The impact of motives-related feedback on drinking to cope among college students

Motives for alcohol use are associated with distinct antecedents and consequences. Drinking alcohol to cope with negative affect is consistently associated with the most problematic patterns of use. Interventions targeting drinking to cope are needed. This randomized controlled treatment trial is an initial attempt to evaluate the impact of a brief coping motive-specific personalized feedback intervention on motives and problematic outcomes associated with drinking. The study randomized 170 participants to receive either a brief Standard Feedback Condition (SFC; n = 83) or a Motives Feedback Condition (MFC; n = 87) that added education and feedback on drinking to cope as well as alternative coping strategies. Significant reductions in drinking to cope with anxiety and with depression were greater in the MFC at the 2-month follow-up. Significant reductions in drinking and negative consequences were observed but did not differ significantly by condition. Indirect tests showed that the MFC, relative to SFC, was associated with outcomes of drinking and negative consequences through change in drinking to cope with depression. Moderation analyses revealed that there were no differential outcomes according to baseline level of coping. This study is a promising new direction in motives research, providing support for brief personalized feedback interventions incorporating motives-related feedback.