Direct and indirect effects of alcohol expectancies through drinking motives on alcohol outcomes among students in Vietnam.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the links between alcohol expectancies (tension reduction; global positive change; improved cognitive and motor abilities; and change in social behavior) and alcohol outcomes (drinking volume, 6+ drinks, alcohol problems, and symptoms of alcohol dependence) are mediated by drinking motives (social, enhancement, conformity, and coping).


METHODS
A multi-stage sampling strategy was used in four Vietnamese provinces, resulting in a final sample of 4756 students (43.2% females) with mean age 20.6 (SD 1.8) years. Structural equation models, including indirect effects, were estimated for women and men separately.


RESULTS
Overall, there were many cases of full mediation (indirect effects range from -0.006 to 0.083 and p-values from <0.05 to <0.001) and little indication of partial mediation (indirect effects range from -0.009 to 0.025 and p-values from <0.05 to <0.001). In both men and women, coping motives most frequently mediated the influence of expectancies on alcohol outcomes. Among men, enhancement motives and, to a lesser extent, social motives also played a role in mediating the effects of expectancies on alcohol outcomes. Among women, full mediation was found far less often and less consistently.


CONCLUSIONS
By confirming that, in Vietnam, motives mediate the link between expectancies and drinking behavior, this study supports the cultural robustness of a key assumption of the motivational model (i.e. that drinking motives are more closely associated with alcohol use than expectancies). Enhancement, coping and social motives are most frequently found as mediators among male students whereas coping motive only is most frequently found as a mediator among female students. As most of the effects of expectancies were mediated by motives, drinking motives appear to be a promising factor for interventions.
Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam; Dept. of Health Promotion, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, The Netherlands. Electronic address: phambichdiep@hmu.edu.vn.
Pham Bich
PB
Diep
Dept. of Health Promotion, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Nuchter Centre for Research on Age Restrictions, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
K
K
Schelleman-Offermans
Addiction Switzerland, Research Institute, Lausanne, Switzerland.
E
E
Kuntsche
Dept. of Health Promotion, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
Nanne
N
De Vries
Dept. of Health Promotion, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
Ronald A
RA
Knibbe
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult
Alcohol expectancies; Alcohol outcomes; Drinking motives; Students; Vietnam