Alcohol expectancies, coping responses and self-efficacy judgments: a replication and extension of Copper et al.'s 1988 study in a college sample.

Abstract

Social learning theory models of alcohol use have assumed an increasingly influential role in recent years. Despite their growing popularity, research on social learning theory models has focused almost exclusively on establishing the independent links among particular aspects of theory and indices of alcohol use and abuse. In response to the need for research that incorporates multiple aspects of theory into a testable framework, this article endeavored to replicate and extend the Copper et al. study in a college sample (Cooper, Russell and George, J. Abnorm. Psychol. Vol. 97, pp. 218-230, 1988). Subjects were 157 college student volunteers from a large midwestern university. Standard hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine both the simultaneous and incremental contributions of self-efficacy judgments, alcohol expectancies and coping responses to dependent measures of alcohol use and alcohol-related problem behaviors. Collectively, 22% of the variance in subjects' self-reported use of alcohol and greater than 50% of the variance in subjects' endorsement of alcohol-related problems was explained. Despite considerable overlap among the constructs measured, analyses also demonstrated that each variable accounted for significant and unique variance in the prediction of the criteria. These results provide considerable support for the application of social learning theory principles to the drinking practices of collegiate youth. In particular, the salience of social learning theory constructs as relevant risk factors was highlighted, as lower self-efficacy judgments, positive alcohol expectancies and reliance avoidant, emotion-focused coping strategies were significantly associated with increased alcohol consumption levels and greater endorsement of alcohol-related problem behaviors.