Carnegie Mellon University
Browse
ahalbers_psychology_2019.pdf (377.4 kB)

Predicting Smoking and Nicotine Dependence from the DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality

Download (377.4 kB)
thesis
posted on 2019-08-08, 18:32 authored by Alexandra L. Halberstadt
Individuals with personality disorders (PDs) have higher morbidity and mortality than the
general population, and this may be due to maladaptive health behaviors such as smoking.
Individual differences in underlying personality dimensions of behavioral undercontrol, affective
dysregulation, psychoticism, and antagonism are thought to explain the high comorbidity between
PDs and smoking and nicotine dependence. However, little is known about how the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Ed.; DSM-5) Section III trait model of personality
pathology relates to smoking and nicotine dependence. The current study examined this question
in a sample of 500 participants using the Levels of Personality Functioning Scale to assess general
personality dysfunction, the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 to measure specific traits, the
Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence to assess nicotine dependence, and questions about
current and past smoking to assess lifetime smoking behavior. Results demonstrated that two of
the five higher-order personality traits (i.e., negative affectivity and detachment) predicted
smoking status (current vs former/never smokers), but none of the personality traits predicted
level of nicotine dependence within the smokers. General personality pathology was not
predictive of smoking status or nicotine dependence. The relationships between negative
affectivity and detachment and smoking status were still significant after controlling for other
smoking risk factors (i.e., drug/alcohol use and depression/anxiety symptoms), and after
accounting for general personality pathology. Findings are discussed in regard to the general
validity of this new personality disorder diagnostic system.

History

Date

2019-05-01

Advisor(s)

Kasey Creswell

Department

  • Psychology

Usage metrics

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC