Self-regulation as a buffer of the relationship between parental alcohol misuse and alcohol-related outcomes in first-year college students

Alcohol misuse among college students is a large public health concern, thus, it is imperative to identify factors that reduce this risk. One risk factor associated with developing alcohol-related problems is meeting criteria for being an adult child of an alcoholic (ACOA). Conversely, self-regulation has been identified as a protective factor that is inversely associated with drinking-related outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether self-regulation buffers the risk associated with ACOA status on alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences. In a sample of 195 first-year college students, we found that ACOA status had a unique effect on both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences. Self-regulation was unrelated to alcohol use but inversely associated with alcohol-related consequences. Notably, self-regulation moderated the effect of ACOA status on alcohol-related problems (but not alcohol consumption) such that self-regulation was most strongly related to alcohol-related problems among ACOAs. Our results suggest that self-regulation helps explain the resilience of many ACOAs.     

Premenstrual symptomatology and alcohol consumption in college women

OBJECTIVE: Because research has indicated women may be at increased risk for alcohol-related health problems, identifying risk factors for alcohol use among college women has become increasingly important. Previous studies report a relationship between premenstrual symptoms (PMS) and alcohol consumption among women seeking treatment for symptoms; however, results have been inconsistent among nonclinical samples. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between premenstrual symptomatology and alcohol consumption in a sample of college women. METHOD: Women (N = 193) from a large urban university consented to complete an assessment battery of health behavior questionnaires which included a retrospective assessment of PMS severity and typical weekend and weekday alcohol consumption during the past year. RESULTS: Results revealed that PMS severity significantly predicted annual weekday alcohol consumption but did not predict annual weekend alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests the relationship between PMS and alcohol consumption exists in nonclinical samples of college women who are relatively early in their drinking careers, before the development of severe alcohol-related problems. Thus, premenstrual symptomatology may be an important risk factor for alcohol consumption among college women. Education on the relationship between PMS and risk for alcohol misuse may provide beneficial information for both alcohol prevention and intervention efforts on college campuses and may be helpful in identifying women at risk for heavy alcohol consumption and alcohol problems.     

Take One for the Team? Influence of Team and Individual Sport Participation on High School Athlete Substance Use Patterns

The current Web-based survey investigated the association between team or individual sport participation (or both) and self-reported alcohol and tobacco use among high school athletes (N = 1,275) transitioning to college. Peak blood alcohol concentration, weekly drinking, and alcohol-related problems were significantly lower among athletes in individual sports compared to other groups. Athletes competing in both team and individual sports reported greater lifetime tobacco use and combined alcohol/tobacco use compared to individual or team sports alone. Preventive strategies targeting high school athletes in general and those participating in team sports in particular may be useful in minimizing future alcohol use and related problems.     

Alcohol Misuse among College Students and Other Young Adults: Findings from a General Population Study in New York State

The predictors of heavier drinking patterns and alcohol-related problems are examined for young adults aged 18 to 25 years by using a large representative sample. The sample includes both college students and noncollege students. Young adult males have the highest rates of alcohol misuse when compared with all other age groups. Beginning to drink at an early age and growing up with a heavy drinking father are strong predictors of both current heavier drinking and alcohol-related problems. For males, the effect of father's heavy drinking is especially strong. Furthermore, living in a dorm as a college student makes a unique contribution to alcohol misuse.     

Alcohol misuse in young adulthood: effects of race, educational attainment, and social context

We analyzed survey data collected from 1,582 African-American and White young adults to determine 1) whether the relationship between educational attainment and alcohol misuse would vary by race, and 2) what social and psychological factors might explain the differential effects of educational attainment on alcohol misuse. Low educational attainment was positively associated with alcohol misuse among African-American young adults, while high educational attainment was positively associated with alcohol misuse among Whites. Selected social and psychological factors (e.g., unemployment, emotional distress) did not explain the differential effect of low educational attainment of alcohol misuse, but college status and attitudes favorable toward alcohol use accounted for racial differences in the effect of high educational attainment on alcohol misuse. This study may help to explain why disproportionately higher rates of alcohol-related health and social problems have been observed in the African-American adult population, but additional research is needed to better understand the long-term and differential effects of educational attainment on alcohol misuse.     

