PREDICTORS AND IMPLICATIONS OF VALUES CLARITY IN FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS.

Abstract

The importance of clarifying personal values has gained popularity in brief interventions recently, but little is known about factors that predict clarity in values or the benefits of values clarity in non-clinical populations. First-year college students and their mothers (99 dyads) completed an online survey where they rated the importance of 20 values and students indicated how they thought their mothers would rate each value. An overall values clarity score was created for both dyad members by taking the mean across the 20 values. Students reported their alcohol use in the past 30 days and their emotional wellbeing. Results revealed that students who perceived their mothers to have strong values clarity reported having greater values clarity themselves and consistent with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) principles, students with higher values clarity scores reported drinking less frequently, fewer instances of binge drinking, and greater positive affect.