Risk factors

• a risk factor is anything internal or external that increases the likelihood of an individual starting to use drugs or engage in addictive behaviour.
• Genetic vulnerability

  > It is a possibility that we may inherit a predisposition/vulnerability that increases the risk of this disorder (addiction). Genetic vulnerability can explain why some individuals become dependent and others do not

  > Genetic Vulnerability is explained as an interaction between genes and environmental factors as individual will not become addicted unless they are exposed to the substance or an opportunity.
• Genetic vulnerability 2

  > D2 receptor -

  Receptors communicate with neurotransmitters

  D2 receptor is responsible for communicating with dopamine. The number of D2 receptors an individual has is determined by genetics

  > Metabolism -

  If individuals are able to metabolise certain addictive substances a lot faster, making it easier for them to become addicted. Rate of metabolism is inherited through genes.
• Genetic vulnerability AO3

  :( correlational research, cause and effect cannot be established

  :) RTS Kendler et al, National Swedish Adoption Study
• Stress

  > People who experience stress may turn to addictive substances or behaviours as a form of self-medication for stress.

  > Periods of chronic, long lasting stress and traumatic life events in childhood have been linked with increased risk of developing an addiction

  > Anderson and Teicher
• Personality

  > no such thing as an addictive personality

  > anti-social personality disorder leads to a high vulnerability to addiction

  > Clodinger proposed 3 innate dimensions associated with addiction- drug and alcohol

  1. Novelty seeking
  2. Inhibited harm avoidance
  3. Increased reward dependency
• Family Influences

  > Perceived parental approval - if parents show positive attitudes then more likely to form addiction - Livingstone - alcohol

  > Parents have little interest in monitoring - more likely to get away with something

  > Social learning theory - observe and imitate
• Peers

  > Psychologists may argue that peers act as a gateway to addictive behaviour

  > O’Connell et al

  1. attitudes and norms to drinking alcohol
  2. opportunities to drink alcohol
  3. individuals perception
• Genetic vulnerability AO3

  :( Correlational relationship

  > Cause and effect cannot be established

  > Research has shown a link between risk factors such as genetics and addiction, but it often does not show which came first

  > Addiction may cause abnormalities in D2 receptors

  > The research lacks internal validity as it does not allow us to conclude that genetic factors do make someone more at risk of addiction.
• Genetic vulnerability AO3

  :) RTS Kendler

  > Data from the National Swedish Adoption Study

  > They looked at adults who had been adopted as children, from biological families in which at least one person had an addiction

  > These children later had a significantly greater risk of developing an addiction themselves, compared to adopted individuals with no addicted parent in their biological families

  > This gives validity to genetic vulnerability as a risk factor in addiction.
• Stress AO3

  :( Correlational research

  > Cause and effect cannot be established

  > For example, it could be that addiction causes an individual to become stressed (through loss of money, lack of sleep, effects on their job) rather than stress (actual or perceived ability to cope) causing addiction

  > Therefore, the research lacks internal validity as it does not allow us to conclude that STRESS does make someone more at risk of addiction
• Personality AO3

  :) RTS Schneider

  > found that novelty seeking was the trait most associated with increased involvement with alcohol, cannabis and cocaine

  > Further, research has demonstrated a positive correlation between novelty seeking and relapse rates for several drugs of abuse among addicts. 

  > This gives validity to the theory that high novelty seeking personality does increase vulnerability to addiction, in particular substance addictions.
• Family influences AO3

  :) RTS Madras

  > She studied families, with adolescents, where the parents used cannabis

  > She found a strong positive correlation between the parent’s use of cannabis and the adolescents use of cannabis, nicotine, alcohol and opioids. This may show that the adolescents perceived that the parents were accepting of drug use so went on to use drugs themselves

  > Therefore, this supports family influences as a risk factor for addiction.