Alcohol Misuse Among Female Veterans: Exploring Associations With Interpersonal Violence and Mental Health

Background: The correlates of alcohol misuse among female Veterans are not well understood. The present study explored associations among alcohol misuse, demographic/military-related characteristics, interpersonal violence exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom severity. Method: Participants were 369 female Veteran patients of the VA New England Healthcare System. Participants completed a paper-and-pencil mail survey that included validated assessments of alcohol misuse, interpersonal violence, and psychological distress. Results: Younger age, adulthood physical abuse, military sexual trauma, past-year psychological aggression by an intimate partner, and PTSD and depression symptom severity showed significant univariate associations with alcohol misuse (as indicated by unsafe drinking levels, presence or incipience of an alcohol use disorder, intrapersonal alcohol-related concerns, and/or interpersonal alcohol-related concerns). A couple of these associations remained significant when examined in logistic regression models. Conclusions: Findings suggest that female Veterans who are at risk for alcohol use disorders and/or are experiencing alcohol-related problems may benefit from screening and intervention efforts that take into account interpersonal violence exposures and mental health symptoms on a case-by-case basis. Results also suggest the importance of future research examining correlates and risk factors for substance misuse among female Veterans.     

A systematic review of college student-athlete drinking: Prevalence rates, sport-related factors, and interventions

Alcohol use among college students has become a considerable public health problem. Among this group, intercollegiate athletes are at a particularly high risk for excessive alcohol consumption and resulting negative alcohol-related consequences. The purpose of our review was to systematically examine three main issues related to alcohol consumption among intercollegiate athletes: (a) the prevalence rates and alcohol consumption patterns of this group, especially in comparison with those of collegiate nonathletes; (b) the various factors that might motivate or encourage alcohol use among intercollegiate athletes, primarily sport-related individual and environmental variables; and (c) considerations for conducting alcohol-related interventions with intercollegiate athletes.     

Understanding the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use in college students: A meta-analysis

Many college students use alcohol, and most of these students experience problems related to their use. Emerging research indicates that socially anxious students face heightened risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems, although the extant research on alcohol use and social anxiety in this population has yielded inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol variables in college students. A literature search was used to identify studies on college students that included measures of social anxiety and at least one of the alcohol variables of interest. All analyses were conducted using random effects models. We found that social anxiety was negatively correlated with alcohol use variables (e.g., typical quantity and typical frequency), but significantly positively correlated with alcohol-related problems, coping, conformity, and social motives for alcohol use, and positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies. Several moderators of effect sizes were found to be significant, including methodological factors such as sample ascertainment approach. Given that social anxiety was negatively related to alcohol use but positively related to alcohol-related problems, research is needed to address why individuals high in social anxiety experience more problems as a result of their alcohol use. Avoidance of social situations among socially anxious students should also be taken into account when measuring alcohol use. The primary limitation of this study is the small number of studies available for inclusion in some of the analyses.     

Exploring patterns of alcohol misuse in treatment-seeking UK veterans: A cross-sectional study

AimsTo explore patterns of alcohol misuse in a sample of treatment-seeking veterans compared to the UK Armed Forces personnel population and the general public. Furthermore, the present study investigated which variables were associated with alcohol misuse in this sample, and in particular what factors were associated with increased or decreased severity of alcohol misuse.MethodThe present study investigated alcohol misuse in treatment-seeking veterans and compared it with the UK Armed Forces and the general public. In addition, it explored associations between sociodemographic, physical health and mental health variables and alcohol misuse.ResultsResults suggested that treatment-seeking veterans report different patterns of alcohol misuse compared to the UK Armed Forces and the general public. This group was more likely to report alcohol dependence and alcohol-related harm. They also reported higher levels of overall alcohol misuse than the general public. Mental health problems including PTSD, anxiety and depression, as well as anger, functional impairment and being single were all related to greater alcohol misuse. Being older and not in work were related to reduced alcohol misuse.ConclusionsThese findings add further weight to the importance of ensuring appropriate support is provided to personnel leaving the Armed Forces. Treatment-seeking veterans have specific patterns of alcohol-related needs that should be addressed. Knowing more about the common alcohol-related problems in this group can help inform and improve mental health interventions. Findings on related variables will help in identifying those individuals who may be at most risk of alcohol-related problems.     

Disentangling the complex association between childhood sexual abuse and alcohol-related problems: a review of methodological issues and approaches

This review describes and evaluates methodological approaches aimed at unraveling the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and later misuse of alcohol, which is complicated by the significant overlap between factors that elevate risk for CSA exposure and those that increase risk for problem alcohol use. We critique methods used to distinguish direct effects of CSA events on alcohol-related outcomes from the effects of risk factors frequently present in families in which CSA exposure occurs (e.g., parental alcohol-related problems). These methods include measurement and adjustment for potentially confounding factors and the use of co-twin designs. The findings across methodological approaches provide support for a CSA-specific risk for alcohol misuse, despite the significant contribution of family background factors to overall risk, but much work remains to be done before a comprehensive model for this association can be proposed. Additional directions for research, including the incorporation of measured genes and the use of longitudinal designs, are proposed to further efforts to model the pathways from CSA to alcohol-related problems.     

