An Analysis of Social and Coping Alcohol Use Motives for College Students with Autistic Traits

Abstract

Background: Little is known about alcohol use among college students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), despite the increasing prevalence of college students with this diagnosis and/or with no formal diagnosis but who would meet criteria. Of concern, previous research suggests that individuals with ASD may be particularly vulnerable to the coping and social facilitation effects of alcohol use. Objectives: The present study examined the associated between autistic traits and alcohol use motives (social, coping, conformity, enhancement) in a sample of college students. Symptoms of social anxiety were assessed as a moderator and thought to enhance the associations between autistic traits and social and coping motives. Results: Findings revealed that both autistic traits and social anxiety were significantly and positively correlated with coping and conformity drinking motives. Additionally, a significantly negative correlation emerged between autistic traits and social drinking motives for participants with low social anxiety, and a similar pattern emerged for enhancement drinking motives. Conclusions: These findings suggest that college students with autistic traits may experience daily encounters or emotions that are alleviated by the mood-altering effects of alcohol; however, the specific feelings, emotions, or experiences that these individuals are looking to seek relief from remain understudied.

Keywords: Autistic traits; alcohol; college students; motives; substance use.