Associations of stress mindset with problematic alcohol use and human flourishing: an exploratory path analysis

Stress is an inevitable part of life that can have positive or negative effects depending on one's beliefs about stress (stress mindset). Having a more stress-is-enhancing mindset may lead to better physical and psychological health outcomes, but its associations with alcohol-related outcomes have not been examined. This study assessed whether stress mindset was associated with problematic alcohol use and human flourishing, and whether these associations were mediated by perceived stress and loneliness.

The analytic sample included 202 adults [mean age = 42.0 years old, 51.5% male, 46.0% White, and 41.6% with a history of alcohol use disorder] who completed self-reported measures of stress mindset, perceived stress, loneliness, problematic alcohol use, and human flourishing. Correlational and path analyses were conducted.

Higher stress mindset scores (viewing stress as more enhancing) were correlated with lower perceived stress, lower loneliness, lower problematic alcohol use, and higher human flourishing. Perceived stress was a significant mediator of the associations between stress mindset and both outcomes, such that higher stress mindset scores were indirectly associated with lower problematic alcohol use and higher human flourishing via lower perceived stress. Loneliness mediated the association between stress mindset and human flourishing, such that higher stress mindset scores were associated with higher human flourishing via lower loneliness.

The promotion of a stress-is-enhancing mindset is relevant to alcohol intervention as it may help individuals view stress in more adaptive ways and activate social support that has the potential to reduce problematic alcohol use and foster human flourishing.