SHADOWS OF BIRTH ORDER: AFFECTIVE TEMPERAMENT, PERCEIVED PARENTAL ATTITUDES, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

Aim: In personality development temperamental traits, along with parental attitudes and birth order play a crucial role. These factors—temperamental traits, birth order, perceived parental attitudes—can influence substance use and its continuation. This study aims to explore the relationship between Adler's birth order theory, temperamental traits and perceived parental attitudes in the context of substance use disorders (SUDs). Material and method: The study included 37 SUD patients from XXX Hospital's Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center and 37 siblings without substance use. Participants temperamental traits and parental attitudes were assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and the Short Form of the Perceived Parental Attitudes Scale-Child Form (s-EMBU). Independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Spearman correlation coefficient, and binary logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis. Results: Individuals with SUD had significantly higher depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments than their siblings (p < 0.05), and these traits were linked to perceived rejecting parental attitudes. Birth order analysis showed higher cyclothymic temperament in the first and last children. However, contrary to our hypotheses, no relationship was observed between birth order and perceived parental attitudes in any groups. According to regression analysis, individuals who were last-born had a 5.34 times higher likelihood of developing SUD compared to others. Conclusion: Assessing challenges based on birth order can aid in providing effective addiction treatment services. Our study found a link between perceived parental attitudes and temperamental traits, but not with birth order. This suggests temperamental traits may moderate the effect of birth order on perceived parental attitudes. Given the strong link between affective temperamental traits and rejecting parental attitudes, we recommend implementing behavioral parent training programs to reduce parental anger and hostility.