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.     

Alcohol use and related harm among older adolescents treated in an emergency department: the importance of alcohol status and college status

OBJECTIVE: Patients treated in an urban emergency department were studied to determine if college status, gender and having alcohol as a reason for medical treatment were related to alcohol use and related problem behaviors. METHOD: Patients ages 18-19 years (N = 250; 55% men) who had or had not been drinking alcohol prior to the event that precipitated their medical treatment were assessed on their alcohol use, alcohol-related problems and drug use. RESULTS: There were high levels of alcohol use, tobacco use and other drug use in the sample, regardless of the reason for medical treatment. Analyses consistently showed that patients treated for alcohol-related reasons had more severe drinking patterns and problems than patients who were alcohol negative. Patients not enrolled in college showed similar patterns of alcohol consumption as their college-attending peers, but bad more severe alcohol-related behaviors and problems. Few gender differences were found and no interactions were found between gender, alcohol status and college status. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that older adolescents who receive medical treatment for alcohol use are not inexperienced drinkers. Furthermore, in this convenience sample, college students did not appear to be at greater risk for substance use or problems. Findings underscore the potential usefulness of alcohol intervention programs for alcohol-involved medical patients, and the need to attend to the alcohol and drug use of nonstudent populations.     

Mixing alcohol with artificially sweetened beverages: Prevalence and correlates among college students

Mixing alcohol with diet beverages, as compared to mixing the same amount of alcohol with a regular beverage, is associated with greater intoxication. This may occur because diet mixers increase alcohol absorption rates. Thus, it is plausible that the use of diet mixers may increase the risk of alcohol-related harms. The current study sought to (1) determine the rate/frequency of use in among college students, (2) examine the relationship between mixing alcohol with diet beverages and alcohol-related problems, above typical alcohol use and sensation seeking, and (3) explore key traits (gender, restricting food while drinking, and body mass index [BMI]) that may characterize users. Participants were 686 (73% female) undergraduate students who completed self-reports of alcohol use (including diet mixer use), alcohol-related problems, eating behaviors while drinking, sensation seeking, and demographic information. Results revealed that about 36% of the sample reported consuming alcohol with diet mixers, and users typically consumed this beverage at least once a month. Students who reported mixing alcohol with diet beverages experienced more alcohol-related problems. And, the more frequently one consumed this beverage, the more problems were reported. These associations were found after controlling for typical level of alcohol use and sensation seeking. No differences were observed between user-status on gender, eating behaviors while drinking, and BMI. Our findings suggest that mixing alcohol with diet beverages could be a risk factor for experiencing more alcohol-related harms. Further research is needed to understand this relationship, as it may help guide intervening efforts aimed to reduce alcohol-related risks.     

Predictors of alcohol-related outcomes in college athletes: the roles of trait urgency and drinking motives

Research has shown that college students participating in athletics drink more than other students, yet relatively few studies have examined variables that are associated with alcohol-related outcomes among this population. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among trait urgency, general drinking motives and sport-related drinking motives, and both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Data were collected from 198 college students participating in either intercollegiate or recreational athletics at three U.S. universities. Structural equation modeling was used to examine a series of theoretically derived explanatory models. All variables included in the model were directly associated with alcohol use and/or alcohol-related problems. The specific patterns of relationships differed across the motives and trait urgency variables. Sport-related coping motives, sport-related positive reinforcement motives, and general enhancement motives had direct relationships with alcohol use, while trait urgency, general coping motives, and sport-related positive reinforcement motives had direct relationships with alcohol-related problems. Several indirect effects on alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were also found. This study suggests that general drinking motives, sport-related drinking motives, and trait urgency all serve as important predictors of alcohol-related outcomes in college athletes.     

The role of dispositional mindfulness in mitigating the impact of stress and impulsivity on alcohol-related problems

Excessive alcohol use and alcohol-related problems are common concerns on college campuses across the United States. Among a sample of college students (N?=?125), in this study we examined two primary hypotheses: (1) the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and alcohol-related problems would be explained, in part, by reduced impulsivity and (2) dispositional mindfulness would serve as a potential protective factor in mitigating the relationship between the risk factor stressful life events and the outcome of alcohol-related problems. As expected, impulsivity mediated the relationship between mindfulness and alcohol-related problems; however, unexpectedly, mindfulness did not moderate the relationship between stressful life events and alcohol-related problems. The implications and limitations of these findings, as well as recommendations for future research, are discussed.     

