39th Annual Student Research Conference
Neuroticism, Socioeconomic Status, and Perceived Childhood Maltreatment Correlations with Alcohol and Substance Abuse.
Alaina D. Edmondson*, Caladan D. Parker, and Karlie A. Hoselton
Dr. Jeffrey R. Vittengl, Faculty Mentor
Background: Childhood maltreatment, neuroticism, and lower socioeconomic status predict alcohol and substance problems, but these predictors overlap empirically. Our study controlled for overlap and estimated the predictors’ unique relations to development of alcohol and substance problems.
Method: Midlife adults (N=3672) completed trait neuroticism, childhood maltreatment (physical and emotional abuse), socioeconomic status (income and education), and alcohol and substance abuse measures. Alcohol and substance abuse were measured again nine years later.
Results: Childhood maltreatment, trait neuroticism, and lower socioeconomic status were interrelated. In multiple regression models, greater maltreatment and socioeconomic status (but not neuroticism) predicted longitudinal increases in alcohol problems. Only greater neuroticism uniquely predicted increases in substance use problems.
Conclusions: Childhood maltreatment and higher socioeconomic status appear to be relatively unique risk factors for development of alcohol problems among adults. However, childhood maltreatment and socioeconomic status’s prediction of substance problems may be subsumed by trait neuroticism.
Keywords: Childhood Maltreatment, Neuroticism, Socioeconomic status, Substance Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Multiple Regression, Bivariate Correlations, Problem Development
Topic(s):Psychology
Statistics
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA