Turning To The Bottle For Answers: Identifying Racial Differences in Predictors of Risk Drinking Among College Women

Epidemiological data suggest that alcohol use and related problems have increased among college women. The current study examined psychosocial predictors of risk drinking in a sample of college women (N=360), whether race moderated this relationship. Potential predictors included: daily smoker; premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptom severity; age at first alcohol use, negative affect, parental history of alcohol problems and minority status. Analyses found that somatic PMS symptom severity score, age of first alcohol use, daily smoking, age of first alcohol use and non-minority status were related. Findings suggest that minority group membership was associated with low risk drinking, while somatic PMS severity scores were associated with high-risk alcohol use among White women. While further research is needed, current study findings suggest that screening college women for somatic symptoms of PMS and alcohol use may identify women at greater risk of developing alcohol use disorders.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Mickens, Melody

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dace Svikis

• Psychology
• Social and Behavioral Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/292

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-1291