Exploring psychological distress and impulsivity as predictors of undergraduate problematic alcohol use

Abstract

The goal of this research was to explore psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) and impulsivity as predictors of problematic alcohol use (PAU) among 481 undergraduate college students between the ages of 18 and 25. The results showed that only impulsivity was predictive of PAU. Controlling for other factors in the model, for every one-unit increase in impulsivity score, the odds were 2.3 times greater that participants would engage in PAU. Implications for counselors and stakeholders are discussed.