A cross-national study of motives for drinking alcohol

The role of individualism-collectivism in influencing the motives for alcohol use was examined by comparing motives for drinking among 72 U.S. (individualist) and 83 Nigerian (collectivist) respondents in 1998. The study also examined the role of gender. The Drinking Motives Questionnaire (Cooper, M.L.; Russell. M.; Skinner. J.B.; Windle, M. Development and Validation of a Three-Dimensional Measure of Drinking Motives. Psychol. Assess. 1992, 4, 123-132.) that classifies drinking motives into coping. enhancement, and social motives was used. The U.S. respondents were hypothesized to score higher on coping motives and lower on social motives than Nigerian participants. This hypothesis was supported. Male respondents also scored higher than females on all the three motives. These results have implications for intervention approaches regarding alcohol use for people with differing cultural orientations.     

To drink or not to drink: motives and expectancies for use and nonuse in adolescence

Drinking motives have a prominent role in cognitive models of adolescent and adult alcohol decision-making (Cooper, Russell, Skinner, & Windle, 1992; Cooper, 1994). The complementary construct of motivation not to drink has received less attention (Epler, Sher & Piasecki, 2009). We examined how abstinence motives interacted with drinking motives and alcohol expectancies to predict alcohol consumption in samples of US high school students (N>2500). Nondrinking motives predicted lower rates of lifetime and current alcohol use. Motives not to drink interacted with specific drinking motives, like social and coping motives, and alcohol expectancies to predict certain aspects of drinking behavior. For example, motives not to drink had the greatest impact on youth with weaker social motivations. Findings highlight the distinction between motives not to drink and other alcohol-related cognitions in predicting adolescent alcohol consumption. This work not only supports the utility of this construct in developing models of youth alcohol-related decision-making but also has implications for prevention programming.     

Alexithymia and alcohol consumption: the mediating effects of drinking motives

The association between alexithymia and alcohol consumption has been well documented. However, little research has investigated the mechanisms behind the association. In the present study, the relationship between alexithymia, drinking motives and alcohol consumption was examined in a group of social (non-problem) drinkers. In a cross-sectional study, 862 participants completed the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Drinking Motives Questionnaire, and provided alcohol consumption information. Regression analyses revealed that alexithymia predicts alcohol consumption. Formal mediation analyses demonstrated that this relationship was fully mediated by social, enhancement and coping drinking motives, and partially mediated by conformity. Drinking motives may represent one mechanism to explain the association between alexithymia and alcohol consumption.     

An Exploration of the Four-Factor Structure of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised Among Undergraduate Students in China

Background: College drinking has become a significant health issue in China; the current study addressed the gap that no prior research has investigated drinking motives among Chinese undergraduate students. Objectives: This study aimed to replicate the four-factor structure of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) reported for Western populations. Additionally, the relationships between drinking motives and alcohol use were investigated. Methods: In 2012, 436 participants (mean age = 20.49 and SD = 1.49; 50% male) recruited from a college in China completed a self-administered survey in their classroom setting. Drinking motives were measured by the Chinese version of the DMQ-R; three indicators of alcohol use were assessed. Factor analysis was conducted to examine the factor structure of the DMQ-R, followed by regression analysis to investigate the associations between drinking motives and alcohol-related outcomes. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis failed to replicate the measurement model tested, but exploratory factor analysis identified a similar four-dimensional factor structure. Reliability and convergent and discriminant validity of the four factors were acceptable. The results also showed that social motives were related to alcohol use and heavy drinking; conformity motives were related to alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Enhancement motives were the strongest correlates of alcohol use; coping motives were the strongest correlates of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems. Conclusions/Importance: The DMQ-R was a reliable and valid scale measuring four types of drinking motives among Chinese college students. Findings suggested that the motivational model of alcohol use may apply to studying college drinking in China.     

