Date of Award
5-2020
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Michael Madson, Ph.D.
Advisor Department
Psychology
Abstract
This study evaluated the mediating role of coping styles (problem-solving and avoidance coping) on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and alcohol outcomes (i.e. hazardous drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences [ARNC]). A national sample of 672 traditional age (i.e. 18-25 years old; M = 22.35, SD = 1.97) college students who reported alcohol consumption in the past month were recruited via Amazon’s Mechanical Turk website. Participants were 55.1% male and 60.9% White, and they completed measures of PTSD symptoms, coping styles, hazardous drinking, and ARNC. Problem-solving coping (an adaptive form of coping) mediated the positive relationship between PTSD symptoms and hazardous drinking such that PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with problem-solving coping, which was negatively associated with hazardous drinking. Avoidance coping mediated the positive relationship between PTSD symptoms and ARNC through a positive association between PTSD symptoms and avoidance coping. These novel findings highlight the importance of adaptive coping styles as a protective factor for college students experiencing co-occurring PTSD symptoms and harmful alcohol use.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Freeman, Tatum, "PTSD Symptoms and Alcohol-Related Outcomes in College Students: The Mediating Role of Positive and Negative Coping Styles" (2020). Honors Theses. 697.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/697
Comments
Honors College Award: Excellence in Research