A longitudinal examination of drinking motives

Drinking motives have been associated with alcohol use and alcohol-related problems among young adult drinkers (Kuntsche et al., 2005). We included a sample of 360 college students and fit latent profile models at each time point using 12-items from the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R: Cooper, 1994), which were determined the most discriminating items via Item Response Theory. Patterns of motives were identified using Latent Transition Analysis and included alcohol quantity and problems as covariates with quantity as a moderator to examine transitions. A 3-class model provided the best fit and parsimony: a) High Motive, endorsed items highly (baseline: 11%, 6-month: 10%, 12-month: 14%), b) Positive Reinforcement Motive, endorsed positive affect/social interaction items (49%, 53%, 49%), c) Low Motive, had low motive endorsement (39%, 37%, 38%). These findings suggested High Motive and Positive Reinforcement Motive classes drank more (High Motive, baseline: OR = 1.05, p <0.05, 6-month OR = 1.07, p < 0.05; Positive Reinforcement Motive, baseline: OR = 1.08, p < 0.001, 6-month: OR = 1.04, p < 0.05) and experienced more problems (High Motive baseline: OR = 1.14, p < 0.00, 12-month: OR = 1.06, p < 0.001; Positive Reinforcement Motive, baseline: OR = 1.12, p < 0.001). Transitioning between 6- and 12-month follow-up was less likely for higher levels of alcohol use (+1 SD: ORs = 0.32-0.44, ps < .05). This study provided evidence for the stability of drinking motives and targeting the positive reinforcing beliefs of alcohol, as these individuals are at higher risk for experiencing problems

The moderating role of mental health on the association between COVID-related stress, isolation, and economic hardship and using substances to cope

Since young adulthood is a vulnerable period for adverse mental health experiences and high-risk substance use, it is critical to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young adult mental health and substance use behaviors. Therefore, we determined whether the relationship between COVID-related stressors and using substances to cope with COVID-related social distancing and isolation was moderated by depression and anxiety among young adults. Data were from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) Vaping Supplement (total N = 1244). Logistic regressions assessed the relations between COVID-related stressors, depression, anxiety, demographic characteristics, and interactions between depression/anxiety and COVID-related stressors with vaping more, drinking more, and using marijuana to cope with COVID-related social distancing and isolation. Greater COVID-related stress due to social distancing was associated with vaping more to cope among those with more depression symptoms and drinking more to cope among those with more symptoms of anxiety. Similarly, COVID-related economic hardships were associated with using marijuana to cope among those with more symptoms of depression. However, feeling less COVID-related isolation and social distancing stress was linked to vaping and drinking more to cope, respectively, among those with more symptoms of depression. These findings suggest that the most vulnerable young adults are seeking substances to cope with the pandemic, while potentially experiencing co-occurring depression and anxiety along with COVID-related stressors. Therefore, intervention programs to support young adults who are struggling with their mental health in the aftermath of the pandemic as they transition into adulthood are critical

Alcohol use contexts (social settings, drinking games/specials, and locations) as predictors of high-intensity drinking on a given day among U.S. young adults.

