Anxiety Sensitivity in Association With Alcohol-Related Behaviors Among College Students: The Role of Negative Urgency

Abstract

Extant work has documented the relationship between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and problematic alcohol-related behaviors. However, research on the underlying mechanisms may serve to better explain their association. The present study tested the hypothesis that AS would exert an indirect effect on alcohol-related behaviors through negative urgency among a sample of 507 college students (74.4% female; mean age = 22.07 years; SD = 3.83; age range: 18-47 years) who reported at least one heavy episodic drinking (HED) event in the previous month and at least one lifetime sexual partner. Alcohol-related behaviors included sex-related alcohol negative consequences, negative consequences of alcohol use, and alcohol-related protective behavioral strategies. Results indicated that AS was not directly related to alcohol-related behaviors after accounting for negative urgency. However, AS did yield a significant indirect effect through negative urgency for sex-related alcohol negative consequences, negative consequences of alcohol use, and alcohol-related protective behavioral strategies. These findings remained significant after controlling for gender, age, fraternity/sorority membership, number of lifetime sexual partners, negative affectivity, and typical drinking in the past month. Findings provided novel empirical evidence that, among college students, AS may be a risk factor for alcohol-related behaviors indirectly through negative urgency. Overall, the present investigation extends the growing body of literature aimed to explicate the relationship between AS and alcohol-related behaviors and may aid in intervention approaches among college students.