Chat-Based Instant Messaging Support Reduces Alcohol Use in University Students.

According to this study.

Booster effects and mechanisms of web-based personalised normative feedback alcohol intervention for college students: A pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of booster and no booster versions of web-based alcohol Personalised Normative Feedback (PNF) and whether descriptive norms mediated and/or participant motivation moderated the effectiveness of the intervention in real world conditions (i.e. no financial incentives). METHODS: Pragmatic randomised controlled trial with 1-, 3-, and 6-month assessments. Brazilian college students reporting alcohol use in the last 12 months (N=931) were recruited from May/2020 to December/2022 and allocated to 1) No booster/single PNF(S-PNF); 2) Booster/multiple PNF(M-PNF); or 3) Assessment-only control. We applied Helmert coding [1: Any intervention (S-PNF or M-PNF) vs. Control; and 2: S-PNF vs. M-PNF]. PRIMARY OUTCOMES: typical number of drinks/week and maximum number of drinks/week; secondary outcomes: drinking frequency and number of consequences. Three-months assessment was the primary interval. Descriptive norms were tested as mediator. Interest, importance, and readiness to change were examined as moderators. RESULTS: Compared to control, any intervention did not influence primary outcomes at 3-months or 6-months, but did at 1-month, when reduced typical drinking (IRR:0.77, 95%CI:0.66;0.90) and maximum number of drinks (IRR:0.69, 95%CI:0.58;0.82). There was an intervention effect on the consequences at 3-months. No differences were observed between S-PNF and M-PNF. No mediation effects were found at 3-months. At 6-months, there was an indirect effect on typical drinking through norms at 3-months (b=-0.82, 95%CI:-2.03;-0.12) and effects on maximum drinks through norms at 1-month (b=-0.54, 95%CI:-1.65;-0.02). No support for moderation was found. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention reduced alcohol drinking at 1 month only and was not effective thereafter. Mechanisms of effect remain unclear.

Motivation to Abstain from Drinking as a Moderator of Associations Between Parent and Offspring Problem Drinking.

OBJECTIVE: Motivational processes are key factors in the development and maintenance of problem drinking and include motivation to drink as well as motivation to abstain from drinking. Although motivation to drink has been widely studied, little research has considered motivation to abstain from drinking. The current study addresses this gap in research by exploring the role of motivation to abstain from drinking based on dispositional risk, fear of negative consequences, religious and family constraints, and indifference to alcohol in associations between mother and father problem drinking and the problem drinking of college students. METHOD: Data were collected from 337 U.S. college students (77.2% female, 86% White) who reported on their exposure to mother and father problem drinking, their own problem drinking, and their motivation to abstain from drinking for several reasons. RESULTS: Findings supported the protective role of motivation to abstain from drinking based on fear of negative consequences of drinking. Persons exposed to parental problem drinking who had low motivation to abstain from alcohol based on dispositional risk were vulnerable to the intergenerational transmission of problem drinking. In addition, motivation to abstain from drinking based religious or family constraints was associated with lower problem drinking regardless of exposure to parental problem drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Conviction-related motivation may be a powerful motivation to abstain from drinking, including among persons at risk due to parental problem drinking.

A Deviance Regulation Theory Intervention Affects the Association Between Narcissistic Traits and Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategies in College Students.

Background: College students continue to report problematic alcohol use. To mitigate adverse outcomes, recent studies have employed harm reduction strategies known as Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS). Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT), an impression management intervention, has been used to promote the use of PBS. DRT relies on impression management to modify behavior. This may be especially important for individuals with higher levels of trait narcissism. Method: College student drinkers (n = 132) were randomly assigned to receive a positive message about PBS users, a negative message about non-PBS users, or control. Participants reported on current PBS use norms, daily alcohol use, PBS use, and any alcohol-related problems experienced during the previous week for the next 10 weeks. Results: Data were analyzed using multilevel regression to examine PBS use across time by condition. When PBS norms were low, narcissism was strongly associated with lower rates of PBS use in the control group. If individuals received a positive or negative message, the association between narcissism and PBS use was diminished, among individuals with low PBS norms. There were no significant differences at mean or high levels of norms, indicating the messaging was only important for the highest risk group (i.e., those with low PBS norms). Discussion: The results of this study suggest that message framing may be effective at reducing the robust negative association between narcissism and PBS use for individuals with low PBS norms. Positive messages about individuals that use PBS may be one approach to mitigating problematic alcohol consumption in this at-risk group.

