Post-college changes in the association between drinking motives and drinking-related problems

Evidence suggests that drinking cope (DTC) motivation becomes a greater risk factor for drinking-related problems as individuals progress through young adulthood. To test this, we examined how the effect of DTC motivation on a variety of drinking-related problems, controlling for drinking level, changed as individuals made the transition from college life to post-college life. We also included social, enhancement and conformity motives in our models to examine how their unique effects on drinking-related problems change across this developmental period. College students (N = 939) reported their drinking motives, drinking level, and drinking-related problems during college and again approximately five years later (post-college). Results showed that DTC motivation became a stronger positive predictor for drinking-related interpersonal problems, but none of the other problem types. Conformity motivation became a stronger positive predictor for five out of the six problem types examined and some evidence indicated that social motives become more protective post-college, showing unique negative associations with certain problems. Our findings highlight the need to better understand how the effects of drinking motives on distinct types of drinking-related problems might change as individuals advance through early adulthood.