Dr. Vernig published this longitudinal, multi-site study of college students’ drinking motives as predictors of later development of symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder with noted psychologist Dr. Susan Orsillo. Using a new statistical modeling technique not previously used in this area of research, he found that first-year college students who used alcohol to numb depression or increase positive emotions at the start of the semester were more likely to have problems with alcohol by the end of the semester. Despite years of focusing on peer pressure as a driver of problem drinking in college, Dr. Vernig’s research suggests that an alternate focus on the role alcohol plays in student’s emotions, in addition to their social circle, should serve as a target for prevention. The study was published in the Journal of Substance Use, where Dr. Vernig was later invited to join the Editorial Board.
Abstract
Alcohol misuse among college students is well-documented, and cross-sectional research has identified attempts to cope with unpleasant emotions, enhance pleasant emotions, facilitate social interactions and conform to peers as distinct motivational pathways impacting alcohol- related consequences. Despite these findings, results from the prospective literature have been mixed. In the current study, a multi-institutional sample of first-year college students was surveyed at two points in time to measure alcohol-related problems and students’ drinking motives. Cross-lagged structural models indicate that pleasant emotion enhancement and depression coping motives were positively related to changes in alcohol-related problems over time. These results suggest interventions and prevention programs which focus on students’ use of alcohol to alter their emotions should be given greater attention.
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