The Exploration of Neuroticism as a Mediating Mechanism Between Trauma & Alcohol Related Problems

Eysenck’s (1967) biological model of personality suggests traits relate to meaningful functioning and structural variations regarding cortical and limbic brain regions. Neuroticism denotes the tendency to experience negative affect (i.e. anxiety, worry, tension, irritability) more frequently than others do (Eysenck 1956). Patock-Peckham & Lopez, 2010). Individuals higher on neuroticism have lower thresholds for a fight or flight response to stressors (Xin et al., 2017). Childhood trauma is associated with increased expression of neurotic traits in an alcohol dependent sample (Schwandt et al, 2013). However, to date, it remains unexplored in the existing literature as to whether or not neuroticism mediates any indirect links from facets of childhood trauma (e.g. emotional, sexual, physical, or neglect) or a supportive family on dysregulated drinking. Impaired control over alcohol use reflects drinking larger amounts and for greater periods than one originally intended (Heather et al., 1993). We fit a multiple-group structural equation model with 937 (465 women/472 men) university student volunteers on a model from trauma facets to alcohol use and problems with neuroticism and impaired control as potential mediators. Results: We found that higher levels of emotional abuse were directly linked to more neurotic symptoms among both cisgender sexes. In addition, we found that higher degrees of a supportive family were directly linked to less neuroticism among women only. Interestingly, neuroticism was directly linked to less alcohol use. Yet, when impaired control was a mediator of the neuroticism to alcohol use pathway, alcohol use increased. We also found that higher levels of supportive family were indirectly linked to less neuroticism and in turn, less impaired control over drinking among women only. However, higher levels of emotional abuse were indirectly linked to more alcohol-related problems through both more neuroticism and impaired control for both genders. Our results support that impaired control may be a key mediating mechanism to internalizing traits such as neuroticism in the alcohol use quantity/frequency pathway. Further, our results suggest that emotional abuse may be an important therapeutic target of intervention for those with comorbid internalizing and alcohol use disorders. NIH/NIAAA K01AA024160-01A1; Burton Family Foundation FP11815 to Julie Patock-Peckham.