With alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms being known predictors of hooking up, it is important to understand the relations between these decisions among young adults.  One motive for drinking is suppression which can be related to depressive symptoms. The current study attempts to understand the role of depressive symptoms and drinking for suppression in hookup motives and consequences.

Participants included 98 young adults with an average age of 19.6 years. Participants also had to report consuming alcohol and experiencing at least one hookup in the previous year. Hooking up was measured by providing a definition of hooking up being a physical encounter with no future expected. They then asked participants how many people they had hooked up with in the previous 12 months. Alcohol consumption was measured by asking how many alcohol drinks they consumed per sitting over the past month. Depressive symptoms were measured by asking 10 items including “I felt depressed” using a 4-point scale. Drinking to suppress was measured by asking 13 items including “to help me feel better emotionally.” Negative consequence of hooking up and motives were also assessed.

Results showed participants reported on average 4.6 drinks per occasion and consuming 3.5 drinks per sitting. Participants reported an average of 4.3 hookups during the previous year and there were no sex differences in this number. Results showed there were no roles found for hooking up for self-affirmation reasons. Findings did show when drinking for suppression reasons are low, participants with few depressive symptoms presented more negative consequences while those with more depressive symptoms reported fewer negative consequences. While these findings are somewhat at odds with previous research, education should help young adults understand sex is a viable, adaptive coping technique and that drinking for suppression and sex can lead to negative emotional consequences.

Take Away: The current study attempts to understand the role of depressive symptoms and drinking for suppression in hookup motives and consequences. Participants included 98 young adults with an average age of 19.6 years and reporting consuming alcohol and experiencing at least one hookup in the previous year. Measures included hooking up, alcohol consumption, depressive symptoms, drinking to suppress, negative consequences of hooking up, and motives for hooking up. Findings showed when drinking for suppression reasons are low, participants with few depressive symptoms presented more negative consequences while those with more depressive symptoms reported fewer negative consequences. While these findings are somewhat at odds with previous research, education should help young adults understand sex is a viable, adaptive coping technique and that drinking for suppression and sex can lead to negative emotional consequences. 

Black, S. W., Owen, J., Soler, N., & Fincham, F. (2020). Understanding Relations Among Drinking and Hookup Motives, Consequences, and Depressive Symptoms in College Students. Journal of Drug Education, 49(1-2), 43-54. doi:10.1177/0047237920929333