Childhood sexual abuse, distress, and alcohol-related problems: Moderation by drinking to cope

Previous studies have found relationships between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and problem alcohol use. However, few studies have explored mechanisms that may explain this relationship. The present study examined whether (a) distress mediated the relationship between CSA and both heavy drinking and alcohol consequences, (b) coping motives for drinking moderated the paths between distress and both heavy drinking and alcohol consequences, and (c) these relationships remained significant after controlling for other forms of abuse/trauma. Three hundred ninety-five undergraduate women completed survey measures of childhood abuse/trauma, alcohol use/consequences, distress, and drinking motives. Data were analyzed using path analyses. Results supported a moderated-mediation model in which distress mediated the relationship between CSA and alcohol consequences, but only among those who endorsed coping motives for drinking. After controlling for other forms of abuse/maltreatment, the moderated-mediated pathway was no longer significant, but there remained a direct path between CSA and alcohol consequences. The present study provides support for tension-reduction models of alcohol use among CSA-exposed women and demonstrates the moderating role of coping motives. The present study also highlights the need for future studies to control for other forms of abuse/trauma and suggests that other mechanisms and contextual variables need to be explored to explain the CSA/alcohol-use pathway.