An Application of the Stressor-Vulnerability Model of Drinking in College Student Drinkers.

Background: The stressor vulnerability model provides theoretical support for conditions under which drinking to cope (DTC) is likely to occur (i.e., decreased adaptive coping, increased positive alcohol expectancies). However, research has only tested this model in a college sample reporting trauma. Generalizability to a non-trauma-specific sample college drinkers would support applications of the model and inferences about coping-related drinking across a broader group of young adults. Objectives: Our sample included 565 college student drinkers (Mage = 20.3 years; SDage = 2.0 years; 77.0% female; 54.2% White) from a large southeastern university. Mediation analyses examined DTC as a mediator between negative affect and alcohol-related outcomes (i.e., drinking quantity, drinking frequency, binge drinking frequency, and alcohol-related consequences). Moderated mediation models tested the influence of tension reduction expectancies and cognitive reappraisal on mediation pathways. Results: Drinking to cope was found to be a full mediator for associations between negative affect and drinking-related outcomes. For associations between negative affect and alcohol-related consequences, DTC was a partial mediator. For all alcohol outcomes, results indicated the mediation between negative affect and outcomes through DTC is strongest for individuals with greater cognitive reappraisal use. Positive alcohol expectancies did not moderate any indirect effects. Conclusions: Although cognitive reappraisal is typically considered an adaptive emotion regulation technique, our results suggest that this may not always be the case with drinking outcomes. Given our findings, further research is needed to discern the conditions wherein cognitive reappraisal may and may not be adaptive. This could be useful in informing interventions to reduce harmful DTC behaviors.

Effects of a Single Dose of Ayahuasca in College Students With Harmful Alcohol Use: A Single-blind, Feasibility, Proof-of-Concept Trial.

BACKGROUND: Ayahuasca is a South American plant hallucinogen rich in the psychedelic N,N-dimethyltryptamine and ß-carbolines (mainly harmine). Preclinical and observational studies suggest that ayahuasca exerts beneficial effects in substance use disorders, but these potentials were never assessed in a clinical trial. METHODS: Single-center, single-blind, feasibility, proof-of-concept study, assessing the effects of one dose of ayahuasca accompanied by psychological support (without psychotherapy) on the drinking patterns (primary variable) of 11 college students with harmful alcohol consumption. Secondary variables included safety and tolerability, craving, personality, anxiety, impulsivity, self-esteem, and social cognition. FINDINGS: Ayahuasca was well tolerated (no serious adverse reactions were observed), while producing significant psychoactive effects. Significant reductions in days per week of alcohol consumption were found between weeks 2 and 3 (2.90 ± 0.28 vs 2.09 ± 0.41; P < 0.05, uncorrected), which were not statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. There were no statistically significant effects for other variables, except for a significant reduction in reaction time in an empathy task. CONCLUSIONS: A significant reduction in days of alcohol consumption was observed 2-3 weeks after ayahuasca intake, but this effect did not survive after Bonferroni correction. The lack of significant effects in alcohol use and other variables may be related to the small sample size and mild/moderate alcohol use at baseline. The present study shows the feasibility of our protocol, paving the way for future larger, controlled studies.

Factor structure, group invariance, and concurrent validity of scores from the college eating and drinking behavior scale among U.S. college students.

Food and alcohol disturbance (FAD) refers to the intersection of alcohol- and eating-related motives and behaviors, such as restricting food intake before or during alcohol use to offset caloric intake or to enhance intoxication. Valid assessment is critical for advancing research on FAD. We tested the factor structure, group invariance, and concurrent validity of the College Eating and Drinking Behavior Scale (CEDBS) in a large college student sample (n = 2610; Mage = 20.95, SD = 4.65; 71.8% female; 77% White; 86% non-Hispanic). Participants completed measures assessing antecedents of alcohol use (i.e., protective behavioral strategies and drinking motives), negative alcohol-related consequences, alcohol use severity, and risk for eating disorder. The 3-factor model of the 21-item CEDBS provided an adequate fit to the data (e.g., CFI = 0.916). These factors include Alternative Methods (4 items; "Use laxative prior to drinking alcohol"), Offset Calories (7 items; "Restrict calories prior to drinking to help maintain your figure"), and Quicker Intoxication (10 items; "Not eating before drinking alcohol because it gives you the best buzz"). The CEDBS was scalar invariant across subgroups of participants based on age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and political orientation. Quicker Intoxication was most strongly related to risk factors and negative consequences for alcohol (r = 0.204-0.379, all ps < 0.01), and Offset Calories was most strongly related to risk for eating disorders (r = 0.349, p < .01). These findings further support the CEDBS to assess FAD among college students.

