Abstract
Background: Illicit substances increase risk of morbidity and mortality and have significant consequences for society. Personality traits are associated with drug use; we test whether these associations vary by socioeconomic status.
Method: Participants (N=412) from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study completed the Revised NEO Personality Inventory and self-reported use of opiates and cocaine. 50% of participants were living below 125% of the federal poverty line. Mean-level personality differences across never, former, and current opiate/cocaine users were compared. Logistic regressions compared never versus current users and interactions between personality traits and poverty status tested whether these associations varied by socioeconomic status.
Results: High Neuroticism and low Agreeableness increased risk of drug use. The association between low Conscientiousness and drug use was moderated by poverty, such that low Conscientiousness was a stronger risk factor for illicit substance use among those with relatively higher SES. For every standard deviation decrease in Conscientiousness, there was a greater than 2-fold increase in risk of illicit substance use (OR=2.15, 95% CI=1.45-3.17). Conscientiousness was unrelated to drug use among participants living below 125% of the federal poverty line.
Conclusions: Under favorable economic conditions, the tendency to be organized, disciplined, and deliberate is protective against drug use. These tendencies, however, matter less when financial resources are scarce. In contrast, those prone to emotional distress and antagonism are at greater risk for current drug use, regardless of their economic situation.
Keywords: Cocaine; Conscientiousness; Heroin; Personality traits; Poverty; Substance use.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of Interest: All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Figures
Figure 1 Percentage of drug users scoring high and low in Conscientiousness by poverty status.
See this image and copyright information in PMC
References
1. 1. Aiken LS, West SG. Multiple Regression: Testing and Interpreting Interactions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 1991. 2. 1. Anderson KG, Tapert SF, Moadab I, Crowley TJ, Brown SA. Personality risk profile for conduct disorder and substance use disorders in youth. Addict. Behav. 2007;32:2377–2382. – PubMed 3. 1. Boardman JD. Stress and physical health: the role of neighborhoods as mediating and moderating mechanisms. Soc. Sci. Med. 2004;58:2473–2483. – PubMed 4. 1. Boardman JD, Finch BK, Ellison CG, Williams DR, Jackson JS. Neighborhood disadvantage, stress, and drug use among adults. J. Health Soc. Behav. 2001;42:151–165. – PubMed 5. 1. Bogg T, Roberts BW. Conscientiousness and health-related behaviors: a meta-analysis of the leading behavioral contributors to mortality. Psychol. Bull. 2004;130:887–919. – PubMed
