(PS1-A4) The Relationship Between Aspects of Exercise Dependence and Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder

Purpose: Among college students, 71% have consumed alcohol to the point of intoxication before, with 20% meeting the criteria for alcohol use disorder. There is also a high prevalence of exercise within this group, with 75% reported to have some sort of aerobic exercise. Previous studies on alcohol use show that exercise can be a helpful activity for people in recovery from alcoholism. However, there is little available research on the correlation between maladaptive exercise behaviors and problems resulting from alcohol use. Previously, there have been correlations found between exercise behaviors and disordered eating behaviors and a correlation between alcohol use and disordered eating behaviors. Therefore, it was predicted that young adults with more symptoms of exercise dependence would comorbidly have symptoms of alcohol use disorder.

Procedure: Data for the current study was collected from a mid-sized university in the south-central Untied States. The sample included 859 college students with a mean age of 21 who self-identified as cisgender females (75.5%), white (81.2%), and heterosexual (84%). Participants were recruited from an on-line university study board and the study was administered through Qualtrics. Participants received course credit. The research protocol included several questionnaires, including the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS), which has subscales for withdrawal effects, continuance, tolerance, lack of control, reduction in other activities, time, and intention effects. Participants also completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which includes subscales for hazardous health impacts, dependence, and behavior and social problems.

Results: Participants' scores on the EDS subscales were correlated with the AUDIT subscales. The dependence subscale of the AUDIT had a significant correlation with all the EDS subscales except withdrawal. The behavior and social issues problems subscale was significantly correlated with all EDS subscales except for lack of control. However, the subscale of the likelihood of hazardous health impacts of the AUDIT was only significantly positively correlated with four EDS subscales: continuance, withdrawal, tolerance, and time spent exercising.

Conclusions: This study sought to show the correlation between maladaptive exercising behaviors and problems associated with alcohol use. The results suggest a significant correlation between excessive exercise and alcohol use disorder symptoms in dependence and behavior/social issues subscales.Limitations of this study include a lack of generalizability in gender, race, and sexuality, as well as a lack of diversity. Future research should focus on the causality of disproportionate exercise on alcohol use and focus more on generalizing the study to the larger population.