Expectancies and evaluations of alcohol effects among college students: self-determination as a moderator

OBJECTIVE: This research examined individual differences in self-determination as moderators of both alcohol expectancies and of subjective evaluations of alcohol effects in college students. Previous work has shown lower levels of self-determination to be linked with drinking for more extrinsic reasons and as a means of regulating affect and social approval. We proposed that alcohol expectancies and subjective evaluations of alcohol effects would be more strongly linked to alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among students who were more controlled and/or less autonomous. METHOD: Self-reported alcohol expectancies and subjective evaluations of alcohol effects and self-determination were assessed among 560 (347 women) college students, along with self-reported alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences. RESULTS: Alcohol expectancies and subjective evaluation of alcohol effects were examined separately. A series of hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that positive alcohol expectancies were more strongly associated with greater alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems among students who were lower in autonomy orientation, and among male students who were higher in controlled orientation. Similarly, more favorable evaluations of positive alcohol effects were associated with greater alcohol consumption among students who were lower in autonomy orientation and students, particularly men, who were higher in controlled orientation. CONCLUSIONS: Expectancy theories implicitly assume that individuals who believe alcohol has positive effects and who evaluate alcohol effects favorably are more likely to engage in problematic drinking. This research reveals this assumption is more appropriate among individuals who are generally less self-determined. Implications for interventions are discussed.     

Does trait urgency moderate the relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol use?

Many college students engage in unsafe amounts of alcohol use, resulting in considerable alcohol-related problems. Several recent studies have shown that trait urgency is positively associated with a variety of addictive behaviors. What is not known is the way it may interact with other risk factors of alcohol use in predicting alcohol-related outcomes. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to determine if trait urgency moderated the relationship between parental alcoholism and both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Data were collected on 324 undergraduate students who were participating in a research study as a result of an alcohol-related judicial infraction. Results indicated that trait urgency moderated the relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, but not parental alcoholism and alcohol use. There was a strong positive relationship between parental alcoholism and alcohol-related problems for those high in trait urgency, while no relationship existed between parental alcoholism and alcohol-related problems for those low in trait urgency. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Volition and alcohol-risk reduction: the role of action orientation in the reduction of alcohol-related harm among college student drinkers

The present study examined the role of action orientation in health behavior change. Eighty-six binge drinking college students completed measures of alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences (e.g., driving drunk), motivation to change drinking, and action orientation. Alcohol use and consequences were reassessed 1 month later. Results showed that, although there was no significant change in alcohol quantity per occasion, students reported a significant decline in alcohol-related problems over time. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine whether action orientation was associated with changes in alcohol involvement. Controlling for alcohol problems and motivation to change at Time 1, those with higher dispositional action orientation showed fewer alcohol-related consequences at Time 2. These results suggest that those who are low in action orientation may have more difficulty enacting intentions to modify harmful health behaviors. The findings underscore the importance of volitional skills in interventions to promote change in health behavior.     

Collegiate alcohol involvement and role attainment in early adulthood: findings from a prospective high-risk study

OBJECTIVE: Recent research has highlighted the magnitude of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems on college campuses. However, the effects of alcohol use and abuse during the college years on early adult role attainment are not well characterized. Accordingly, this study was designed to prospectively examine relations between alcohol involvement during the college years and early adult educational and occupational attainment. METHOD: Participants (N = 429: 231 women) at low and high risk for the development of alcoholism were recruited at a large midwestern university for a study of alcohol and health during the college years. Alcohol involvement was assessed by self-report and structured clinical interviews conducted annually for 4 years. Educational and occupational attainment were assessed by self-report 6 years postmatriculation. RESULTS: Alcohol involvement demonstrated a modest prospective effect on educational attainment, with a reduced effect observed when analyses controlled for academic aptitude and high school academic achievement. Prior academic achievement moderated the relation between alcohol involvement and educational attainment, such that individuals who were higher on secondary school class ranking were more negatively affected by pathologic alcohol involvement than those with lower levels of prior academic achievement. Less consistent evidence was found for prospective relations between alcohol involvement and early adult occupational attainment. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate a modest role for alcohol involvement in negative educational outcomes, with a more pronounced negative effect of alcohol involvement on educational attainment among those who were high academic performers in high school.