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Risk Factors for Addiction - Coggle Diagram
Risk Factors for Addiction
Genetic vulnerability:
Possible genetic mechanisms:
Dopamine - low levels of D2 receptors linked to addiction (dopamine linked to reward and pleasure)
Metabolism - Non smokers more likely than smokers to carry an allele of the CYP2A6 gene, which causes them to feel nausea and dizziness from smoking
Research supporting genetic vulnerability:
Kendler et al (2012)
- Adoptees with addicted bio parents greater risk of becoming addicted (8.6%) compared with non addicted parents (4.2%)
W - Ethnocentric
W - Small sample
W - Low figures
Kendler & Prescot (1998)
- Concordance rates - Cocaine use: MZ = 42%, DZ = 42%, Cocaine dependence: MZ = 35%, DZ = 0%
W - Big difference in numbers
Addiction isn't inherited, but a predisposition/vulnerability is
Gene-environment interaction is at play
Addiction often runs in families - it has an inherited component
Stress:
Traumatic experiences early in life may disrupt sensitive brain development creating vulnerability to addiction later on eg. abuse, poverty, losing a parent
Also periods of chronic stress increase risk eg. losing a job, poverty, going to prison, caring responsibilities
Evaluation:
Anderson & Teichner (2008)
- Supports
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) linked to addiction
"Highly stressful, and potentially traumatic events or situations that occur during childhood or adolescence"
Tavolacci et al (2013)
- Supports
High stress in university students linked to smoking, alcohol abuse and risk of cyber addiction
However - lacks population validity, generalisability and causation does not equal correlation
Personality:
Personality predisposes certain individuals to vulnerability
Personality traits:
Neuroticism - moody, irritable and anxious
Psychoticism - aggression, hostility and vulnerability to psychosis
Extraversion - sociable, lively and optimistic
An addictive personality is not supported by research
Strong correlation between addiction and antisocial personality disorder
Evaluation:
Little support for a link between extraversion and drug dependence
Wan-Sen Yan et al (2013)
- Support
High levels of neuroticism, psychoticism and low levels of extraversion were linked to internet addiction
Ivanov et al (2008)
- Support
Reviewed research, many studies support the link between impulsivity and addiction
Family influences:
Perceived parental approval - positive attitudes towards a drug or behaviour is the most reliable family influence
Evaluation:
Livingston et al (2010)
Final year students (school) who were allowed to drink alcohol at home were significantly more likely to drink excessively at college the following year
Adolescents who perceive their parents have little or no interest in monitoring them are significantly more likely to develop and addiction
Exposure (Bandura - SLT - role models, vicarious reinforcement)
Peers:
Individual at risk is influenced by associating with peers who drink
More opportunities
Individual over-estimates how much their peers drink
Evaluation of all risk factors:
All factors interact
Always highlight how the factors can interact eg. could be more attracted to peers who drink because of family influeneces
Some risk factors can be protective
eg. perceived parental disapproval
eg. protective allele for smoking
eg. extraversion
Cause vs effect
Research into risk factors is usually correlational - many other factors involved (eg. poverty, lifestyle)
Reductionist
Ultimate vs proximate causes
Some proximate factors for addiction (eg. personality) may be better described as ultimate factors (eg. genes)
Genetic vulnerability is crucial
Real life applications
Understanding the risk factors is crucial for prevention and treatment eg.
Tobler et al (2000)
- peer pressure resistance training programme
Much cheaper to prevent addiction rather than treat it
Crime, productivity, prison, unemployment
Methodological issues
Lots of research into risk factors is retrospective
Recall distorted or wrong
Role of risk factors exaggerated or underplayed
No objective record - validity