Exposure to trauma may increase risk of problematic drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences among college students. In addition, college students with symptoms of or a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) report higher levels of alcohol consumption than those without PTSD, which has been attributed to a negative coping response. College students with higher levels of negative urgency are also more likely to use alcohol to relieve negative affect. Negative urgency is the tendency to participate in impulsive behaviors in the response to strong negative emotions. This study examines the relationship between negative urgency, PTSD symptoms, and problematic alcohol use among college students.
The study’s sample consisted of 213 college students who indicated a history of one or more interpersonal traumatic events and current weekly alcohol use. Participants completed a variety of questionaries that assessed type of potentially traumatic event experienced, past 30-day PTSD symptom severity and diagnosis, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) diagnosis and severity. An impulsive behavior scale was used to measure the five aspects of impulsivity: sensation-seeking, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and positive urgency. Students were also asked to report daily alcohol use over the past 30 days, negative consequences associated with alcohol use, and drinking motives. Data was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression models.
Results of the data analysis showed 49.8% of participants met criteria for PTSD diagnosis and 80.3% screened positive for AUD. Greater negative urgency was significantly associated with negative coping motives and negative consequences from alcohol use. However, there was not a significant association between greater negative urgency and past 30-day binge frequency or past 30-day alcohol quantity. Negative urgency did not increase the association between PTSD symptoms and drinking outcomes.
Takeaway: Among college students, negative urgency may be associated with greater coping motives for alcohol use and negative alcohol-related consequences but not greater alcohol consumption.