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Trait-based affective processes in alcohol-involved "risk behaviors"
Tyler B Wray1, Jeffrey S Simons, Robert D Dvorak
1Department of Psychology, The University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, United States. tyler.wray@usd.edu
Addictive Behaviors
|July 10, 2012
Summary
Negative affect and low distress tolerance directly increase risk behaviors during drinking. Positive urgency indirectly boosts risk behaviors through higher alcohol consumption in college students.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Addiction Research
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Understanding the interplay between emotional states and alcohol-related behaviors is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
- Trait affect and distress tolerance are known to influence emotional regulation and decision-making, particularly under stress.
- Affect-based behavior dysregulation may mediate the relationship between emotional traits and problematic alcohol use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test a theoretical model linking trait affect, distress tolerance, and affect-based behavior dysregulation to alcohol use, extreme intoxication markers, and risk behavior.
- To differentiate between direct and indirect pathways of positive and negative affect on alcohol-involved risk behaviors.
- To examine the mediating role of behavioral dysregulation in the relationship between affective traits and alcohol outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the proposed theoretical model.
- Three alcohol-related outcomes were assessed: typical alcohol use, blackout drinking, and risk behavior.
- The model incorporated trait negative affect, positive urgency, distress tolerance, and affect-based behavior dysregulation.
Main Results:
- High trait negative affect and low distress tolerance were directly associated with increased risk behavior during drinking, mediated by behavioral dysregulation.
- Positive urgency's association with risk behaviors was indirect, occurring through increased alcohol consumption.
- Positive affectivity showed mixed effects, with an overall insignificant net impact on alcohol outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Distinct pathways exist between affect, alcohol use, and alcohol-involved risk behaviors in college students.
- Negative affect and poor distress tolerance represent direct risk factors for engaging in risky behaviors while drinking.
- Interventions targeting emotional regulation and distress tolerance may be effective in reducing alcohol-related risks.
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