Do Coping Motives and Perceived Impaired Control Mediate the Indirect Links from Childhood Trauma Facets to Alcohol-Related Problems?

A Test of the Self-Medication Hypothesis Using a Latent Measurement Model: Are Stress and Impaired Control over Alcohol Mediating Mechanisms of Parenting Styles on Heavy Episodic Drinking and Alcohol-Related Problems among University Students?

INTRODUCTION

The self-medication hypothesis (SMH) suggests that individuals consume alcohol to alleviate stressful emotions. Still, the underlying mechanisms between stress and heavy episodic drinking remain to be explored. Impaired control over drinking (IC) reflects a failure of self-regulation specific to the drinking context, with individuals exceeding self-prescribed limits. Parenting styles experienced during childhood have a lasting influence on the stress response, which may contribute to IC.

METHOD

We examined the indirect influences of parenting styles (e.g., permissive, authoritarian, and authoritative) on heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems through the mediating mechanisms of stress and IC. We fit a latent measurement model with 938 (473 men; 465 women) university students, utilizing bootstrap confidence intervals, in Mplus 8.0.

RESULTS

Higher levels of authoritative parenting (mother and father) were indirectly linked to fewer alcohol-related problems and less heavy episodic drinking through less stress and IC. Maternal permissiveness was indirectly linked to more alcohol-related problems and heavy episodic drinking through more stress and, in turn, more IC. Impaired control appeared to be a mediator for stress and alcohol-related problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal permissiveness contributes to the use of alcohol to alleviate stress. Thus, reducing stress may reduce problematic heavy drinking and alcohol problems among emerging adults with high IC who may also have experienced permissive parenting. Stress may exacerbate behavioral dysregulation of drinking within self-prescribed limits.

The ad-libitum taste test as measure of momentary alcohol use in the laboratory: an investigation of construct validity and confounding factors

RATIONALE

The ad-libitum taste test is a widely used covert measure of motivation to consume alcohol in the laboratory. However, studies on its construct validity and potential confounding factors are scarce.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the construct validity of the ad-libitum taste test by examining the association of ad-libitum alcohol consumption with typical alcohol use and craving, and investigating potential moderation by trait anxiety, depressiveness, current mood, and drinking motives.

METHODS

A sample of 264 young male individuals were offered two 0.33 l glasses of beer. Participants were instructed to rate the characteristics of each drink, while the percentage of beverages containing alcohol consumed was assessed. Associations of ad-libitum consumption with typical alcohol use and craving were assessed using non-parametric and piecewise regressions. Moreover, moderator analysis with trait anxiety, depressiveness, current mood, and drinking motives was carried out.

RESULTS

Ad-libitum alcohol consumption was associated with typical alcohol use and alcohol craving. However, these associations decreased at high consumption levels. Associations between ad-libitum consumption, typical alcohol use, and craving were stable across several conditions, except that the association between ad-libitum consumption and craving increased with higher social, conformity, and coping drinking motives.

CONCLUSIONS

The ad-libitum taste test appears to be a valid measure of the motivation to drink alcohol in laboratory studies in young male adults, although this validity might be compromised at high levels of ad-libitum consumption. Consideration of these factors can contribute to further refining the ad-libitum taste test as a valuable tool for assessing motivation to consume alcohol in laboratory studies.