Binge drinking and use of marijuana is common within college students, and combined use of the two substances is of particular concern. It is important to understand risk factors of substance use to properly address these public health concerns. A recent study looked at known risk factors for binging behaviors: impulsivity and sensation seeking. This study looked at these specific personality traits and their relationship to binging behaviors, combined substance use, and negative consequences of alcohol use.

In this study, over 200 college students were sorted into 4 groups based on their self-reported patterns of binging and marijuana use. Non-overlapping measures of impulsivity and sensation seeking were identified in each group and were analyzed to find connections between each personality measure and substance use patterns and consequences.

The results showed that those who exhibited extreme binging behaviors were more likely to exemplify impulsivity and sensation seeking compared to both controls and those who exhibited standard binging behavior. These personality traits, along with disinhibition, were also associated with substance use and negative alcohol related consequences.

Take Away: College students who have personality traits of sensation seeking, disinhibition, and impulsivity are more likely to use substances and experience negative consequences from doing so.

O’Leary, D.S., Langbehn, D.R., Kramer, J.R., Kuperman, S., Fuhrmeister, L.A. et al. (2019). Personality traits and negative consequences associated with binge drinking and marijuana use in college students. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2019.161200