title: A longitudinal study of the effects of coping motives, negative affect and drinking level on drinking problems among college students.
abstract: We examined among college students the interactive effects of drinking to cope (DTC) motivation, anxiety and depression symptoms, and drinking level in predicting drinking-related problems (DRPs). Using an Internet-based survey, participants (N = 844, 53% women) first reported on their drinking motives and monthly for up to three months, they reported on their drinking level, anxiety, depression, and DRPs. We found a three-way interaction between DTC motivation and average levels of drinking and anxiety (but not depression) in predicting DRPs. Specifically, among individuals with stronger DTC motives, higher mean levels of anxiety were associated with a stronger positive association between mean drinking levels and DRPs. We did not find three-way interactions in the models examining monthly changes in anxiety, depression, and drinking in predicting monthly DRPs. However, individuals high in DTC motivation showed a stronger positive association between changes in drinking level and DRPs. The results are discussed in terms of mechanisms related to attention-allocation and self-control resource depletion.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Fairleigh Dickinson University , 1000 River Road, Teaneck , NJ 07666 , USA.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armeli
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dranoff
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tennen
authors.forename: Carol Shaw
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Austad
authors.forename: Carolyn R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Fallahi
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raskin
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: Godfrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pearlson
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000502:physiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities
keywords: anxiety; depression; drinking motives; drinking-related problems