Abstract

Research Article

Predictive Psychological Factors of Problematic Alcohol use in University Students

Hatice Demirbas*

Published: 30 December, 2017 | Volume 1 - Issue 1 | Pages: 007-015

The objective of this study is to determine prevalence of alcohol-substance use among university students, and to investigate the correlation between the childhood abuse, suicide probability and anger expression styles in students who have drinking problems. A survey was carried out among randomly selected students from the Faculty of Education in Baskent University in Turkey. Study sample consists of 399 university students. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Trait Anger and Anger Expressions Scales (T-Anger-Anger EX), and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) were used. The CAGE questionnaire was applied to identify the problems of alcohol use. Probable presence of an alcohol use disorder is indicated by a score of 1+, whereas a score of 2+ was taken as the cut-off point for assessing presence of clinically significant alcohol use problems. Data were analyzed using with t test and multiple binary logistic regression. Of the whole sample 36.9% reported that they had ever tried drinking alcohol. The overall prevalence of alcohol use problems according to CAGE 1+ was 14.4% and CAGE 2+ was 7.3%. Sexual abuse and Anger-In were predictors of CAGE 1+, suicide probability was predictor of CAGE2+. Childhood trauma experiences especially, sexual abuse, suicide probability, trait anger, the anger expressed inside and outside were main factors to identify alcohol use problems. Professionals and parents must pay attention to childhood traumatic experiences, suicide and anger expression styles in youths with alcohol use problems.

Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.jatr.1001002 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF

Keywords:

Alcohol use; Childhood Trauma; Neglect; Suicide; Trait anger; Anger expression style