Long-term impact of familismo and ethnic identity on latinx college student drinking and high-risk consequences.

Familismo, ethnic pride, and ethnic shame were examined as longitudinal predictors of Latinx college student alcohol use and high-risk alcohol-related consequences. Latinx students completed measures during the fall of their first (T1), second (T2), and fourth (T4) year of college. T1 familismo was positively associated with T2 ethnic pride and negatively associated with T2 ethnic shame. T2 ethnic pride was negatively associated with T4 drinking, while T2 ethnic shame was positively associated with T4 drinking. T4 drinking was positively associated with T4 consequences. Results suggest that Latinx ethnic pride and ethnic shame during the second-year of college act as mediators between first-year familismo and fourth-year drinking and consequences.

Screening student drinking behaviors: examining AUDIT criterion validity using CIDI-based alcohol use disorder as the 'gold standard'.

Introduction: High levels of alcohol consumption among college students have been observed across countries. Heavy drinking episodes are particularly prevalent in this population, making early identification of potentially harmful drinking critical from a public health perspective. Short screening instruments such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) are serviceable in this regard. However, there is a need for studies investigating the criterion validity of AUDIT in the student population. The aim was to examine the criterion validity of the full AUDIT and AUDIT-C (the first three items directly gauging consumption patterns) in a sample of college and university students using 12-month prevalence of alcohol use disorder derived from an electronic, self-administered version of the World Health Organization (WHO) Composite International Diagnostic Interview, fifth version (CIDI 5.0), which serves as the 'gold standard'. Methods: The study population of the current study is derived from the SHoT study (Students' Health and Wellbeing Study), which is a large national survey of students enrolled in higher education in Norway. In a follow-up study of mental disorders among participants of the SHoT2022 study, students were invited to complete a self-administered electronic version of the CIDI. A random sample of 4,642 participants in the nested CIDI-sample was asked to fill out a set of screening instruments, including AUDIT, before starting CIDI. Based on Youden Index maximization, we estimated the sex-specific optimal cut-offs for AUDIT and AUDIT-C in relation to alcohol use disorder, as determined by CIDI. Results: For the full AUDIT, the optimal cut-offs were 9 for males and 10 for females. The corresponding cut-offs for AUDIT-C were 6 for males and 5 for females. The same optimal cut-offs for both the full AUDIT and AUDIT-C were replicated in bootstrapped analyses with 1,000 runs. Conclusion: The full AUDIT demonstrated acceptable criterion validity with a balance between sensitivity and specificity. However, for AUDIT-C, caution should be exercised when interpreting screening results among college and university students. In conclusion, the full AUDIT is a reliable screening instrument for college and university students, while further modification may be needed for AUDIT-C in this setting.

Effectiveness of web-based personalised feedback interventions for reducing alcohol consumption among university students: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

ISSUES: Meta-analysis was conducted to examine standalone web-based personalised feedback interventions (PFI) delivered in non-structured settings for reducing university students' alcohol consumption. Subgroup analyses by gender-focus, type-of-content and accessibility were conducted. Characteristics of the sample, the intervention and study quality were examined as moderators. APPROACH: Ten databases were searched from 2000 to 2023. Eligible articles involved only randomised controlled trials. Random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to calculate the effect size on weekly alcohol consumption comparing web-PFIs and non-active controls. Meta-regressions were applied to explore effect moderators. KEY FINDINGS: Thirty-one studies were included in the narrative synthesis, 25 of which were meta-analysed. Results found significant effect size differences on weekly alcohol consumption in favour of the intervention group in the short- (SMD = 0.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.06, 0.15) and long-term period (SMD = 0.09, 95% CI 0.02, 0.15). Subgroup analyses identified that interventions which were gender-specific, multicomponent and had unlimited access had higher and significant effect sizes, although they were very similar with respect to comparative groups. Moderator analyses showed that times feedback was accessed significantly contributed to the effectiveness of the intervention. Effects diminished over time, although they remained significant. IMPLICATIONS: The meta-analysis evidences the effectiveness of web-PFI for addressing university students' alcohol use, decreasing by 1.65 and 1.54 drinks consumed per week in the short- and long-term, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results offer empirical evidence that supports the significant, although small, effect of web-PFI delivered remotely in universities. Future research should focus on increasing their impact by introducing booster sessions and content components based on students' preferences.

