Benjelene D Sutherland1, Nilofar Fallah-Sohy2, Maciej Kopera3, Andrzej Jakubczyk3, Matthew T Sutherland2, Elisa M Trucco4. 1. Department of Psychology, Florida International University, USA; Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, USA; Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI), Florida International University, USA. Electronic address: bsutherl@fiu.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Florida International University, USA; Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, USA; Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI), Florida International University, USA. 3. Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. 4. Department of Psychology, Florida International University, USA; Center for Children and Families, Florida International University, USA; Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI), Florida International University, USA; Addiction Center, University of Michigan, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Adolescent electronic cigarette use (e-cigarette) is a public health concern and factors associated with vaping remain to be understood. Childhood emotional abuse/neglect is a risk factor for e-cigarettes. Yet, pathways by which trauma impacts use remain unclear. Alexithymia (i.e., difficulties identifying and describing feelings) is one possible link. Indeed, emotional abuse/neglect leads to difficulties identifying and verbalizing emotions. This impairment may lead to distress and promote e-cigarette use as a coping strategy. METHODS: Using parallel mediation, this study examined the degree to which alexithymia, assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, mediates the link between emotional abuse/neglect, assessed using the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen, and e-cigarette use. The sample (n = 166) consisted of adolescents from a larger multi-wave study. RESULTS: Emotional abuse/neglect predicted difficulty describing feelings (effect = 0.23, p = 0.001), which in turn predicted e-cigarette use (effect = 0.30, p = 0.004). Moreover, difficulty describing feelings mediated the link between emotional abuse/neglect and e-cigarette use (sum of indirect 95% CI [1.68, 16.48]). Difficulty identifying feelings was not a significant mediator and the externally-oriented thinking subscale was excluded due to low reliability. CONCLUSIONS: As e-cigarettes are often used in social contexts, teens who experience difficulty describing feelings may vape as a means of connecting emotionally with others. Moreover, nicotine, found in most e-cigarettes, releases dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain modulating action, learning, and memory processes; plausibly, improving verbalization of emotions. Programming which identifies nuances in alexithymia among adolescents with emotional abuse/neglect could mitigate e-cigarette use or delay initiation.
BACKGROUND: Adolescent electronic cigarette use (e-cigarette) is a public health concern and factors associated with vaping remain to be understood. Childhood emotional abuse/neglect is a risk factor for e-cigarettes. Yet, pathways by which trauma impacts use remain unclear. Alexithymia (i.e., difficulties identifying and describing feelings) is one possible link. Indeed, emotional abuse/neglect leads to difficulties identifying and verbalizing emotions. This impairment may lead to distress and promote e-cigarette use as a coping strategy. METHODS: Using parallel mediation, this study examined the degree to which alexithymia, assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, mediates the link between emotional abuse/neglect, assessed using the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen, and e-cigarette use. The sample (n = 166) consisted of adolescents from a larger multi-wave study. RESULTS: Emotional abuse/neglect predicted difficulty describing feelings (effect = 0.23, p = 0.001), which in turn predicted e-cigarette use (effect = 0.30, p = 0.004). Moreover, difficulty describing feelings mediated the link between emotional abuse/neglect and e-cigarette use (sum of indirect 95% CI [1.68, 16.48]). Difficulty identifying feelings was not a significant mediator and the externally-oriented thinking subscale was excluded due to low reliability. CONCLUSIONS: As e-cigarettes are often used in social contexts, teens who experience difficulty describing feelings may vape as a means of connecting emotionally with others. Moreover, nicotine, found in most e-cigarettes, releases dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain modulating action, learning, and memory processes; plausibly, improving verbalization of emotions. Programming which identifies nuances in alexithymia among adolescents with emotional abuse/neglect could mitigate e-cigarette use or delay initiation.
Authors: Maciej Kopera; Elisa M Trucco; Andrzej Jakubczyk; Hubert Suszek; Paweł Kobyliński; Marcin Wojnar; Robert A Zucker Journal: J Addict Med Date: 2020 Sep/Oct Impact factor: 4.647
Authors: Matthew T Sutherland; Michael C Riedel; Jessica S Flannery; Julio A Yanes; Peter T Fox; Elliot A Stein; Angela R Laird Journal: Behav Brain Funct Date: 2016-06-02 Impact factor: 3.759