References

  1. Koposov RA, Ruchkin VV, Eisemann M, Sidorov PI. Alcohol use in adolescents from Northern Russia: the role of the social context. Alcohol & Alcoholism. 2002; 37: 297-303. Ref.: https://goo.gl/x2sx7h
  2. Demirbas H. Substance and alcohol use in young adulthood in Turkey as indicated by CAGE questionnaire and drinking frequency. Arch Neuropsychiatr. 2015; 52: 29-35. Ref.: https://goo.gl/EvdWSD
  3. Palmer RHC, Young SE, Hopfer CJ, Corley RP, Stallings MC, et al. Developmental epidemiology of drug use and abuse in adolescence and young adulthood: evidence of generalized risk. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009; 102: 78-87. Ref.: https://goo.gl/hZYqdO
  4. Akvardar Y, Demiral Y, Ergor G, Ergor A. Substance use among medical students and physicians in a medical school in Turkey. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2004; 39: 502-506. Ref.: https://goo.gl/NJ57zu
  5. Altındag A, Yanik M, Yengil E, Karazeybek AH. Substance use among university students in Sanliurfa. Journal of Dependence. 2005; 6: 60-64.
  6. Özgur-İlhan I, Yıldırım F, Demirbas H, Doğan YB. Substance use prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of substance use in a university student sample in Turkey. Int J Public Health. 2009; 54: 40-44. Ref.: https://goo.gl/RbxhkO
  7. Özgur-İlhan I, Yıldırım F, Demirbas H, Doğan YB. Alcohol use prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of alcohol use in a university student sample in Turkey. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2008; 43: 575-583. Ref.: https://goo.gl/8I4y4M
  8. Dube SR, Anda AF, Felitti VJ, Chapman DP, Williamson DF. Childhood abuse, household dysfunction and the risk of attempted suicide throughout the life span. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2010; 286: 3089-3096. Ref.: https://goo.gl/BLB2gz
  9. Öztürk OM, Uluşahin A. Ruh Sağlığı ve Bozuklukları. Yenilenmiş 11. Baskı. Ankara:Tuna Matbaacılık San. ve Tic. A.Ş. 2008; 496-504.
  10. Osvath P, Vörös V, Fekete S. Life Events and Psychopathology in a Group of Suicide Attempters. Psychopathology. 2004; 37: 36-40. Ref.: https://goo.gl/YHdJKG
  11. Marx BP, Sloan DM. The effects of trauma history, gender, and race on alcohol use and posttraumatic stress symptoms in a college student sample. Addictive Behaviors. 2003; 28: 1631-1647. Ref.: https://goo.gl/jZPYmp
  12. Wilcox HC, Arria AM, Calderia KM, Vincent KB, Pinchevsky GM, et al. Prevalence and predictors of persistent suicide ideation, plans, and attempts during college. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2010; 127, 287-294. Ref.: https://goo.gl/bdW6kV
  13. Bostancı N, Albayrak B, Bakoğlu İ, Çoban Ş. Üniversite öğrencilerinde çocukluk çağı travmalarının depresif belirtileri üzerine etkisi. Yeni Sempozyum. 2006; 44: 100-106.
  14. Evren C, Kural S, Çakmak D. Clinical correlates of childhood abuse and neglect in substance dependents. Addictive Behaviors, 2006; 31: 475-485. Ref.: https://goo.gl/PVjiMV
  15. Mırsal H, Pektaş Ö, Kalyoncu A, Tan D, Bilge Ö, et al. İntihar girişiminde bulunan alkol bağımlılarında çocukluk çağı olumsuz yaşantıları. 40. Ulusal Psikiyatri Kongresi. Kongre Bildirileri Özet Kitabı, İzmir. 2004.
  16. Saleptsi E, Bichescu D, Rockstroh B, Neuner F, Schauer M, et al. Negative and positive childhood experiences across developmental periods in psychiatric patients with different diagnosis-an explorative study. BMC Psychiatry, 2004; 4: 1-14. Ref.: https://goo.gl/BLeXK4
  17. Allen B, Lauterbach D. Personality characteristics of adult survivors of childhood trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2007; 20: 587-595. Ref.: https://goo.gl/TNFjSj
  18. Kural S, Evren C, Çakmak D. Personality disorder comorbidity among substance dependents and its relationship with other axis I disorders and childhood abuse and neglect history. Journal of Dependence. 2005; 6: 9-18.
  19. Breslau N, Peterson EL, Schultz LR. A second look at prior trauma and the posttraumatic stres disorder effects of subsequent trauma. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2008; 65: 431-437. Ref.: https://goo.gl/zVtgXn
