(PS1-A16) Negative Affect and Alcohol-related Consequences Among College Students: The Explanatory Role of Coping Style

Negative affect, which can include sadness, anxiety, and distress, is frequently experienced by undergraduate students and has been linked to alcohol-related consequences.
 

Different strategies used to cope with negative affect may be protective against the risk of consequences. Such strategies include problem-focused coping (i.e., actively attempting to change one's situation), emotion-focused coping (i.e., actively attempting to regulate emotions associated with a difficult situation), and avoidant coping (i.e., attempting to disengage from or avoid a difficult situation). Understanding the relationship between negative affect and alcohol-related consequences may elucidate targets for interventions aimed to mitigate consequences during periods of increased negative affect.
 

The present study examined coping strategies (problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, avoidant coping) as statistical mediators of the relationship between negative affect and alcohol-related consequences in a sample of college student drinkers. College students (N = 351; Mage = 18.93; 66.7% female; 65.0% White) who endorsed past-month alcohol consumption completed self-reported questionnaires on coping strategies, alcohol use and related consequences, and affect as measured by the endorsement of various negative emotions (e.g., distressed, hostile, ashamed) experienced in the past week. Mediation analyses were conducted to examine coping strategies as mediators of the relationship between negative affect and alcohol-related consequences, controlling for past-month alcohol use.
 

Negative affect was positively correlated with all three coping strategies: problem-focused coping (r = .18, p < .01), emotion-focused coping (r = .50, p < .001), and avoidant coping (r = .65, p < .001). Negative affect was also positively associated with higher rates of alcohol-related consequences (B = .17, t = 5.81, p < .001). Avoidant coping and emotion-focused coping, but not problem-focused coping, partially mediated the relationship between negative affect and consequences (B = .09, SE = .03, CI [.03, .14]; B = .03, SE = .02, CI [.00, .06]). Results reveal a positive association between negative affect and consequences, though future research may be warranted to determine which specific facets of negative affect (e.g., shame, guilt, distress) are most predictive of consequences. Given that problem-focused coping did not mediate the link between negative affect and higher rates of consequences, it may be that this strategy is more effective at reducing the risk of consequences when students are experiencing negative affect. Likewise, avoidant coping or emotion-focused coping may be a risk factor for higher rates of consequences in the context of negative affect as alcohol may be utilized as a strategy by which to regulate (emotion-focused coping) or mitigate (avoidant coping) negative affect. Future research should seek to examine these associations longitudinally to establish temporal precedence.