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. 2017 Mar:66:101-107.
doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2016.11.009. Epub 2016 Nov 15.

Drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies as mediators of the association between negative urgency and alcohol consumption

Amber M Anthenien  1 , Jordanna Lembo  2 , Clayton Neighbors  2
Affiliations

Drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies as mediators of the association between negative urgency and alcohol consumption

Amber M Anthenien et al. Addict Behav. 2017 Mar.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether the effects of negative urgency, a unique facet of impulsivity marked by engaging in potentially unhealthy and rash behaviors in order to cope with anxiety or negative moods, on drinking behavior can be explained by positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies and specific drinking motives (i.e., coping and enhancement).

Methods: College students (N=194) completed web-based surveys in exchange for course credit. Students completed measures of negative urgency, comprehensive effects of alcohol, drinking motives, and alcohol use behaviors.

Results: Results of path analysis indicated significant indirect effects of negative urgency and alcohol use through both alcohol outcome expectancies and enhancement motives. The effects of enhancement motives on drinking were mediated by positive alcohol outcome expectancies. The effects of coping motives on drinking were not attributable to negative expectancies.

Conclusions: Individuals high on negative urgency may consume alcohol in order to ameliorate their emotional distress due to strong desires to increase positive and decrease negative experiences associated with drinking. Emotion-focused impulsivity's influence on drinking outcomes can be ascribed to enhancement motives for drinking as well as positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies. Prevention efforts should target drinking motives and alcohol outcome expectancies among those higher in negative urgency.

Keywords: Alcohol outcome expectancies; Alcohol use; Drinking motives; Negative urgency.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

All authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Model depicting the effects of negative urgency, enhancement motives, and positive and negative alcohol outcome expectancies on college students’ drinks per week.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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