Personality traits or characteristics reflective of behavioral and emotional dysregulation are associated with increased risk for problematic drinking among adolescents (Caspi, Moffit, Newman, & Silva, 1996; Sher, 1991). While a number of constructs in the dysregulation realm overlap, recent studies suggest that disposition to fast action is comprised of sensation-seeking, lack of planning, lack of persistency, urgency to act in negative emotional states, and urgency to act in positive emotional states (Smith, Fischer, Cyders, Annus, Spillane, & McCarthy, 2007). In particular, sensation-seeking appears to be associated both cross-sectionally and longitudinally with the frequency of engaging in risky behaviors; whereas urgency to act in the face of strong affective states appears more related to problem levels of alcohol involvement. Of note, COAs are more likely than family-history-negative youth to display such personality traits in cross-sectional studies (Sher, 1991; Windle, 1990). A long history of research suggests a strong relationship between this domain of personality traits and multiple types of risk-taking behaviors. Seeking out novel and potentially risky situations offers one explanation as to the role of temperamental style in the etiology
