Motives to drink as mediators between childhood sexual assault and alcohol problems in adult women.
Two models are proposed to relate maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and alcohol-related problems for women with a history of childhood sexual assault (CSA). The distress coping model suggests only one motive-drinking to cope with negative emotions-mediates the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems. The emotion regulation model suggests two motives mediate the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems: drinking to cope with negative emotions and drinking to enhance positive emotions. These models were tested in a random community sample of 697 women, ranging from 25 to 75 years old. Both motives partially mediated the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems. Effects were small, but reliable.
Grayson
Carla E
CE
Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 530 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. carlag@umich.edu
Nolen-Hoeksema
Susan
S
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires