It remains unclear whether impulsivity actually contributes to an enhanced risk for alcohol problems, or whether it simply reflects a manifestation of the same predisposition that contributes to alcohol use/problems. This underscores the importance of using a developmental context to understand the impulsivity/alcohol use relationship. Although personality has traditionally been viewed as a ‘stable’ characteristic, longitudinal research clearly demonstrates very large changes across the life course (e.g. Roberts, Walton & Viechtbauer 2006). Developmentally related decline in impulsivity may represent an important reason why drinking problems tend to wane with maturity (Littlefield, Sher & Wood 2009).
