Can Personality Account for Differences in Drinking Between College Athletes and Non-athletes? Explaining the Role of Sensation Seeking, Risk-taking, and Impulsivity

Overview

Journal J Drug Educ

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Medical Education
Psychiatry

Date 2014 May 27

PMID 24855885

Citations 12

Authors

Nadine R Mastroleo

Nichole Scaglione

Kimberly A Mallett

Rob Turrisi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Collegiate athletes are an at-risk population for high risk drinking and related consequences when compared to the general college student population. However, little is known about how aspects of an individual's personality contribute to this relationship, making intervention efforts challenging. The current study examined sensation seeking, risk-taking, and impulsivity as methods of explaining the relationship between athlete and non-athlete drinking behaviors. Findings suggested athletes drank significantly more than non-athletes and this relationship seemed to function through sensation seeking and risk-taking. The role these characteristics play as risk or protective factors for high risk drinking and implications for interventions prioritizing athletes are discussed.

Citing Articles

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Huang J, Li F, Hsu C Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2025; 24(4):100504.

PMID: 39823097 PMC: 11736006. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100504.

Two Sides of the Same Coin: Sensation Seeking Fosters Both Resiliency and Tobacco and Alcohol Use Among 16-Year-Olds.

Jochimek M, Lipowski M, Lipowska M, Lada-Masko A Int J Public Health. 2023; 68:1604777.

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Family History and Alcohol Use Outcomes: Examining Transmission of Risk through Impulsivity and the Moderating Role of Organized Sports Participation.

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Collaborative Mental Health Care in Collegiate Athletics: Behavioral Health Providers' Perceived Role of the Athletic Trainer.

Drescher M, Mills G, Winkelmann Z, Games K J Athl Train. 2023; 58(10):855-864.

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The Relationship between Nightmare Experience and Athletes' Personality Traits and Anxiety.

Gan Y, Wang R, Li J, Wang X, Fan H Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(19).

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