Drinking motives of adult patients seeking treatment for problematic alcohol use

The Drinking Motives Questionnaire measures motives for alcohol consumption on four subscales. Coping with negative affect and enhancement of positive affect have been shown to be associated with high levels of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. Few studies exist concerning drinking motives among treatment-seeking patients. The aims of the study were to investigate the factor structure of the shortened-form of the revised Drinking Motives Questionnaire, map main drinking motives, explore group differences in motives due to sex, age, level of drinking problems, and symptoms of depression/anxiety and to investigate whether different drinking motives predict alcohol-related problems in this group. There were 274 treatment-seeking patients recruited from four addiction treatment clinics in Sweden. The shortened-form of the revised Drinking Motives Questionnaire was administered in conjunction with a regular visit to the clinics together with measures of degree of alcohol-related problems, psychiatric symptoms, and demographic factors. Main drinking motives were identified. A confirmatory factor analysis was run to confirm the factor structure of the shortened-form of the revised Drinking Motives Questionnaire. A logistic regression using the Enter method was performed to investigate associations between predictors and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test scores. The results confirmed the four-factor structure reported in studies on non-treatment-seeking individuals. Coping was the most commonly expressed motive. Not previously found in a clinical sample, the results showed that coping motives, together with being male and having elevated anxiety scores, were associated to Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test scores indicative of alcohol dependence. The shortened-form of the revised Drinking Motives Questionnaire is a brief and valid instrument that holds potential for clinical use in mapping drinking motives among treatment seekers.     

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Brazilian version of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R)

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the factor structure of the Brazilian version of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R; Cooper, 1994) in a sample of 584 university students. A secondary goal was to investigate the relationships between motives and measures of alcohol use and drinking problems. The DMQ-R assesses four motive dimensions: social, enhancement, coping, and conformity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a revised four-factor model identical to the original, with the exception of one item that did not load on its intended factor. Relative to coping and conformity motives, enhancement and social motives were strongly related to both alcohol use and drinking problems. Overall results indicate that the factor structure of the Brazilian DMQ-R parallels that observed in North America and Europe using the original English language DMQ-R, despite a distinct pattern of relationships with alcohol use and drinking problems.     

College student motivational determinants for combining alcohol and energy drinks: Early identification could be the key

Aims: Strategic energy drink marketing continues to target college students despite this group already being identified as high-risk for experiencing negative consequences. To better understand and predict drinking behaviors and to develop more effective prevention programs, this study examined students alcohol-only and combined-use positive drinking motives within subjects.

Methods: A convenience sample of college students (n?=?540) from a university in the Southwest United States voluntarily completed an online version of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (α?=?0.96) to explore motives for consuming alcohol only and alcohol combined with energy drinks.

Findings: Results indicate college students who combine alcohol and energy drinks have more positive drinking motives than those who consume alcohol-only.

Conclusions: Positive drinking motivational determinants can be used to improve existing prevention programs and to help practitioners work more effectively with students to address alternative ways to achieve the desired social and cognitive effects of drinking.     

Drinking motives and alcohol consumption behaviors among young French people

IntroductionNumerous studies suggest that social, enhancement, conformity and coping drinking motives each lead to unique behavioral patterns related to alcohol consumption. Recently it has been suggested to study specific coping motives that distinguish feelings of anxiety and depression. This study aims primarily to 1) psychometrically validate the recent five factor questionnaire of drinking motives among young French people, 2) explore differences in mean endorsements of motives across age and sex and 3) explore the concurrent validity of drinking motives by studying their associations with alcohol consumption behaviors.MethodsThe French Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire Revised and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test were administered to 314 university students and 193 high school students.ResultsThe 5-factor model of drinking motives provided a good fit to the data and a better fit than the 4-factor model. Conformity motives were more strongly endorsed among high school students than among university students (d = 0.26). Social motives were more endorsed by men than by women (d = 0.47), as were enhancement motives (d = 0.48). Our study suggests that each of the studied motives transcribes a specific set of drinking behaviors.ConclusionsResearchers and practitioners could effectively use this conception of drinking motives in order to better understand and prevent problematic alcohol use among young people.     

Validation of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) in older adults

Drinking motives have been established as an important construct in the prediction of alcohol use and drinking problems among younger adults, but there is little understanding about the drinking motivations of older adults. Although emerging evidence shows the importance of studying older adults' own reasoning for their alcohol consumption, measures that have been used to assess such reasons lack psychometric assessment. This study aims to validate the three-dimensional structure of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ) in older adults and to investigate the relationships between drinking motives and alcohol use. A sample of community dwelling older adults (N = 370) completed self-report measures assessing drinking behavior and motives for drinking. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the results supported a three-factor model of drinking motives. Multi-group analysis of invariance showed support for configural and metric invariance, and partial support was met for scalar invariance. Social motivations for drinking were the most frequently endorsed, followed by enhancement, and coping motives. Males reported more frequent drinking for each of the three motives. Social motives were consistently related to drinking behaviors and coping had a direct relationship to drinking problems. Overall, the study shows that the DMQ has promise as a measure for use with older adults.     

