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Abstract
Alcohol use, “alcohol abuse,” and illicit drug use were investigated in a representative sample of 1076 urban, northern Italian high school students aged 14 to 19 years in 2001. In addition to questions on substance use, the participants were asked about school achievements and perceived substance use among friends. All the students were submitted to Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS) scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (BDHI), and Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Lifetime alcohol use was found in 80.5%, “alcohol abuse” in 37.7%, cannabis use in 26.2%, ecstasy in 2.8%, heroin in 3.8%, and cocaine in 8.3% of the students: gender differences were significant for alcohol use, “alcohol abuse” and ecstasy use, with male subjects outnumbering females, but not for reported cannabis, heroin, and cocaine use. Early substance use onset among adolescents aged 14–16 years was detected. Higher sensation seeking on SSS, social coping impairment on EPQ, direct aggressiveness on BDHI, poor school achievements, and lower parental care on PBI were found associated with illicit drug use and “alcohol abuse” (multiple drugs users). Increased levels of aggressiveness and sensation seeking were evidenced both in minimal experimenters (ME) and habitual users (HU), without any significant difference, in comparison with abstinent students. Similarly, ME scored higher than abstinent subjects on EPQ for social coping impairment, but lower than HU. Parental care perception was lower in HU, but not in ME with, respect to abstinent subjects. Pearson inverse correlation was demonstrated between PBI scores and EPQ maladaptation and BDHI aggressiveness. Data from this preliminary pilot study suggest that temperamental traits and personality changes may be associated to early substance use “proneness” and reduced perception of parental care.
Resumen
El uso de alcohol, el abuso de alcohol y el uso de drogas ilícitas han sido estudiados en un grupo de estudiantes de las escuelas superiores entre los 14 y los 19 años. Además de preguntas sobre el uso de sustancias, a los participantes se ha preguntado de sus resultados escolásticos y del uso de las sustancias notado entre sus amigos. Todos los estudiantes han sido sometidos a la escala de búsqueda de sensación (Sensation Seeking Scale—SSS) de Zuckerman, al cuestionario de personalidad de Eysenck (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire—EPQ) al inventario de hostilidad de Buss-Durkee (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory—BDHI) y al instrumento de vínculos paternos (Parental Bonding Instrument—PBI). El uso del alcohol en el curso de la vida ha sido hallado en el 80.5% de los estudiantes, el abuso de alcohol en el 37.7%, el uso de cánnabis en el 26.2%, de ecstasy en el 2.8%, de heroína en el 3.8%, y de cocaína en el 8.3%; la diferencia de sexo se ha demostrado significativa por lo que se refiere al uso del alcohol, a su abuso y al ecstasy, con el resultado que los sujetos de sexo masculino han superado las mujeres, pero no así en los casos de cánnabis, heroína y cocaína. Ha sido también identificado un comienzo precoz del uso de sustancias entre los adolescentes de 14–16 años. Se ha descubierto que la búsqueda de sensaciones más fuertes según SSS, el deterioro de las relaciones sociales según EPQ, la directa agresividad según BDHI, los escasos resultados escolásticos y las minores curas paternas según PBI están asociadas al uso de drogas ilícitas y al abuso de alcohol (consumidores de multíplices drugas). Niveles aumentados de agresividad y de búsqueda de sensaciones han sido evidenciados tanto en los consumidores habituales (HU) como en los jóvenes que sólo han probado las sustancias (ME), sin ninguna significativa diferencia respecto a los estudiantes abstinentes. De la misma manera, los consumidores ocasionales (ME) han alcanzado un nivel más alto según EPQ en el deterioro de las relaciones respecto a los abstinentes, pero inferior respecto a los consumidores habituales (HU). La percepción de las curas paternas era más baja en HU, pero no en ME, en comparación a los sujetos abstinentes. La correlación inversa de Pearson ha sido demostrada entre los puntos de PBI, la mala adaptación en EPQ y la agresividad en BDHI. Si bien obtenidos en un estudio guía preliminar, nuestros datos indican que tratos de comportamientos y cambios de personalidad pueden ser asociados a la propensión al uso precoz de sustancias y a la escasa percepción de curas paternas.
