Daily impulsivity is associated with alcohol use and problems via coping motives, but not enhancement motives. (1st March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stamates, Amy L.; Lau-Barraco, Cathy; Braitman, Abby L.
• Is Part Of: Drug and alcohol dependence. Volume 232(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-03-01
• Subjects: Impulsivity -- Motives -- Ecological momentary assessment -- Alcohol use -- Young adults; Drug abuse -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109333
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0376-8716

Abstract

Abstract: Background: The present study sought to determine daily associations between impulsivity, coping and enhancement motives, alcohol use, and alcohol problems in the natural environment. Methods: Participants were 89 (47 women) heavy drinking, college students from a university in the southeastern U.S. who completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment study. Each day, participants completed three random reports of momentary impulsivity and indicators of drinking motives and two additional reports at the beginning and end of any drinking occasions. Results: A series of multilevel mediation models were tested to examine indirect effects from impulsivity to alcohol use and alcohol problems through coping and enhancement motives. At the within-person level, results revealed that greater than usual impulsivity experienced prior to drinking was associated with greater coping motives, and this in turn was associated with greater number of drinks consumed that day (all p values <0.001). A similar indirect effect was revealed when impulsivity predicted alcohol problems that day through coping motives ( p values range: <0.001 to .01). Greater enhancement motives than usual were associated with greater number of drinks consumed and alcohol problems experienced that day ( p values range: <0.001 to.001), but associations with impulsivity were nonsignificant. Conclusions: Findings supported daily fluctuations in drinking to cope motives as a salient mechanism explaining the link between daily impulsivity and level of alcohol use and alcohol problems. Fluctuations in daily impulsivity were associated with changes in motivations to drink which may benefit efforts aimed at reducing alcohol harms among young adults. Highlights: Multilevel mediation was used to examine study associations. Day-level impulsivity was positively associated with coping motives. Day-level impulsivity was positively associated with drinking via coping motives. Day-level enhancement motives were positively associated with drinking that day. Day-level enhancement motives were not associated with day-level impulsivity.