The Role of Abnormal Personality Dimensions in Prediction of Tendency to Substance Use in Tehran University Students in 2016: the Mediating Role Of Impulsivity

Substance abuse is a serious global problem that is affected by multiple psychosocial factors, and some personality traits and impulsivity play a central role in its occurrence. The aim of this study was to predict tendency to drug use according to abnormal personality dimensions and the mediating role of impulsivity. In a cross-sectional descriptive study, 303 college students in Tehran University were selected by available sampling in 2016 academic year. Data was obtained by Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5), Iranian Addiction Potential Scale (IAPS), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS). Data was then analyzed using structural equation modeling by AMOS-20 Software. Moreover, descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS-22 Software. Findings: The results showed that there is a significant correlation between abnormal personality dimensions and impulsivity with tendency to substance use in students (p<0.01). Also, the abnormal personality dimensions and impulsivity could favorably predict the tendency to drug use in students. The proposed model is suitable (χ²/df = 2.30, AGFI=0.91, GFI=0.95, CFI=0.96, RMSEA=0.06), and the results also supported the mediating role of impulsivity in the relationship between abnormal personality dimensions and tendency to drug use. The tendency to drug use affects impulsivity directly and indirectly via reinforced abnormal personality dimensions. In preventing the vulnerability to addiction, intervention in impulsive and unhealthy personality traits of student groups could be of great benefit.