Emotion dysregulation and coping drinking motives in college women.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To examine emotion dysregulation as a predictor of coping drinking motives, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related problems among college women. METHODS: In the cross-sectional study, 424 college women completed confidential surveys assessing the variables of interest. RESULTS: Structural equation models suggest an indirect relationship between emotion dysregulation and alcohol variables. Emotion dysregulation predicted drinking coping motives, and drinking motives predicted both alcohol-related problems and heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS: In college women, interventions which target emotion dysregulation may indirectly reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems via a decrease in coping drinking motives. Implications for future research will be discussed.