The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant stressor for many college students as school was shifted online and students were required to move off-campus. Elevated stress levels are often associated with an increase in substance use. In particular, many students use drinking to cope with significant life stressors which can lead to binge drinking. Due to this, researchers have started to investigate potential factors that influence coping and drinking to cope. One of these factors is meaning in life. Meaningful living has been linked to resilience and lower stress levels. This study examines the potential relationship between stress levels, meaning in life, and alcohol use within college students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study’s sample consisted of 694 college students who completed an online survey. The survey assessed general stress using questions from the Perceived Stress Scale that evaluated control and coping in regard to stressful situations. COVID-specific stress was also addressed. Meaning of life was assessed by asking students if they felt as though the things they do in life are worthwhile and if they understood their purpose in life. Participants were also asked to report the number of alcoholic beverages they had consumed in the past 28 days. Data was analyzed using negative binomial regression models to determine potential links between meaning in life, stress, and alcohol consumption.
Results of the data analysis showed that general and COVID- specific stress was linked with less meaning in life. After controlled for covariates, general stress was associated with more alcohol use for students who had low meaning of life scores. Additionally, COVID-19 related stress was correlated with more alcohol consumption in college students with low meaning in life scores.
Takeaway: Meaning in life may provide some predictive value when assessing alcohol consumption in response to stress in college students.