Anxiety and Drinking: Are Personal Beliefs Regarding Control and Unpredictability Relevant?

Abstract

Anxiety and drinking problems are fairly common, and it is important to know what factors affect these issues. Previous studies document that control beliefs are associated with anxiety and drinking. Unpredictability beliefs correlate with anxiety, yet whether they relate to drinking is unknown. The present study explored these relationships in a sample of adults (N = 150; 40.0% female; M = 34.4 years old) and in a sample of college students (N = 182; 74.7% female; M = 18.9  years old). Among adults, unpredictability beliefs correlated with anxiety and control beliefs, but not drinking. Similarly, control beliefs correlated with anxiety but not drinking. Furthermore, anxiety and drinking were uncorrelated. Among undergraduates, unpredictability and control beliefs predicted anxiety, whereas unpredictability (pertaining to the self and others) and internality predicted frequency of drinking. Personal unpredictability beliefs emerged as having the strongest association with anxiety across both samples. Future research and treatment should take into account unpredictability beliefs when addressing anxiety problems.

Keywords:

• Anxiety
• drug and alcohol use
• locus of control

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Jennifer McDuff, Stacie Wynne, Nathan Wills, Caitlyn Hood, Joanna Wensing, and Jen Wright for assistance with data collection and entry.

Disclosure Statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lisa Thomson Ross

Lisa Thomson Ross is a social psychologist who teaches in the psychology department and the women’s and gender studies program at the College of Charleston. Her primary research area focuses on sources, correlates and consequences of unpredictability beliefs and experiences, especially family chaos. Secondary research interests include humility and the benefits of compassion.

Jazmine Hasty

Jazmine Hasty is a recent psychology graduate from the College of Charleston. Her areas of interest include anxiety, unpredictability beliefs, and nostalgia.