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The Prospective Association of Negative Urgency With Hazardous Drinking Via Impaired Control: A Moderating Role of Alcohol Sensitivity.

J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2020 Jan;81(1):89-94

Authors: Martínez-Loredo V, Hendershot CS, O'Connor RM, Wardell JD

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Trait negative urgency is consistently associated with alcohol problems, and cross-sectional findings have suggested a mediational role of impaired control over alcohol. Initial evidence also suggests that individual differences in self-reported sensitivity to alcohol's effects may moderate the association between urgency and alcohol outcomes. The aim of this study was to replicate and extend these findings using prospective data.

METHOD: Young adult drinkers (N = 159, mean age = 18.87, SD = 1.16; 70.4% female) from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, completed an online survey at baseline and again 6 months later. Participants completed questionnaires measuring negative urgency, alcohol sensitivity, impaired control over alcohol, and hazardous drinking.

RESULTS: Moderated mediation analyses revealed that the prospective indirect association between negative urgency at baseline and hazardous drinking at follow-up (mediated via increased impaired control at follow-up) was significant only for young adults who reported relatively lower alcohol sensitivity at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS: Using prospective data from a unique sample of young adults, the present study partially replicates prior cross-sectional findings suggesting that the indirect association between urgency and hazardous drinking via impaired control over alcohol is moderated by alcohol sensitivity.

PMID: 32048606 [PubMed - in process]