Constructive thinking, antisocial behavior, and drug use in adolescent boys with and without a family history of a substance use disorder

The purpose of this study was to determine the manner in which constructive thinking (CT) and antisocial behavior (ASB) are related to drug use in 295, 15–17 year old, adolescent males with a positive (FHP; n=126) and a negative (FHN; n=169) family history of a substance use disorder (SUD). CT is considered to be a "nonintellective" cognitive skill that reflects the ability to effectively deal with problem situations through the use of different thinking styles and behavioral, social, and emotional coping strategies. CT and ASB were measured using self-report inventories in a laboratory setting. Three types of drug use were assessed: (a) number of drugs used, (b) drug use frequency, and (c) drug use problems. Results showed that the FHP group had significantly lower CT and significantly higher ASB and drug use scores compared with the FHN group. CT was significantly related to each type of drug use and these relations were all mediated by ASB. Moreover, the relation between CT and drug use frequency was moderated by ASB and the relations between ASB and each form of drug use were moderated by family history. Although few in number, this and other studies show that deficits in nonintellective forms of cognition such as CT are important liability factors for SUD that require further investigation.