PTSD Symptoms Mediate Academic Stress and Drinking to Cope in College Students

• Published in: Journal of drug education Vol. 45; no. 2; pp. 96 - 112
• Main Authors: Woolman, Erin O, Becker, Madelyn M, Klanecky, Alicia K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SAGE Publications 01-06-2015
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Adaptation, Psychological; Age Differences; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Anxiety; Check Lists; College Students; Coping; Drinking; Expectation; Female; Gender Differences; Grade Point Average; Humans; Likert Scales; Male; Mediation Theory; Nebraska - epidemiology; Online Surveys; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Predictor Variables; Questionnaires; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Stress Management; Stress Variables; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Trauma; Undergraduate Students; United States (Midwest); Universities; Young Adult; Nebraska; PTSD symptoms; academic stress; drinking to cope; college students
• ISSN: 0047-2379
• DOI: 10.1177/0047237915607282

Heightened perceptions of academic stress may increase college alcohol use behaviors, namely problem drinking and drinking to cope. Leading from prior research, the current study examined posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms as a mediator between academic stress and alcohol use behaviors. Undergraduate participants (N?=?200) completed an online survey battery. Results indicated that posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms mediated the relationship between academic stress and drinking to cope. Findings maintained after excluding the small portion of the sample without prior trauma. Results suggest that early trauma exposure may increase stress sensitivity, which is associated with elevated nontraumatic academic stress and stress-related symptoms. An increase in stress symptoms likely promotes drinking as a method of coping. Information on the role of trauma and stress may be incorporated into alcohol intervention programs.