Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Rates of alcohol and anxiety disorder comorbidity are high in adult populations. Yet, we know little about how risk unfolds early on. The undergraduate years are a time when alcohol misuse is commonplace, but most people mature out of heavy drinking when they take on adult roles. Evidence suggests that those who drink to cope are less likely to mature out, and this is concerning given that heavy drinking puts individuals at risk for alcohol use disorder. The goal of the proposed project is to examine anxiety as a predictor of impeded maturing out of alcohol misuse during the transition out of university. Behavioural theories offer a useful framework for thinking about anxiety-motivated drinking. The anxiety (behavioural inhibition) system is thought to lead to alcohol misuse, but the degree of this relationship depends on activation of the impulsive (behavioural approach) system. These systems are thought to influence alcohol attitudes (i.e., 'alcohol will reduce my tension'), which in turn promote risk. We hypothesize that young adults high in anxiety, who are also impulsive, will not mature out of alcohol misuse post-university graduation. A 12-month preliminary study, as part of a larger 6-year study, is proposed. One hundred and thirty undergraduates will complete baseline clinical assessments prior to graduation. Following graduation, participants will complete assessments online, three times, at three-month intervals. Transitioning out of university has inherent stressors. For those high in anxiety, this may be a period when patterns of problematic drinking are solidified. This research may have implications for how we think about, and thus intervene in, heavy drinking during periods of transition.