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Positive Urgency, Drinking Preoccupation, and Alcohol Problems in College Students
Timothy Regan1, Bethany Harris1, Morgan McCredie1
1Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
Substance Use & Misuse
|March 2, 2022
Summary
High positive urgency in students is linked to alcohol problems, especially with increased drinking. Managing positive mood and drinking thoughts can help prevent negative consequences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Addiction Research
- Public Health
Background:
- Positive urgency, a form of impulsivity linked to positive mood, may increase focus on alcohol.
- Understanding this link is crucial for developing effective alcohol interventions.
- College students are a key demographic for studying alcohol consumption patterns and related issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between positive urgency, drinking preoccupation, and alcohol-related problems.
- To examine how drinking patterns moderate the influence of positive urgency on alcohol problems.
- To identify potential targets for interventions aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm in students.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional online survey of 756 university students.
- Measurement of trait positive urgency, drinking preoccupation, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems.
- Linear regression analyses to test indirect effects and conditional relationships.
Main Results:
- An indirect effect was found between positive urgency and alcohol-related problems, mediated by drinking preoccupation.
- This relationship was stronger for students with more days of alcohol consumption in the past 30 days.
- Positive urgency influences alcohol problems through increased focus on alcohol, particularly with higher consumption.
Conclusions:
- Elevated positive urgency may lead to greater preoccupation with alcohol, increasing negative consequences with higher consumption.
- Interventions should address managing intense positive moods and alcohol-related cognitions in college students.
- Findings support tailored alcohol control strategies for university populations.
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