“Enhancers” and “copers”? Understanding drinking motives and alcohol use among international workers

Abstract

Alcohol is a prevalent drug worldwide. However, research has overlooked the reasons and contexts for alcohol consumption among international workers. This study addresses this research gap drawing upon motivational and contextual theories. An online survey targeted 870 international workers that include assigned expatriates, self-initiated expatriates, and migrants. Results indicate alcohol consumption among 89.2% of the respondents and heavy drinking among 5.8%. While migrants reported the lowest alcohol misuse, business expatriates reported heavy drinking, mainly at social events and business gatherings. The findings support the potential of distinguishing the drinking contexts and motives to predict unhealthy drinking among international workers’ cohorts.