BACKGROUND: This study examined whether variability in young adult drinking social settings, drinking games/drink price specials, and locations differentiated daily high-intensity drinking (HID) likelihood; whether contexts varied by legal drinking age and college status (attending a 4-year college full-time); and whether legal drinking age and college status moderated drinking context/intensity associations. METHODS: Participants (n = 818 people, 46.3% female) were part of the Young Adult Daily Life Study in 2019 to 2022. They were originally selected because they were past 30-day drinkers from the 2018 U.S. national probability Monitoring the Future 12th grade sample and because they reported one or more days of alcohol use during 14-day data collection bursts across the following 4 years (n = 5080 drinking days). Weighted multilevel modeling was used to estimate drinking context/intensity associations. Drinking intensity was defined as moderate (females 1 to 3, males 1 to 4 drinks), binge (4 to 7, 5 to 9 drinks), or HID (8+, 10+ drinks). Models controlled for other within-person (weekend, historical time period) and between-person (sex and race/ethnicity) covariates. RESULTS: Contexts differentiating HID and binge drinking days included drinking with large groups, strangers, pregaming, drinking games, and more drinking locations. Legal drinking age was associated with lower odds of free drinks but greater odds of drinking at bars/restaurants. College status was associated with lower odds of drinking alone or free drinks, but greater odds of drinking with friends, large groups, pregaming, drinking games, discounted price drinks, and at bars/restaurants, parties, and more drinking locations. Legal drinking age and college status moderated some context-intensity associations. CONCLUSIONS: Social settings, pregaming, drinking games, and drinking at more locations were associated with increased risk of HID on a given day. Legal drinking age and college status were associated with specific drinking contexts and moderated some context/intensity associations. Incorporating the contexts associated with HID into interventions may help to reduce HID and related consequences in young adults

Predictive validity of cannabis consumption measures: Results from a national longitudinal study

Background: Validating the utility of cannabis consumption measures for predicting later cannabis related symptomatology or progression to cannabis use disorder (CUD) is crucial for prevention and intervention work that may use consumption measures for quick screening. This study examined whether cannabis use quantity and frequency predicted CUD symptom counts, progression to onset of CUD, and persistence of CUD. Methods: Data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) at Wave 1 (2001–2002) and Wave 2 (2004–2005) were used to identify three risk samples: (1) current cannabis users at Wave 1 who were at risk for having CUD symptoms at Wave 2; (2) current users without lifetime CUD who were at risk for incident CUD; and (3) current users with past-year CUD who were at risk for persistent CUD. Logistic regression and zero-inflated Poisson models were used to examine the longitudinal effect of cannabis consumption on CUD outcomes. Results: Higher frequency of cannabis use predicted lower likelihood of being symptom-free but it did not predict the severity of CUD symptomatology. Higher frequency of cannabis use also predicted higher likelihood of progression to onset of CUD and persistence of CUD. Cannabis use quantity, however, did not predict any of the developmental stages of CUD symptomatology examined in this study. Conclusions: This study has provided a new piece of evidence to support the predictive validity of cannabis use frequency based on national longitudinal data. The result supports the common practice of including frequency items in cannabis screening tools

Examining a curvilinear model of readiness to change and alcohol consumption

Research examining the relationship between readiness to change and alcohol consumption among college students is inconsistent. The purpose of the present study was to extend these findings, using two different measures of readiness to change. We hypothesized a curvilinear effect would occur such that the relationship between readiness to change and alcohol use would be relatively low for students low and high on readiness to change, whereas the relationship would be relatively high for those with moderate levels of readiness to change. Data were collected from two studies: Study 1 consisted of 263 undergraduate students and Study 2 consisted of 245 undergraduates participating in either intercollegiate or recreational athletics at three US universities. In Study 1, we examined the association between both linear and quadratic scores on a readiness to change measure and alcohol use. In Study 2, we examined the relationship between scores on a stage of change measure that included subscales indicative of different levels of readiness to change and alcohol use. The pattern of relationships supported the existence of an effect where the highest levels of alcohol use occurred among those with scores representing moderate levels of readiness to change. © 2013 Informa UK Ltd

Protective behavioral strategies, social norms, and alcohol-related outcomes

The present study examined the unique contributions of protective behavioral strategies and social norms in predicting alcohol-related outcomes. Participants were 363 students from a large public university in the Midwest who reported at least one binge-drinking episode (5+/4+ drinks for men/women in one sitting) in the past 30 days. Data were collected from January 2010-March 2011. We used the structural equation modeling (SEM) to test models where protective behavioral strategies (PBS) and social norms were predictors of both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems, after controlling for the effects of gender. Both PBS and descriptive norms had relationships with alcohol use. PBS also had a relationship with alcohol-related problems. Overall, the findings suggest that PBS and social norms have unique associations with distinct alcohol-related outcomes. © 2014 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted