Personality characteristics and alcohol consumption: Longitudinal analysesin men and women followed from ages 13 to 32

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relation between personality characteristics and alcohol consumption. Using a gener al population of young and generally healthy men and women, the focus was n ot on alcoholism but on the full scope of alcohol consumption, including ab stinence and moderate levels of consumption. Modification of the relation b etween personality and alcohol consumption by gender, age and type of bever age was investigated. Method. The population consisted of 483 (259 female) subjects from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study; they were aged 13 to 32 years over the 20-year course of the study, during which spa n measurements were taken between two and seven times. The longitudinal rel ation between five subscales of the Dutch Personality Inventory (DPI) and a lcohol consumption were assessed with generalized estimating equations. Res ults: Low prevalence of heavy alcohol consumption was found in this populat ion. Abstinence from alcohol was more common among subjects who scored high er on Social Inadequacy, Rigidity and Self-sufficiency subscales. The amoun t of alcohol consumed was higher in drinkers who scored low on Rigidity and Social Inadequacy. Gender, age and type of alcoholic beverage modified som e of the found relationships (e.g., adult women who scored high on Dominanc e were more likely to be the firmer wine drinkers). No significant relation ships were found between alcohol consumption and the DPI Inadequacy subscal e. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption was associated with lower scores on Soc ial Inadequacy, Rigidity and Self-sufficiency.