Adolescent impulsiveness and use of alcohol and tobacco

Adolescence is characterized by premature experimentation with new experiences and sensations. These experiences sometimes include drugs, which even though legal and socially accepted, begin to have noticeable negative consequences to the adolescent’s development. In recent years, a decrease in use of tobacco by Spanish adolescents has been observed, but not in alcohol. One of the causes of initiation in drug use is impulsive personality or behavior. Thus the purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between impulsiveness and frequency of use of alcohol and tobacco in 822 students aged 13 to 18 years of age. The State Impulsivity Scale (SIS) and an ad hoc questionnaire on demographic characteristics and use of alcohol and tobacco were used for this. The results showed that students who stated they were users scored significantly higher on impulsivity. Thus detailed analysis of the profile of individuals with this risk factor could favor more adequate intervention program design.