Motives to drink as mediators between childhood sexual assault and alcohol problems in adult women

Abstract

Two models are proposed to relate maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and alcohol-related problems for women with a history of childhood sexual assault (CSA). The distress coping model suggests only one motive-drinking to cope with negative emotions-mediates the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems. The emotion regulation model suggests two motives mediate the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems: drinking to cope with negative emotions and drinking to enhance positive emotions. These models were tested in a random community sample of 697 women, ranging from 25 to 75 years old. Both motives partially mediated the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems. Effects were small, but reliable.

Coping Expectancies, Not Enhancement Expectancies, Mediate Trauma Experience Effects on Problem Alcohol Use: A Prospective Study From Early Childhood to Adolescence

“…In addition, they are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior, have an eating disorder, or attempt suicide (Castillo Mezzich et al, 1997;Kendler et al, 2000;Polusny & Follette, 1995;Rodriguez-Srednicki, 2002). Problematic substance use and early onset of drinking are also associated with early childhood trauma (Douglas et al, 2010;Dube et al, 2006;Epstein et al, 1998;Grayson & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2005;Lo and Cheng, 2007;Polusny & Follette, 1995;Shin et al, 2009;Simpson & Miller, 2002). In one study of 1,411 female adult twins, those who reported childhood sexual assault (30.4%) were at a threefold increased risk of becoming dependent on alcohol or other drugs (Kendler et al, 2000).…”

“…This work was initiated to find support for the self-medication theory that posits that individuals with a trauma history will use substances to decrease negative affect (Khantzian, 1985). Although using substances may be an effective, yet damaging, method for coping with the distressing symptoms of trauma, the authors of recent studies have argued that alcohol may also be a means to increase positive emotion (Goldstein et al, 2010;Grayson and Nolen-Hoeksema, 2005;Nugent et al, 2012;Simpson, 2003;Simpson et al, 2014). For example, Simpson and colleagues (2014) found that both coping motives for dealing with negative affect and enhancement motives to increase positive affect moderated the relationship between sameday alcohol use and PTSD symptoms as well as increased drinking in those men and women with comorbid PTSD and alcohol dependence.…”

“…In addition, Grayson and Nolen-Hoeksema (2005) proposed a model that child sexual abuse survivors use alcohol to regulate both negative and positive emotions. In their study, using a sample of 697 adult women, they compared two different models: a "distress coping" model and an "emotion regulation" model.…”

Childhood Maltreatment and Early Alcohol Use Among High-Risk Adolescents

“…Alcohol use often serves as a maladaptive coping strategy for victims of CM (Filipas and Ullman, 2006), and its use may differ based on its motivations (Grayson and Nolen-Hoeksema, 2005). For example, victims of CM may drink to enhance positive emotions or drink to cope with negative emotions.…”

Risk and Protective Factors in Mothers With a History of Incarceration: Do Relationships Buffer the Effects of Trauma Symptoms and Substance Abuse History?

“…Studies of PTSD and addiction consistently imply that women with dual diagnosis are often survivors of severe interpersonal childhood trauma (Back et al, 2003;Grayson & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2005;Grella et al, 2005;Marcenko et al, 2000;Najavits et al, 1999). These women are also likely to present with a more severe clinical profile on all socio-demographic variables and with more distorted thinking than women with a single diagnosis of either disorder (Back et al, 2003;Najavits, Gotthardt, Weiss, & Epstein, 2004).…”