Unravelling the role of drinking motives in the relationship between stress and alcohol use and its related problems

Abstract

Background: A widely held assumption is that one way in which people can cope with stress is by drinking alcohol.

Aims: To investigate to what extent drinking motives moderate the possible effect of stress on alcohol use and its related problems, that is, circumstances under which stress is more likely to lead to alcohol use and its related problems.

Method: Multiple regression analyses on cross-sectional data of a convenience sample of 179 Dutch students.

Results: The role of drinking motives is non-existent in the stress–alcohol relationship.

Conclusion: There is limited evidence-based support for the widely held assumption that people cope with stress by drinking alcohol, and drinking motives cannot be used as an alternative explanation to account for stress-related effects on alcohol use and its related problems.

Keywords:

• alcohol use
• alcohol-related problems
• drinking motives
• mental health and alcohol use
• stress