Coping patterns associated with alcohol-related negative consequences among college women

Although research consistently confirms links between avoidant coping and alcohol consumption and its consequences, such studies have relied on reports of typical coping, without addressing the consistency and variability therein. The present study used multiple regression analyses to predict alcohol-related consequences and consumption from background characteristics and coping with stress in two life domains (work/school). Avoidance coping was associated with consequences across the life domains but not with consumption. Relying on avoidant coping to handle stressors at work or school, in conjunction with being single and reporting a greater family history of alcohol problems accounted for 18.3% of the variance in alcohol consequences. Avoidant coping and acceptance of responsibility for personal stressors, along with being relatively younger and reporting a relatively greater family history of alcohol problems accounted for 17.7% of the variance in alcohol consequences. Evidence of both cross-situational consistency and specificity in coping associated with problematic alcohol use was found.