The moderating role of perceived social support and perceived stress in the relationship between executive functions and alcohol use among university students.

Abstract

Background and objectives: This study investigated the relationship between executive functions and alcohol use among Turkish university students, with a specific focus on the moderating effects of perceived social support and perceived stress.

Methods: Data were collected from 504 students (435 women, 69 men) via an online survey conducted between January and March 2025. Participants completed self-report instruments measuring executive functions, perceived social support, perceived stress, and alcohol use risk (BAPI-K). Descriptive analyses were conducted in IBM SPSS Statistics, while structural equation modeling and moderation analyses were performed in RStudio using the lavaan and interactions packages.

Results: Executive functions were significantly and negatively associated with alcohol use (P < .001). Although the direct effects of perceived social support and perceived stress on alcohol use were not significant, both variables significantly moderated the relationship between executive functions and alcohol use. Specifically, a stronger negative association between executive functions and alcohol use emerged when perceived social support was low and perceived stress was high.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that the protective impact of executive functions on alcohol use depends on students' psychosocial context. Interventions aiming to reduce alcohol use should not only enhance executive functioning but also address levels of social support and stress. Integrating these psychosocial components may improve the effectiveness of prevention strategies targeting university student populations.