Previous studies have found an association between negative affect and problematic drinking among young adults. This relationship is thought to be due to an increase in an individual’s motivation to use alcohol to cope with stress and reduce tension. Coping flexibility, implementing coping strategies that are sensitive and appropriate to the context, may have an impact on alcohol-related behaviors and outcomes. Coping flexibility involves two skills: discontinuation (ability to stop ineffective coping strategies) and implementation (ability to initiate an alternative coping strategy). Coping processes are also thought to exert their effects on drinking through cognitive factors like drinking motives. This study examines the impact of coping flexibility on problematic alcohol use and whether coping motives mediates this association.
The study’s sample consisted of 528 college students from a midsized public university in the northeastern United States. Participants completed an online survey that measured coping flexibility and coping styles (approach, avoidance, and social support-seeking). Students were also asked to report alcohol use during the past 90 days. Lastly, alcohol-related consequences and drinking motives (social, enhancement, coping, and conformity) were assessed. Data was analyzed using path analysis to determine associations between coping flexibility, drinking motives, and alcohol-related outcomes.
Results of the data analysis showed the discontinuation component of coping flexibility was not associated with any of the outcome variables. However, implementation had a significant negative direct effect on total number of drinks. Implementation was also indirectly negatively associated with alcohol consequences through coping motives. However, when the model accounted for the covariates of coping styles and biological sex the mediating pathway of implementation to alcohol consequences through coping motives was no longer significant. Lastly, the relationship between avoidance coping to alcohol-related consequences through coping motives was significant.
Takeaway: Coping flexibility may impact alcohol use behaviors and alcohol-related consequences among college students.