Posttraumatic Stress and Alcohol Use Among Hispanic/Latinx University Students: A Moderated Indirect Effect Model of Coping-Related Drinking and Anxiety Sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and anxiety sensitivity (AS) are associated with increased alcohol use and coping-motivated drinking among university students. This study among trauma-exposed Hispanic/Latinx university students sought to examine the indirect effect of PTSS on alcohol use severity through coping-motivated drinking and test the moderating role of AS and AS subfacets. METHODS: University students who identified as Hispanic/Latinx (N = 830) were recruited from a large, urban, southern university and completed online, self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: A significant interactive effect of PTSS and AS on coping-motivated drinking emerged. PTSS exerted a significant indirect effect on alcohol use severity, through coping-motivated drinking. Simple slope analyses revealed that PTSS was associated with coping-motivated drinking across all levels of AS. Post hoc results revealed unique biological sex differences in probable diagnosis odds ratios. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that PTSS and AS are associated with coping-motivated drinking and alcohol use severity in trauma-exposed, Hispanic/Latinx university students.

Do hypothetical evaluations of alcohol related consequences change over time? Examining the influence of past and ongoing consequences.

OBJECTIVE: Despite experiencing alcohol-related consequences, college students continue to drink at high rates. Hypothetical evaluations of alcohol-related consequences (i.e., evaluations of where potential/hypothetical consequences lie on a spectrum from extremely positive to extremely negative) may contribute to the maintenance of drinking patterns among students. The purpose of the present study was to describe hypothetical evaluations in a sample of students mandated to an alcohol intervention, examine changes over time, and investigate the influence of both baseline and time-varying experienced consequences. METHOD: This study was a secondary data analysis from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial. Participants were 474 mandated students (Mage = 18.65; 55.5 % male, 77.6 % White). Students completed an initial baseline assessment of demographics, alcohol use, consequences, and hypothetical evaluations, and 3-month and 9-month follow-up assessments that included hypothetical evaluations and experienced consequences. RESULTS: Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analyses revealed significant change in hypothetical evaluations over time such that they became less negative. A piecewise model demonstrated that this change happened between baseline and 3-month, with no additional change between 3-month and 9-month. The experience of consequences at baseline did not significantly moderate changes in either time interval. Time-varying consequences also had no significant effect on same-timepoint hypothetical evaluations. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to examine changes in hypothetical evaluations over time among mandated college students. Counter to expectations, hypothetical evaluations became less negative at 3-month follow-up. Though preliminary, findings add to the understanding of hypothetical evaluations of alcohol-related consequences.

Relationship of attitudes for healthy nutrition with mindful eating, motivation to participate in physical activity, and academic success: A controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we examined the relationship between university students' attitudes toward healthy nutrition with mindful eating, motivation to participate in physical activity, and academic success. METHODS: A total of 497 healthy students aged between 21 and 38 were randomly selected from among senior students of the Faculty of Health Sciences and nonhealth-related faculties. In the study, a questionnaire form consisting of questions about the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants were used, along with the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN), Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity. RESULTS: The total scores of ASHN and MEQ were found to be significantly higher in those studying in health-related departments and those with high academic success. In addition, a significant inverse relationship was found between the total score of MEQ and BMI and waist circumference. A statistically significant and positive correlation was found between the total mean score of ASHN and the total mean score of MEQ and MSPPA. CONCLUSIONS: It has been concluded that the development of healthy eating and lifestyle habits in university students positively affects their academic success as well as their general health.

Childhood trauma and alcohol misuse in college students: The moderating role of minimization.

BACKGROUND: History of childhood trauma as a risk factor for alcohol misuse in early adulthood is very well documented. Given the associations between childhood trauma and alcohol misuse, more work is needed to understand the factors that influence this relationship. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between childhood trauma, minimization of such events and alcohol misuse in a French college student sample. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: A convenience sampling method was used to recruit students from several colleges located in Western France. The data set included 1180 records with complete responses. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional online survey. Data collection instruments included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short-Form (CTQ-SF) and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). RESULTS: The strength of the association between CTQ score and AUDIT total score was increased by minimization score (ß = 0.122, p = .07). This result suggests that under-reporting childhood trauma experiences tends to increase the impact of such events on alcohol misuse. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a tendency to minimize threatening childhood events may specifically be related to increased risk of greater alcohol misuse among college students. Therefore, it may be important for clinician to assess minimization of early events in students with a history of childhood trauma.

