Impulsivity and Its Relationship to Risky Sexual Behaviors and Drug Abuse

Abstract

We examined a mediational model of the interrelationship of drug use, sexual risk, and impulsivity in a sample of young adults (N = 89), of which almost half displayed highly disruptive behaviors as children. We chose a mediational model given the emerging evidence that impulsivity is an underlying risk factor for many youth health risk problems, including sexual risk behaviors. The findings supported a partial mediational model in that the three target variables were significantly related to one another, yet the association of drug use and sexual risk was significantly reduced (although not to zero) when controlled by impulsivity. The findings support the view that the association of drug use and sexual risk behaviors is partially mediated by impulsivity, as well as the broader theory that youths with deficits in self-regulatory behavioral systems confer a greater likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors. Study implications and limitations are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• adolescent sexual risk
• drug abuse
• impulsivity

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Paul Young and Elizabeth Rahdert, PhD, NOVA Research Company, for their assistance with this project.

This study was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse grants DA12995, DA14717, and K02 DA15347.

Notes

^a Group based on absence of elevated scores on the teacher and parent Conners' Hyperactivity Index (Goyette, Conners, & Ulrich, 1978).

^b Group based on elevated scores on the teacher and parent Conners’ Hyperactivity Index (Goyette et al., 1978). Based on the Revised Parent Version of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents (DICA-R; Reich, Shayla, & Taibelson, 1992), the diagnostic breakdown of the Disruptive group is as follows: ADHD only, N = 10; ADHD with CD or ODD, N = 17; and only CD/ODD, N = 2.

Note: SUD symptom count refers to an aggregate count of symptoms for no more than three psychoactive substances.

*p < .001.

*p < .01, **p < .001.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ken C. Winters

Ken Winters, PhD, are affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Andria M. Botzet

Andria Botzet, MA, are affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Tamara Fahnhorst

Tamara Fahnhorst, MPH, are affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Lindsey Baumel

Lindsey Baumel, BA, is affiliated with the School of Education, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Susanne Lee

Susanne Lee, PhD, are affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.