Motives for drinking alcohol and eating palatable foods: An evaluation of shared mechanisms and associations with drinking and binge eating

BackgroundYoung adulthood is a high-risk period for heavy drinking and binge eating, both of which can impact weight and lead to obesity. Examining motives for drinking alcohol and eating palatable foods may facilitate a more integrated understanding of these behaviors during the college years. The current study tested whether shared or distinct (i.e., behavior-specific) motivational mechanisms may explain the occurrence of reward-driven drinking and eating in young adults.MethodsA sample of college freshmen (N = 103) stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, and heavy drinking status were selected to participate. Participants completed questionnaires measuring alcohol use, eating behavior, and motives assessed by the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised and Palatable Eating Motives Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested whether drinking and eating motives were better represented as single latent motives, or two behavior-specific motives. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the association between motivational factors and behaviors.ResultsBehavior-specific CFA models demonstrated stronger model fit and higher factor loadings than single motive models. SEM models indicated that eating to cope with negative emotions, to enhance positive experiences, to obtain social reinforcement, and to conform with peers were significantly associated with binge eating (p values < .001). Enhancement and social drinking motives were significantly associated with number of weekly drinks (p values < .001).ConclusionsWhile motives for drinking alcohol and eating palatable foods may satisfy common goals, findings suggest motivational mechanisms may be behavior-specific. Enhancement and social motives may be important factors to target in prevention programs for both drinking and binge eating.     

Understanding older problem drinkers: The role of drinking to cope

Introduction and aimsDespite a common perception that older adults drink less than younger adults, drinking frequency increases with age. The aim of this study was to examine the types of coping motives associated with problem drinkers in addition to the types of specific drinking problems most commonly endorsed by older drinkers. The study also sought to investigate the role of individual drinking to cope motives in problem drinking.MethodParticipants were 288 community dwelling older adults aged who consumed alcohol, and were drawn from a larger study of health and aging in rural areas of Australia. Participants completed a postal questionnaire comprising the Drinking Problems Index, Drinking Motives Questionnaire, The AUDIT-C, and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale.ResultsOverall, 22.2% of the sample were problem drinkers, with a higher prevalence for men (30.4%) than women (15.6%). Problem drinkers were significantly more likely to consume alcohol according to several indices of risky drinking. The most common drinking problems experienced were becoming intoxicated, spending too much money on drinking, feeling confused after drinking, and skipping meals. Drinking to cope motives to relax, to manage physical symptoms and to feel more self-confident increased the odds of problem drinking.ConclusionsProblem drinking is highly prevalent in older adults. Given the potential adverse consequences of problem drinking on the health of older adults it is imperative that health professionals pay attention to drinking behaviours as part of routine practice.     

Relationships between drinking motives and drinking restraint

Relationships between drinking motives (self-perceived reasons for drinking alcohol) and drinking restraint (preoccupation with controlling alcohol intake) were examined in a nonclinical young adult sample. Ninety-seven undergraduate university drinkers completed the Temptation and Restraint Inventory (Collins & Lapp, 1992), the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (Cooper, Russell, Skinner, & Windle, 1992), and measures of demographics (age and gender) and social desirability. Results indicated that after accounting for the influences of demographic and social desirability information, Coping Motives and Enhancement Motives scores from the Drinking Motives Questionnaire were significant predictors of Cognitive and Emotional Preoccupation scores on the Temptation and Restraint Inventory, and Coping Motives scores were a significant predictor of Cognitive and Behavioral Control scores on the Temptation and Restraint Inventory. Social Motives scores on the Drinking Motives Questionnaire did not significantly predict either Cognitive and Emotional Preoccupation or Cognitive and Behavioral Control scores. Further analyses suggested that actual behavioral attempts at alcohol restriction on the Temptation and Restraint Inventory were predicted by Enhancement Motives scores, whereas cognitive concerns about drinking were predicted by Coping Motives scores. Results are discussed in terms of implications for risk for excessive and problem drinking in enhancement and coping-motivated young adult drinkers.     

