Profiles of impulsivity and alcohol use: Unveiling personality, cognitive traits, and DSM diagnoses

Background

Impulsivity is closely associated with alcohol use, but limited research has explored distinct latent profiles encompassing impulsivity traits and alcohol use disorder symptoms.

Methods

This study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate these patterns among 201 adult outpatients (50% female, 50% male) from a tertiary care setting. Participants completed self-reported measures such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Impaired Control Scale, and UPPS-P Impulsivity Scale, as well as performance-based tasks like the Probability Reward Task (PRT) and Stop Signal Reaction Time Task.

Results

LPA identified three profiles using AUDIT, impaired control, and UPPS-P: (1) Low-Risk Profile—characterized by low levels of alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms and impulsivity; (2) Emotionally Reactive Profile—characterized by elevated impulsivity with low AUD symptoms; and (3) High-Risk Profile—characterized by elevated levels of both AUD symptoms and impulsivity. ANCOVA results revealed that Emotionally Reactive individuals scored higher on neuroticism, negative affectivity, and psychoticism and lower on conscientiousness compared to the Low-Risk group. Both Emotionally Reactive and High-Risk groups showed lower agreeableness, antagonism, and disinhibition relative to the Low-Risk group. On cognitive tasks, the Low-Risk group outperformed the High-Risk group in PRT accuracy and discriminability, while Emotionally Reactive and Low-Risk groups showed similar advantages over High Risk.

Conclusions

These findings reveal distinct personality and cognitive profiles linked to reward and control processes, informing tailored interventions for impulsivity and alcohol-related harms.