  20. Brodsky BS, Oquendo M, Ellis SP, Haas GL, Malone KM, et al. The relationship of childhood abuse to impulsivity and suicidal behavior in adults with major depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2001; 158: 1871-1877. Ref.: https://goo.gl/QIwbnN
  21. Brems C, Johnson ME, Neal D, Freeman M. Childhood abuse history and substance use among men and women receiving detoxification services. American J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2004; 30: 799-821. Ref.: https://goo.gl/Jy6IVR
  22. Molnar BE, Buka SL, Kessler RC. Child sexual abuse and subsequent psychopathology: results from the national comorbidity survey. American Journal of Public Health, 2001; 91: 753-760. Ref.: https://goo.gl/ILR0nN
  23. Roy A. Relationship of childhood trauma to age of first suicide attempt and number of attempts in substance dependent patients. Acta Psychiatrica Scandanivica. 2004; 109: 121-125. Ref.: https://goo.gl/Q0e9L1
  24. Milgram GG. Adolescents, alcohol and aggression. Journal of Studies on Alcohol Supplement, 1993; 11: 53-61. Ref.: https://goo.gl/kiimzi
  25. Weiner MD, Pentz MA, Turner GE, Dwyer JH. From early to late adolescence. Alcohol use and anger relationships. Journal of Adolescence Health. 2001; 28: 450-457. Ref.: https://goo.gl/uxdelC
  26. Ewing JA. Detecting alcoholism. The CAGE Questionnaire. JAMA. 1984; 252: 1905-1907. Ref.: https://goo.gl/uBOKOD
  27. Gul S, Akvardar Y, Tas G, Tuncel P. The Diagnostic Validity of Screening Tests and Laboratory Markers in Alcohol Use Disorders. Turk Psikiyatri Dergisi. 2004; 16: 3-12. Ref.: https://goo.gl/TI7Sq6
  28. Bernstein DP, Fink L, Handelsman L, Foote J, Lovejoy M, et al. Initial reliability and validity of a new retrospective measure of child abuse and neglect. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1994; 151: 1132-1136. Ref.: https://goo.gl/e1D4db
  29. Aslan SH, Alparslan ZN. Initial validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the childhood trauma questionnaire. Annals of Medical Sciences. 2000; 9: 113-119.
  30. Spielberger CD. Manual for The State-Trait Anger Expression Scale (STAXI). Odessa, FL:Psychological Assessment Resources. 1988.
  31. Özer AK. Pilot study of Trait-Anger and Anger Expression Styles Inventories. Turk Psikoloji Dergisi. 1994; 9: 26-35.
  32. Cull JG, Gill WS. Suicide Probability Scale Manual. Los Angeles, Western Psychological Services. 1990.
  33. Tugcu H. Suicide probability in normal and depressive people. Unpublished doctora thesis, Hacettepe University, Ankara. 1996.
  34. Dantzer C, Wardle J, Fuller R, Pampalone SZ, Stepto A. International study of heavy drinking students. J Am Coll Health. 2006; 5: 83-89. Ref.: https://goo.gl/DdgLWu
  35. Isralowitz RE, Peleg A. Israeli college student alcohol use: the association of background characteristics and regular drinking patterns. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 1996; 42: 147-153. Ref.: https://goo.gl/1OYOsF
  36. Passos SRI, Americano do Brasil PEA, Porges dos Santos MA, Costa de Aquino MT. Prevalence of psychoactive drug use among medical students in Rio de Janerio. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2006; 41: 989-996. Ref.: https://goo.gl/vhdCTH
  37. Ögel K, Tamar D, Özmen E, Evren C, Çakmak D. Prevalence of alcohol use in Istanbul. Journal of Psychiatry, Psychology and Psychopharmacology. 2003; 11: 123-127. Ref.: https://goo.gl/ZjEu6J
  38. Akfert SK, Çakıcı E, Çakıcı M. Cigarette and alcohol use among university students and its relationship with family problems. Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry. 2009; 10: 40-47.
  39. Babacan-Gümüş A. Cigarette and Alcohol Use Among University Students: An Evaluation in Terms of Depressive Symptoms and Hopelessness. Journal of Dependence. 2015; 16: 9-17. Ref.: https://goo.gl/f9b9c6
  40. Avcı E, İlhan MN, Civil EF, Özdemirkan T, Bumin MA. Prevalence of the tobacco alcohol and products use of a faculty of medicine students and risk factors. Journal of Dependence. 2014; 15: 48-55. Ref.: https://goo.gl/fw52oU
  41. Hunter SB, Miles JNV, Pedersen E R, Ewing BA, D'Amico EJ. Temporal associations between substance use and delinquency among youth with a first time offense. Addictive Behaviors. 2014; 39: 1081-1086. Ref.: https://goo.gl/gUhqjL
