Coping motives as a mediator of the relationship between sexual coercion and problem drinking in college students

Abstract

Sexually coercive experiences, heavy alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems occur at relatively high base rates in college populations. As suggested by the self-medication hypothesis, alcohol consumption may be a means by which one can reduce negative affect or stress related to experiences of sexual coercion. However, few studies have directly tested the hypothesis that coping motives for drinking mediate the relation between sexual assault and problem drinking behaviors, and no published studies have tested this in men. The current study tested this hypothesis using structural equation modeling in a sample of 780 male and female undergraduates. Results revealed that coping motives partially mediated the relation between sexual coercion and drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. In addition, direct and indirect paths between sexual coercion and drinking were found for men whereas only indirect paths were found for women. Results provide support for self-medication models of drinking and suggest the importance of exploring gender differences in mechanisms for drinking.

Problematic Alcohol Use, Trauma History, and PTSD Symptom Level: A Path Analysis

“…For instance, research shows that coping motives are associated with alcohol consumption among people exposed to trauma (Fossos, Kaysen, Neighbors, Lindgren, & Hove, 2011;Grayson & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2005). Although drinking to cope typically exhibits a stronger relationship with alcohol-related problems, drinking for enhancement has also been associated with greater alcohol consumption and drinking to intoxication (Beseler, Aharonovich, & Hasin, 2011;Read et al, 2003).…”

Reciprocal associations between PTSD symptoms and alcohol involvement in college: A three-year trait-state-error analysis.

“…Given this, and in light of a large literature showing that alcohol use and problems demonstrate unique associations with negative affect and related constructs (e.g., Goldstein et al, 2010; Fossos, Kaysen, Neighbors, Lindgren, & Hove, 2011; Merrill & Read, 2010; Read et al, 2003; see also review by Kuntsche, Knibbe, Gmel, & Engels, 2005), we modeled these two indices of alcohol involvement separately. To do so, we specified two separate TSE models using Mplus 6.1 (Muthen & Muthen, 2010); one included PTSD symptoms and alcohol use (quantity-frequency index), and the other included PTSD symptoms and alcohol-related problems.…”

Alcohol craving and demand mediate the relation between posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol-related consequences.

“…Indeed, a large literature suggests that alcohol is often used in the service of dampening arousal and modulating mood (Simpson et al, 2012) and that this type of coping-motivated alcohol use is associated with more severe alcohol use outcomes (Fossos et al, 2011). Alcohol use may in fact become so instrumental to negative affect and anxiety reduction that, over time, posttraumatic stress symptoms may automatically induce urges to drink (Kaysen et al, 2014; Simpson, et al, 2012), and this may function to increase the reward value of alcohol among individuals experiencing PTS (Murphy et al, 2013).…”