Risky Family Environment, Rumination, Drinking to Cope, and Problematic Alcohol Use: A Cross-National Examination...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Risky family environments, characterized by conflict, control, or aggression, are linked to negative outcomes.
• Problematic alcohol use is a significant concern among college students globally.
• Ruminative thinking and drinking to cope (DTC) are potential mediators in the relationship between adverse environments and alcohol misuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the indirect effects of risky family environments on negative alcohol-related consequences among college students.
• To examine the mediating roles of ruminative thinking and drinking to cope in a cross-national sample.
• To assess the generalizability of these relationships across gender and different countries.

Main Methods:

• A cross-national study involving 4016 college students from seven countries.
• Utilized a saturated path model to analyze the relationships between risky family environment, ruminative thinking, DTC, and alcohol consequences.
• Employed multi-group models to test for invariance across gender and country.

Main Results:

• A significant double indirect effect was observed: risky family environments were associated with increased problem-focused ruminative thinking.
• Problem-focused rumination was linked to higher levels of drinking to cope (DTC).
• Drinking to cope, in turn, predicted more negative alcohol-related consequences, with findings consistent across genders and countries.

Conclusions:

• Interventions aimed at reducing problematic alcohol use in college students should address risky family dynamics.
• Targeting problem-focused thought patterns is crucial for mitigating alcohol-related harm.
• Further research is warranted to establish causality and explore global influencing factors.