Relationship between General and Sport-Related Drinking Motives and Athlete Alcohol Use and Problems

Objective: Alcohol use (and adverse consequences due to alcohol use) among college student-athletes is a common occurrence and consequently garners attention as a health concern within athletic departments and the NCAA. One of the strongest predictors of alcohol use in athletes is motivation to drink. However, not much is known about the influence of alcohol use motivations on drinking in collegiate athletes. Therefore, this study examined the influence of sport-related and general drinking motives on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Method: Participants were female collegiate softball players (N?=?721) from 62 NCAA teams. Athletes completed the Athlete Drinking Scale (Martens et al., 2005), the Drinking Motives Questionnaire, revised (Cooper, 1994; Cooper et al., 1992), alcohol consumption measures, and the Rutgers Alcohol Problems Index (White & Labouvie, 1989). Multilevel modeling was used to analyze the data. Results: Higher scores on Positive Reinforcement motives were associated with greater alcohol consumption, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol-related problems. Enhancement motives were positively associated with heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems, while Coping motives were positively associated with alcohol-related problems. Lower scores on Conformity motives were related to higher alcohol consumption, whereas higher scores were related to more alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: These results assist in understanding salient drinking motives among athletes while accounting for nesting effects of athletes within teams. Results demonstrate alcohol use as a perceived means of reward for hard work or good athletic performance, thus attempts to control alcohol use in college athletics should emphasize alternative methods to positively reinforce efforts or celebrate victories.     

Relationship of drinking motives with alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems identified in a representative community-based study from Ningxia,China

BackgroundDrinking motives have been linked to alcohol consumption and drinking-related problems in western countries, but evidence about this relationship is largely lacking for Asian countries. We aim to assess the relationship between drinking motives and drinking-related outcomes in China, where alcohol use disorders are an increasingly important contributor to the overall burden of illness.MethodsValidated Chinese versions of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) were used to assess drinking motives and drinking-related outcomes among 612 current drinkers identified from a cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of 2425 adults living in Ningxia Province in 2013. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the relationships linking specific drinking motives (‘enhancement’, ‘conformity’, ‘social’ and ‘coping’) to drinking-related outcomes (‘level of alcohol consumption’, ‘alcohol dependence’ and ‘adverse consequences’).FindingsThe enhancement motive is significantly associated with the level of alcohol consumption (β = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.27, 0.78). The conformity motive is associated with higher levels of alcohol dependence (β = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.98) and adverse consequences of drinking (β = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.04, 0.81). The social motive and drinking to cope motive are not significantly associated with any of the three drinking outcomes.InterpretationThe relationships between drinking motives and drinking-related outcomes in China are quite different from those reported in western countries. This study highlights the need to consider local context when adapting prevention or intervention strategies developed in western countries to address the problem of the harmful use of alcohol in China.     

Gender differences in drinking behavior among Latino/a heavy drinkers

BackgroundIn the United States (U.S.), higher levels of acculturation have been associated with higher rates of heavy alcohol use more consistently among Latino women than among Latino men. This paper explores mechanisms underlying the link between acculturation and alcohol use among Latino/as in the U.S. We examine alcohol use expectancies and motives from the perspectives of the social cognitive theory of gender development.MethodsQualitative narratives data from six focus groups of individuals (total n = 37), who met criteria for heavy drinking (4/5 drinks/occasion for females/males), were examined separately by gender (18 females; 19 males). Coded narratives data were analyzed using a framework that compared lives in Latin America and in the U.S. Emergent themes were analyzed for their consistency across genders. Gender-specific themes were identified.ResultsChanges in family structure and the loss of social networks prompted divergent patterns of drinking among men and women, such that relative to patterns in their countries of origin, drinking among Latino women increased while it decreased among Latino men. Men and women reported drinking to replace missing social bonds, a motive not frequently reported in the literature on drinking motives. Women who engaged in heavy-drinking nonetheless described traditional gender role expectations after U.S. arrival. Only men endorsed positive alcohol expectancies in Latin America. Women reported drinking to alleviate psychological distress in the U.S.ConclusionsPre and post-immigration comparisons revealed different drinking trajectories among men and women after immigration to the U.S. These patterns appeared to be influenced by new social contexts and changes in familial expectations regarding women’s roles. Future inquiry that examines gender-specific themes in alcohol expectancies and motives unique to the experience of immigration, is warranted.     