A confirmatory factor analysis of a revised motives for playing drinking games (MPDG-33) scale among university students in the United States.

AIM: Participating in a drinking game (DG) is common practice among university students and can increase students' risk for heavy drinking. Given the theoretical link between motivations to drink and alcohol use, careful consideration should be given to students' motivations to play DGs. In this study, we examined the factor structure, internal consistency, and concurrent validity of a revised version of the motives for playing drinking games (MPDG) scale, the MPDG-33. METHODS: University students (n = 3345, Mage = 19.77 years, SDage = 1.53; 68.8% = women; 59.6% = White) from 12 U.S. universities completed a confidential online self-report survey that included the MPDG-33 and questions regarding their frequency of DG participation and typical drink consumption while playing DGs. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated the 7-factor model fit the data adequately, and all items had statistically significant factor loadings on their predicted factor. All subscales had adequate to excellent internal consistency and were positively correlated with the frequency of DG participation and the typical number of drinks consumed while playing DGs (though the correlations were small). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the MPDG-33 can be reliably used in research and clinical settings to assess U.S. university students' motives for playing DGs.

Examining the Factor Structure and Correlates of Motives to Drink Before Attending a Virtual Social Event During COVID-19 Among University Students.

Background: Many university students pregame or drink before a social event. Pregaming carries some risk due to its link to heavy drinking. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was limited access to many drinking venues (e.g., bars/clubs). Moreover, universities shifted to a virtual format and imposed restrictions on in-person gatherings resulting in the reliance on virtual platforms for class instruction, meetings, and social events. The pandemic facilitated changes in students' drinking behaviors, stress levels, and how they maintained social contact with others. Thus, it is conceivable that during an academic pandemic year, students may have engaged in the act of drinking before attending a virtual social event. Objectives: In the present study, we examined the factor structures/item loadings of the Pregaming Motives Measure-Virtual (PGMM-V) among students (N = 283; Mage = 21.38; women = 69.3%; White = 45.4%, Hispanic = 40.8%) from seven universities who completed an online questionnaire (Spring/Summer-2021). Items from the original Pregaming Motives Measure (Bachrach et al., 2012) were modified to reflect motives to drink before attending a virtual social event. Results: We found evidence for a 2-factor structure model of the PGMM-V which includes social/enhancement and social ease/stress. Bivariate correlations indicated that social/enhancement and social ease/stress were (a) positively associated with frequency of drinking and alcohol consumption prior to attending virtual social events, and (b) general drinking motives (social/enhancement/coping) that align with these motives. Conclusions: The PGMM-V is a promising instrument that could be used in future research designed to understand students' pregaming behaviors for virtual social events as the use of such platforms are increasingly relied upon for social engagement.

Safer Bars: A cluster-randomized effectiveness evaluation of alcohol-related sexual violence prevention through bar staff bystander training.

BACKGROUND: Sexual assault is consistently associated with social contexts that support high levels of alcohol consumption such as alcohol-serving establishments (i.e., bars). The significant rates of alcohol-involved sexual assault among college students demonstrate the critical need for evidence-based efforts to reduce alcohol-involved sexual assault in this population. Although bystander approaches have demonstrated some promise for reducing alcohol-involved sexual assault, to date no published studies have examined the effectiveness of implementing bystander prevention approaches with bar staff. Given the robust evidence indicating that bars serve as hot spots for sexual aggression, interventions that improve bar staff's ability to identify and intervene in sexually aggressive situations may offer a useful approach for reducing rates of alcohol-involved sexual assault. METHODS: The Safer Bars study utilizes a cluster-randomized trial design that randomizes participants at the bar level into intervention and waitlist control arms. The sample includes bars (Nbars = 56) within a three-mile proximity to the three major public Arizona universities, with an average of 10 staff members per bar (Nstaff = 564). Assessments of individual-level and bar-level outcomes occur at baseline, training completion, and 3-months post-training, with an additional individual-level assessment at 6 months. Community-level effects are assessed using GIS data regarding police dispatches. CONCLUSION: Safer Bars represents a novel, theory-driven approach to promote effective bystander behavior among bar staff working in close proximity to university campuses to reduce rates of alcohol-involved sexual assault.

