Characterizing the dimensions of positive emotion functioning in young adult alcohol use and alcohol-related problems

• Published in: Addictive behaviors 2024-04, Vol.151, p.107950, Article 107950
• Main Authors: Emery, Noah N, Walters, Kyle J, Sung, Angelina, Douglass, Morgan A, Baumgardner, Susi, Mataczynski, Maggie J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Alcohol-Related Disorders; Emotions - physiology; Humans; Reinforcement, Psychology; Students - psychology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0306-4603; 1873-6327; 1873-6327
• DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2023.107950

Emotional functioning figures prominently in most contemporary models of alcohol use (Kassel & Veilleux, 2010). These models posit that alcohol use becomes reinforced due to its ability to regulate a person's affect (Sher & Grekin, 2007). A growing body of literature suggests that for youth, positive reinforcement (i.e., using alcohol to enhance positive feelings or to increase their duration) is a leading mechanism facilitating increased use (Emery & Simons 2020; Howard et al., 2015). However, few, if any, studies have examined the unique associations between multiple indicators of positive emotional functioning and alcohol use as well as alcohol-related problems. We aimed to fill this gap by using secondary data from large college student sample (N = 402) to characterize the unique associations between trait indicators of positive emotional functioning (i.e., positive affect, anhedonia, savoring, positive emotion dysregulation) and alcohol use as well as alcohol-related problems. Results indicated trait positive emotion dysregulation (difficulty managing intense positive emotions) was positively related to both alcohol consumption (IRR = 1.03, p =.019) and alcohol-related problems (IRR = 1.03, p =.001). Interestingly, trait savoring (i.e., ability to increase the intensity/duration of positive emotions) was positively related to alcohol consumption (IRR = 1.18, p =.049) and inversely related to problems (IRR = 0.86, p =.019). None of the other positive emotion indicators were significantly associated with either alcohol use or problems.