The impact of motives-related feedback on drinking to cope among college students

Motives for alcohol use are associated with distinct antecedents and consequences. Drinking alcohol to cope with negative affect is consistently associated with the most problematic patterns of use. Interventions targeting drinking to cope are needed. This randomized controlled treatment trial is an initial attempt to evaluate the impact of a brief coping motive-specific personalized feedback intervention on motives and problematic outcomes associated with drinking. The study randomized 170 participants to receive either a brief Standard Feedback Condition (SFC; n = 83) or a Motives Feedback Condition (MFC; n = 87) that added education and feedback on drinking to cope as well as alternative coping strategies. Significant reductions in drinking to cope with anxiety and with depression were greater in the MFC at the 2-month follow-up. Significant reductions in drinking and negative consequences were observed but did not differ significantly by condition. Indirect tests showed that the MFC, relative to SFC, was associated with outcomes of drinking and negative consequences through change in drinking to cope with depression. Moderation analyses revealed that there were no differential outcomes according to baseline level of coping. This study is a promising new direction in motives research, providing support for brief personalized feedback interventions incorporating motives-related feedback.     

Beyond Leisure: The Role of Alcohol in the Lives of Nigerian University Students

Background: Alcohol consumption among young people in Nigeria has traditionally been constrained due to the socio-cultural belief that alcohol is for adults. In contemporary Nigeria, media reports indicate that young people drink alcohol regularly in large quantities, but empirical research on what motivates their alcohol use is lacking. Objectives: To explore the motives for consuming alcohol among male and female students at a Nigerian university. Methods: Drawing on motivational theories of alcohol use, 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted with students (aged 19–23 years). The data were analyzed to generate themes with the aid of NVivo software. Results: Three themes (drinking to cope; overcoming academic performance anxiety; and drinking to socialize) were identified under coping, enhancement and social motives. First, while both male and female participants used alcohol to attenuate sorrow, anger, and stress, females also drank to ameliorate depression and heartbreak due to relationship problems. Second, men and women perceived that alcohol provided them with “academic courage.” Hence, they drank to boost their confidence in delivering class seminars. Relatedly, women used alcohol in a bid to enhance their retentive memory before taking written examinations. Third, men and women engaged in gendered heavy drinking rituals purposefully to get drunk and loosen up. This enables men to discuss what they referred to as “men's affairs” while it enables women to “reveal deep secrets” (to inebriated group members) that they would not ordinarily reveal when they are sober. Women's drink choice was associated with social motives because spirits were used purposefully to quicken their intoxication. Conclusions: Participants who drank due to coping and social motives consumed larger quantities of alcohol than they consumed on “normal” drinking occasions. We discuss the implications of these findings and offer suggestions for public health interventions that policymakers might consider implementing, to reduce alcohol-related harms in the Nigerian Higher Education system.     

Negative consequences of intercollegiate athlete drinking: the role of drinking motives

OBJECTIVE: Intercollegiate athletes consume more alcohol and experience more negative alcohol-related consequences than nonathletes. The purpose of this study was to determine if drinking motives accounted for variability among intercollegiate athletes in experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences, and to analyze how the strength and patterns of the relationship between individual drinking motives and negative consequences varied among the different consequences. METHOD: Self-report data were analyzed on 206 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes (55% female), selected from a large, midwestern university, who reported drinking alcohol in the past year. Participants completed the Drinking Motives Measure and the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey. RESULTS: Drinking motives accounted for variability in experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences. Drinking for coping reasons displayed the strongest relationship with most of the negative consequences, but for some consequences social and enhancement motives displayed relationships with the consequences that were either similar to or stronger than those of the coping motives. CONCLUSIONS: This research demonstrated that drinking motives in general are useful predictors of negative alcohol-related consequences among a yet unstudied population, intercollegiate athletes. The findings suggest that drinking for negatively reinforcing reasons (i.e., coping motives) is generally the strongest motivational predictor of alcohol-related consequences, although the relative strength of individual motives in predicting consequences can vary depending upon the content of an individual consequence.     

Alcohol consumption as a maladaptive coping strategy to face low life satisfaction

Abstract

Drinking alcohol is a risk behaviour for individual health. Many studies have investigated the psychological factors influencing alcohol consumption among adolescent and university students, fewer investigated these variables on adult samples. The literature investigated the relation between life satisfaction and alcohol consumption. The results were not consistent. This study aimed to investigate whether drinking motives could mediate the relationship between life satisfaction and alcohol consumption, distinguishing between the general alcohol consumption and episodes of binge drinking. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire in a sample of 285 adults (mean age: 34.4?years). The relations were examined empirically by means of a structural equations model. The results showed the role of drinking motives in fully mediating the relation between life satisfaction and the indicators of alcohol consumption. The coping drinking motive related to general alcohol consumption whereas the enhancement motive to increased binge drinking. Interventions should focus on the coping function of alcohol consumption, helping individuals to develop alternative coping strategies for managing negative moods resulting from unsatisfactory life conditions.