaviors defined by “behavioral undercontrol”, increased psychopathology, personality differences, and increased substance use is generally associated with FH+ status4.   -Major variables to consider when comparing results across FHA research is that the operational definition of “family history positive” is not always consistent and density information is not always available1.  -Additionally, utilizing a research question that asks participants about parent’s formal diagnoses of AUD and/or treatment yields different results than inferences about diagnoses by asking if parents were “problem drinkers” 1.

-FH+ participants will drink more often, binge drink more frequently, and have higher rates of alcohol use and substance use disorders then FH- peers.

-Asking participants if parents were “problem drinkers” without asking density information will be a sensitive enough research variable to detect comparable levels of FH+ to what is generally reported in the literature.  -FH+ status will correlate positively with a higher family risk assessment.  -Symptoms of “behavioral undercontrol” and markers of antisocial personality disorder will be more prevalent in the FH+ sample.

652 college freshmen (45% male) between the ages of 18 and 24 (M: 18.28, SD: 0.64) were recruited from an ongoing NIAAA- funded BARCS study on a voluntary basis from two demographically distinct colleges in Connecticut.  Measures of cognitive testing, academic grades, genetics, alcohol and drug use assessments, and psychiatric diagnoses were obtained for all subjects. Presence of a psychiatric diagnosis did not result in study exclusions as we hoped to obtain a representative sample.  Subjects were classified as family history positive (FH+) if they reported that either biological parent had “alcohol problems”. Participants who reported “no alcohol problems” for either parent were classified as family history negative (FH-). Participant’s who reported, “don’t know” for either parent were excluded from the FH- sample.  The FH+ subset from this sample included statistically significantly more females then males. To compensate for this over representation in the sample, participants were group matched on age, sex, and ethnicity to reduce any sample bias. The research sample used for this poster consisted of 155 FH+ participants (39% male, age M: 18.32, SD: 0.80) and 438 FH- participants (37% male, age M: 18.28, SD: 0.60).

-Our sample contained comparable levels of FH+ participants to those reported in the literature (20%).  -Utilizing a new research sample, we were able to consistently replicate widely reported research findings for participants with a family history of alcoholism. -FH+ participants drank more often, binge drank more often (Fig. 3), and had higher rates of alcohol and substance use disorders then their FH- peers (Fig. 1).

-FH+ status directly correlated with an increased score on the risky family assessment questionnaire. In many ways this variable serves as a validation variable. It could be inferred that parent alcohol use was problematic to the extent that it influenced childhood family life (Fig. 2).  -In measures of “behavioral undercontrol” such as sensation seeking (Fig. 4), cognitive instability (Fig. 5), and tendencies towards behaviors symptomatic of antisocial personality disorder (Fig. 6), FH+ participants displayed more “undercontrol”.

-FH+ participants reported more anxiety disorder symptoms, more depressive episodes, and more hypomanic and manic symptoms than FH- participants (Fig. 1). 

Funded by RO1 AA016599 (BARCS Study) and RC1 AA019036 to Dr. Godfrey Pearlson.

1. Capone, C. and M.D. Wood, Density of familial alcoholism and its effects on alcohol use and problems in college students. Alcohol Clin Exp Res, 2008. 32(8): p. 1451-8.2. Harford, T.C., Family history of alcoholism in the United States: prevalence and demographic characteristics. Br J Addict, 1992. 87(6): p. 931-5.3. Meda, S.A., et al., Investigating the behavioral and self-report constructs of impulsivity domains using principal component analysis. Behav Pharmacol, 2009. 20(5-6): p. 390-9. 4. Sher, K.J., et al., Characteristics of children of alcoholics: putative risk factors, substance use and abuse, and psychopathology. J Abnorm Psychol, 1991. 100(4): p. 427-48.5. Weitzman, E.R. and H. Wechsler, Alcohol use, abuse, and related problems among children of problem drinkers: findings from a national survey of college alcohol use. J Nerv Ment Dis, 2000. 188(3): p. 148-54.

Brain and Alcohol Research in College Students (aka BARCS Study )“Mascot”

Measure Core Concept AssessedMINI Psychiatric Diagnoses/ Tendencies

BIS-11 Response Inhibition

Zuckerman’s Sensation Seeking Scale Sensation Seeking

Risky Family Assessment (Taylor) Childhood Environment Risk Factors

Antisocial Personality Assessment Endorsement of symptoms from SCID-II module

Days of alcohol consumption in last 30

Self report of days where one full alcohol based drink consumed

Days of binge drinking in last 30 Self report of days where 4 or more drinks consumed in a drinking episode by females (5 or more for males)

X

110 Participants Excluded due to Unkown FH Status

Overall BARCS Sample 1200

to date

762 Complete Data Sets at Time of Analysis

Sample Matched on group

Analysis Run FH-: 438 FH+:

155

**: p≤.01

* :p≤.05

Note: Significant difference notations utilize FH group as control

**: p≤.01

* :p≤.05

Note: Significant difference notations utilize FH group as control

Figure 1