  42. Ballon BC, Courbasson CM, Smith PD. Physical and sexual abuse issues among youths with substance use problems. Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2001; 46: 617-21. Ref.: https://goo.gl/bZnyc8
  43. Rodriquez-Srednicki O. Childhood sexual abuse, dissociation, and adult self-destructive behaviour. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. 2002; 10: 75-89. Ref.: https://goo.gl/fNuj7y
  44. Zlotnick C, Johnson DM, Stout RL, Zywiak WH, Johnson JE, et al. Childhood abuse and intake severity in alcohol disorder patients. Journal of Traumatic Stress. 2006; 19: 949-959. Ref.: https://goo.gl/KgYN2U
  45. Langeland W, Draijer N, van den Brink W. Psychiatric comorbidity in treatment-seeking alcoholics: the role of childhood trauma and perceived parental dysfunction. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 2004; 28: 441-447. Ref.: https://goo.gl/AHHUvA
  46. Najavits LM, Weiss RJ, Shaw SR. The link between substance abuse and posttraumatic stres disorder in women. A research review. American Journal of Addiction. 1997; 6: 273-2283. Ref.: https://goo.gl/NadZuD
  47. Aydın O, İşmen AE. Investigation of childhood abuse experiences between 18-25 years old males. M.Ü. Atatürk Eğitim Fakültesi Eğitim Bilimleri Dergisi. 2003; 18: 7-20.
  48. van der Kolk BA, Hostetler A, Herron N, Fisler RE. Trauma and the development of ZDFSVVVXVline personality disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 1994; 17: 715-730. Ref.: https://goo.gl/GwkKuO
  49. van der Kolk BA, Perry JC, Herman JL. Childhood origins of self-destructive behavior. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1991; 148: 1665-1671. Ref.: https://goo.gl/oMFkca
  50. Brown GR, Anderson B. Psychiatric morbidity in adult inpatients with childhood histories of sexual and physical abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1991; 148: 55-61. Ref.: https://goo.gl/GWkHNk
  51. Krarup G, Nielsen B, Rask P, Petersen P. Childhood experiences and repeated suicidal behavior. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 1991; 83: 16-19. Ref.: https://goo.gl/Sg4nju
  52. Asgeirsdottir BB, Sigfusdottir ID, Gudjonsson GH, Sigurdsson JF. Associations between sexual abuse and family conflict/violence, self-injurious behavior, and substance use: The mediating role of depressed mood and anger. Child Abuse & Neglect. 2011; 35: 210-219. Ref.: https://goo.gl/cOJrdH
  53. Demirbas H, Gursel C. Examination of anger and suicidal behaviors among university students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2012; 47: 2093-2098. Ref.: https://goo.gl/KFmA3z
  54. Demirbas H, Ozgur-Ilhan I, Dogan YB. Assessment of the mode of anger expression in alcohol dependent male inpatients. Alcohol and Alcoholism. 2011; 46: 542-546. Ref.: https://goo.gl/w2WPiq
  55. Sadeh N, McNiel DE. Facets of anger, childhood sexual victimization, and gender as predictors of suicide attempts by psychiatric patients after hospital discharge. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2013; 122: 879-90. Ref.: https://goo.gl/qPdQfC
  56. Nichols TR, Mahadeo M, Bryant K, Botvin GJ. Examining anger as a predictor of drug use among multiethnic middle school students. Journal of School Health. 2008; 78: 480-486. Ref.: https://goo.gl/XN7TLV
  57. Chen J, Dunne MP, Han P. Child sexual abuse in China: a study of adolescents in four provinces. Child Abuse and Neglect. 2004; 28: 1171-1186. Ref.: https://goo.gl/Y2QqiO
  58. Sun YP, Zhang B, Dong ZJ, Yi MJ, Sun DF, Shi SS. Psychiatric state of college students with a history of childhood sexual abuse. World Journal of Pediatry. 2008; 4: 289-294. Ref.: https://goo.gl/g9pZPe
  59. Armeli S, Todd M, Conner TS, Tennen H. Drinking to cope with negative moods and the immediacy of drinking within the weekly cycle among college students. Journal of Studies Alcohol and Drugs. 2008; 69: 313-322. Ref.: https://goo.gl/u2lI98
  60. Olatunji BO, Lohr JM. Nonspecific factors and the efficacy of psychosocial treatments for anger. SRMHP. 2005; 3: 1-26. Ref.: https://goo.gl/z90j30

Similar Articles

Recently Viewed

Read More

Most Viewed

Read More

Help ?