The role of temperament in alcohol use among college students

Alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD) among young adults are important public health concerns. The high prevalence and negative effects of alcohol use suggests that there is a need for improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying alcohol use. The current study utilizes the model of adult temperament proposed by Evans and Rothbart (2007) as the framework with which to examine the interplay among temperament domains and alcohol use. Specifically, we examined individual and interactive associations among self-report ratings of positive affect, negative affect, effortful control, orienting sensitivity and alcohol use patterns, among a large sample of college students. ANOVA and linear regression analyses indicated that positive affect was associated with engagement in hazardous alcohol use and binge drinking. Furthermore, effortful control was associated with reduced engagement in overall alcohol use. These results corroborate and extend previous work which suggests that positive affect and effortful control temperament domains are linked to alcohol use patterns in college-age young adults. These findings may serve as an important step for informed decision-making about prevention and intervention efforts related to problematic alcohol use in young adults.