A Factor Analytic Study of the Relationship of Experience Seeking and Trait Anxiety to Drug Use and Reasons for Drug Use

Abstract

The relationship of measures of sensation seeking and trait anxiety to drug use and reasons for drug use was studied among a sample of 92 detained or adjudicated adolescent males in a residential detention facility. Experience seeking was found to be related to drug use in general, and especially use of "hard" drugs. Anxiety tended to be related to drug avoidance, except in the case of marijuana and alcohol use. Reasons for drug use which related with experience seeking were excitement and thrill oriented, whereas reasons associated with anxiety were related to feelings of discomfort for this sample. In general, experience seeking was a stronger factor than trait anxiety in these findings. Implications for more action-oriented and less insight-oriented treatment are discussed in light of these results.