Résumé
L’usage de l’alcool, l’abus de l’alcool et l’usage des drogues illicites ont été object d’etude sur 1076 etudiants des écoles supérieurs avec un âge entre les 14 et 19 ans. Outre les questions sur l’usage des drogues, on a demandé aux partecipants les résultats de l’école et l’usage des drogues des amis. Tous les étudiants ont fait la SSS (Sensation Seeking Scale) de Zuckerman, l’EPQ (Eysenk Personality Questionnaire), le BDHI (Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory), le PBI (Parental Bonding Instrument). L’usage de l’alcool a été trouvé en 80.5%, l’abuse de l’alcool en 37.7%, l’usage de cannabis en 26.2%, estasy en 2.8%, l’héroine en 3.8%, la cocaine en 8.3% des étudiants: significatives différences ont été trouvé entre les sexes à l’égard de l’usage et l’abus de l’alcool et de l’estasy avec les mâles plus nombreux des femmes, mais pas pour cannabis, héroine et cocaine. A été découvert l’usage précoce des drogues par adolescents entre les 14 et les 16 ans. Hauts valeurs de la recherche des sensations en SSS, dérangements de conduite social en EPQ, agressivité direct en BDHI rendements scolaires insuffusants et moins d’attention par les parents en PBI on été associé à l’usage des drogues illicites et l’abus de l’alcool. On a mis en évidence niveaux augmentés en l’agressivité et dans la recherche des sensations par ces qui l’utilisent sporadiquement (US) et par ces qui l’utilisent d’habitude (UH) sans acun différence significative à l’égard des étudiants abstinents. D’une manière analogue les US ont enregistré un score plus grand que les astinents à regard des dérangements de conduite social en EPQ, mais moindre que les UH. La perception des attentions par les parents en PBI est moindre en UH, mais pas en US, à l’égard des étudiants abstinents. On a démontré la correlation inverse de Pearson entre les scores del PBI, le dérangement en EPQ et l’agressivité en BDHI. Bien que on les a obtenis en un étude-pilote préliminaire, les nôtres données suggérent que les traits comportamentales et les changements dans la personalité peuvent être associés à la inclination à l’usage précoce des drogues et à la réduite perception des attentions des parents.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
G. Gerra
Gilberto Gerra, M.D., is Director of Addiction Research Center of Parma, Department of Addictive Behavior (Italian Public Health System). He is Professor at the School of Specialization of Neurology of the University of Parma. He was member of the National Scientific Committee for Health Education and Prevention of Substance Abuse of the Italian Ministry of Education from 1997 to 2001. He is collaborating with UNDCP in Vienna for prevention in school. He is also consultant of the Italian Government for Substance Abuse policy.
L. Angioni
Laura Angioni, psychologist, is temporary fellow of research at the Addiction Research Center of Parma, for graduation in psychology; she worked as a volunteer in the schools of Parma, in the field of prevention of substance abuse and health education.
A. Zaimovic
Amir Zaimovic, M.D., is fellow of research at the Addiction Research Center of Parma from 10 years; he works in the field of behavioral biology, behavioral pharmacology and neuroendocrinology of addictive behavior. He contributed to study risk and protective factors in schools and the possible psychobiological traits of heroin dependent subjects.
G. Moi
Gabriele Moi, psychologist, is fellow of research at the Addiction Research Center of Parma from 2 years; he works in the field of family therapy; he investigated family relationships and substance abuse; he is expert in the field of psychometric measures in schools and laboratory.
M. Bussandri
Monica Bussandri, psychologist, is fellow of research at the Addiction Research Center of Parma from 2 years. She works in the field prospective studies in children and adolescents; she is expert in the field of psychometric measures in schools and laboratory.
S. Bertacca
Simone Bertacca, M.D., psychiatrist, expert in pharmaco-therapy and addiction. He is working at the Drug Addiction Service of Parma in the out-patients unit and he leads a counselling service for adolescents who experiment drugs.
G. Santoro
Giovanna Santoro, Ph.D., is fellow of research at the Addiction Research Center of Parma. She works in prevention programs in the schools, leading “peer to peer” project.
S. Gardini
Simona Gardini, psychologist, is Ph.D. student in Perception and Psycho-physic at the Psychology Department of the University of Padua. She worked as fellow of research at the Addiction Research Center of Parma, about risk factors for substance abuse.
R. Caccavari
Rocco Caccavari, M.D., is Director of Drug Addiction Service of Parma; he is expert of alcoholism and substance abuse and he was referent for the new law about alcohol abuse, as member of the Italian Parliament in Rome.
M. A. Nicoli
Augusta Nicoli, Ph.D., Psychiatrist, is Ph.D. in Social Psychology. She is Professor of Community Psychology at the Department of Psychology of the University of Parma. She leads the project “Citizens, community and health services” for the Regional Health Agency.