Sleep, Alcohol and Cannabis Use in College Students With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Background: Relations among attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleep, and substance-related negative consequences are largely unknown. In this cross-sectional study, we examined associations among ADHD diagnosis, sleep, and alcohol-related consequences. We also evaluated the independent and interactive effects of sleep and ADHD on alcohol-related negative consequences, above and beyond levels of alcohol use. Methods: College students who drink alcohol with (n = 51) and without (n = 50) ADHD completed an assessment that included a diagnostic interview assessing ADHD, and questionnaire measures of sleep quality, substance use, and associated consequences. Analyses utilized a series of hierarchical linear regression models and explored these aims for cannabis use in a subset of participants (n = 52 participants that used cannabis). Results: College students who drink alcohol with ADHD reported significantly worse sleep quality and more alcohol-related consequences, relative to those without ADHD. When ADHD and sleep quality were included in the model, ADHD-but not sleep quality-was independently associated with alcohol consequences, but not cannabis consequences. There were no moderating effects of ADHD on the associations between sleep and substance-related consequences. Conclusions: Students who drank alcohol with ADHD may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing poor sleep and consequences from their substance use, compared to their heavy drinking peers without ADHD. Future, larger scale studies should consider longitudinal effects as well as underlying mechanisms of risk.

Individual Differences in Substance Use Motives, Trauma, and Stress Among College-Based Polysubstance Users.

Background: Co-use of alcohol and other drugs within a certain time frame (i.e., polysubstance use) has become increasingly prevalent, particularly among college-aged individuals, but understanding motives for co-use remains limited. Polysubstance use has been associated with a higher likelihood of negative health consequences as compared to single substance use. Objectives: The current study examined associations between motivations for using alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis among college students who use multiple substances versus students using only one substance or no substances. Additionally, we examined the effect of trauma and daily stress on polysubstance use in self-report data from individuals (N=134) participating in the MAPme Study. Results: First, the observed prevalence of polysubstance use was greater than expected by chance, with most individuals co-using alcohol and cannabis. "Alcohol and Other Drug Users" were more frequently motivated to drink for social (ß=0.27, CI=[0.07, 0.44]), enhancement (ß=0.26, CI=[0.01, 0.42]) and coping (ß=0.21, CI=[0.06, 0.47]) reasons compared to individuals who consumed alcohol alone. Conclusions: Individual differences in motivations for use were partly explained by frequency of alcohol use and alcohol problem severity, but not by history of trauma or stress. Finally, while patterns of correlations among motivations for use across substances suggested a general tendency to be motivated to use substances for similar reasons, this was not supported by confirmatory factor models. Overall, shared motives may inform potential behavioral patterns for co-use of substances during college and might advise future treatment efforts.

Emerging adults tend to use multiple substances, particularly alcohol and cannabisCorrelation patterns suggest shared motives within rather than across substancesAlcohol problem severity and alcohol frequency predict motives for use.

Establishing Motivational Profiles to Drink among College Students: Converging Patterns Using Multiple Theories of Alcohol use.

Objective: While college student drinking has been studied utilizing many different theories and approaches, it is unclear how these theories may overlap in their explanation of problematic drinking. Rather than relying on one theory, examining overlap between multiple theories of alcohol use may lead to a better understanding of the motivational process underlying drinking behavior. The current study proposes that the Ambivalence Model of Craving, Behavioral Economics, and Alcohol Outcome Expectancy Theory account for the same underlying anticipatory process and sought to demonstrate this by establishing motivational profiles utilizing constructs within each theory. Methods: A total of 318 college student drinkers completed a series of surveys assessing their drinking behavior and the measures pertaining to each theory (i.e., Approach and Avoidance of Alcohol Questionnaire, Alcohol Purchase Task, Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire). A latent profile analysis was used to establish profiles of motivational tendencies. Results: Results from the latent profile analysis indicated four profiles emerged, three of which were consistent with our hypotheses: approach, avoidance, and indifferent. The fourth motivational profile appeared to represent drinkers with an emerging approach tendency but relatively newer to drinking. The lack of ambivalent profile suggests that avoidant tendencies may develop later in response to an accumulation of experience with drinking. Lastly, these profiles demonstrated expected relationships with drinking behavior. Conclusion: This study is unique in its attempt to highlight similarities between theories. Results provide a useful integration of theories to allow for a more generalized understanding of motivational tendencies that develop in response to drinking experiences.