Internalizing Risk Factors for College Students' Alcohol use: A Combined Person- and Variable-Centered Approach

Native American/American Indian (NA/AI) and Multiracial (those who claim more than one racial group) people report notably high alcohol use compared to other racial groups in the United States. However, NA/AI and Multiracial college students also report differences in their motivations for drinking alcohol. Therefore, it remains unclear if Multiracial NA/AI individuals are at different risk for alcohol use and negative alcohol-related consequences, and if there are distinct patterns of risk factors for alcohol consumption in these understudied populations. Given that college-aged students are at particularly high risk for alcohol use, we used the AlcoholEdu for CollegeTM survey in an exploratory study to compare the association between initial drinking age, college location (urban versus rural), and alcohol use motivations and consequences between monoracial NA/AI (N = 2,359) and Multiracial NA/AI college-aged students (N = 6,263). Overall, monoracial NA/AI students reported higher incidences of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems such as blacking out and missing class, compared to Multiracial NA/AI students. Risk factors, including earlier drinking age, impacted monoracial NA/AI students more than Multiracial NA/AI students, leading to higher rates of missing class and impaired driving. Despite similar levels of Internal Coping motivations for drinking (e.g., to feel more confident or sure of yourself), monoracial NA/AI students reported drinking more than Multiracial students and experiencing higher rates negative drinking-related outcomes. These results suggest that Multiracial NA/AI students may draw on protective factors not accessible to monoracial NA/AI students, highlighting the need for tailored interventions for students at highest risk.

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An Examination of Emotion Regulation and Alcohol Use as Risk Factors for Female-Perpetrated Dating Violence

Violence and Victims ◽

10.1891/0886-6708.vv-d-13-00173 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 417-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Edwin Ortiz ◽

Ryan C. Shorey ◽

Tara L. Cornelius

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

College Students ◽

Emotion Regulation ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Dating Violence ◽

Physical Aggression ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Theoretical Models ◽

Psychological Aggression ◽

Equation Modeling

Dating violence is a serious problem among college students. Research indicates that females perpetrate as much, if not more, psychological and physical aggression against their dating partners relative to their male counterparts. Unfortunately, there is considerably less research on risk factors for female-perpetrated dating violence, hindering efforts aimed at preventing violence in their relationships. This study examined 2 risk factors for female-perpetrated dating violence, namely alcohol use and emotion regulation, within a sample of undergraduate female college students (N = 379). Using structural equation modeling, results demonstrated that emotion regulation was associated with psychological aggression perpetration, and this was partially mediated by alcohol use. Moreover, a 2-chain mediation was present, such that emotion regulation deficits predicted alcohol use, which in turn predicted psychological aggression, which finally predicted physical aggression. These findings are consistent with theoretical models of dating violence and indicate that intervention programs should focus their efforts on increasing adaptive emotion regulation, decreasing alcohol use, and reducing psychological aggression.

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The role of mindfulness skills in terms of anxiety-related cognitive risk factors among college students with problematic alcohol use

Substance Abuse ◽

10.1080/08897077.2017.1340394 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 337-343 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kristen M. Kraemer ◽

Emily M. O'Bryan ◽

Adrienne L. Johnson ◽

Alison C. McLeish

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

College Students ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Mindfulness Skills ◽

Problematic Alcohol ◽

Cognitive Risk ◽

Problematic Alcohol Use ◽

Cognitive Risk Factors

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Body Investment, Depression, and Alcohol Use as Risk Factors for Suicide Proneness in College Students

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000012 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 118-127 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Dorian A. Lamis ◽

Patrick S. Malone ◽

Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling ◽

Thomas E. Ellis

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

College Students ◽

Body Image ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Short Form ◽

The Body ◽

Symptoms Of Depression ◽

Life Attitudes ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Image Component

Background: Individuals who are less invested in their bodies, experiencing symptoms of depression, and consuming alcohol are at increased risk for engaging in suicidal behaviors. Aims: This study examined the relationships among three risk factors – body investment, depression, and alcohol use – and suicide proneness as measured by the Life Attitudes Schedule – Short Form (LAS-SF) in college students (N = 318). Methods: Path analysis was used to construct a causal model of suicide proneness. The Body Investment Scale (BIS) subscales were assumed to be causally prior to depression, which was in turn modeled as occurring prior to alcohol use, which was in turn modeled as prior to suicide proneness. Results: As expected, suicide proneness was positively predicted by alcohol use, alcohol use was positively predicted by depression, and depression was negatively predicted by the body image component of the BIS. Additionally, the body image-suicide proneness link was significantly mediated by depression and its direct effect on suicide proneness as well as by the two-mediator path of body image on depression on drinking on suicide proneness. Conclusions: Implications are offered for the improved identification and treatment of young adults at risk for suicidal and health-diminishing behaviors.

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