The cross-sectional and longitudinal relations between reasons for abstaining or limiting drinking (RALD) and abstention and alcohol consumption were examined in a sixteen-year longitudinal study (N = 489) of college students with and without a family history of alcohol problems. Results indicated that RALD based upon upbringing or religiosity were associated with increased rates of abstention, whereas RALD based upon perceived or experienced negative consequences of drinking were associated with lower rates of abstention and increased alcohol consumption among drinkers. In addition, changes in RALD over time coincided with alcohol consumption transitions. For example, abstainers who began drinking after turning 21 reported a decrease in the importance of RALD associated with loss of control and upbringing or religiosity compared to abstainers who continued to abstain after turning 21. Conversely, drinkers who began abstaining after leaving college reported an increase in the importance of RALD associated with loss of control and upbringing or religiosity compared to drinkers who continued to drink after leaving college. Examining the reciprocal influences of RALD on drinking outcomes extends previous research and may inform prevention and intervention programs among college drinkers.
Keywordsalcohol drinking attitudes; alcohol drinking patterns; cognitions; motivation; longitudinal studies
The Reciprocal Influences of Reasons for Abstaining or Limiting Drinking and Abstention Status in AdultsAddictive behavior can be conceptualized in terms of the relative strength of both impelling and inhibiting forces (Goldman, Del Boca, & Darkes, 1999;Jones, Corbin, & Fromme, 2001;Orford, 2001), though the majority of research has focused on the former (Adams & McNeil, 1991;Jones et al., 2001). Within the literature on impelling forces, both drinking motives (i.e. reasons for drinking) and positive alcohol outcome expectancies (beliefs about the positive consequences of drinking) have been shown to predict alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems (see reviews by Baer, 2002;Goldman et al., 1999;Jones et al., 2001), with drinking motives being more proximal indicators of consumption (Baer, 2002;Cooper, 1994). Parallel lines of research on inhibiting forces have examined abstention motives Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Amee J. Epler, 200 South Seventh Street, Psychology Building, Room 146, Columbia, MO 65211. AmeeEpler@mizzou.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: The following manuscript is the final accepted manuscript. It has not been subjected to the final copyediting, fact-checking, and proofreading required for formal publication. It is not the definitive, publisher-authenticated version. The American Psychological Association and its Council of Editors disclaim any responsibility or liabilities for errors or omissions of this manuscript version, any version derived from this manuscript by NIH, or other third parties. The published version is available at www.apa.org/journals/adb NIH...