Gender Differences in Transdiagnostic Predictors of Problematic Alcohol Consumption in a Large Sample of College Students in Ecuador.

Rafael Sánchez-Puertas,Pablo Ruisoto,Carla López-Núñez,Silvia Vaca-Gallegos

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.784896

Abstract

BackgroundAlcohol use is one of the main risk factors that leads to detrimental health effects and support for a transdiagnostic approach to alcohol use disorders is growing. However, the role of transdiagnostic predictors of problematic alcohol consumption in Ecuador are understudied.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine gender differences in psychological stress and inflexibility as transdiagnostic predictors of problematic alcohol consumption in a large sample of college students in Ecuador.MethodsA total of 7,905 college students (21.49 years, SD = 3.68; 53.75% females) were surveyed using the following standardized scales: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Perceived Stress Scale-14, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-7). Macro Process for SPSS (models 4 and 7) was used to analyze mediation and moderation effects.ResultsReported alcohol consumption was significantly higher in men than women students. On the other hand, women reported significantly higher levels of perceived stress and psychological inflexibility than men students. Gender, age, psychological stress, and inflexibility were significant predictors of alcohol consumption. Moreover, psychological inflexibility mediated the impact of stress on alcohol consumption, particularly in women (for men b = 0.065, 95% CI [0.048 to 0.083], for women b = 0.070, 95% CI [0.051 to 0.089]).DiscussionResults of this study support psychological stress and psychological inflexibility as critical transdiagnostic variables related to increased rates of alcohol consumption among Ecuadorian college students. These conclusions contribute to the development of transdiagnostic comprehensive programs, which encompasses promotive, preventive, and treatment services that allow to alleviate the burden of alcohol, as well as to enrich the growing research on alcohol consumption in this population from a gender perspective.

Highlights

According to the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018, among young adults between the ages of 20–39 years old, approximately 13.5% of all deaths are the result of alcohol consumption; the peak of alcohol consumption in young adults falls between the 20 and 24 years (World Health Organization, 2018), corresponding with college ages
Psychological stress plays a crucial role within this transdiagnostic emotional vulnerability model, and it is defined as a subjective perception of not being able to control or foresee the results of our behavior (Cohen et al, 1983), which has been related to alcohol use disorders (AUD) in college students (Anthenelli, 2012; Keyes et al, 2012; Karyotaki et al, 2020)
We examined whether psychological inflexibility and psychological stress mediate the relationship between gender and alcohol consumption, and whether psychological inflexibility mediates the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption, moderated by gender

Summary

Introduction

According to the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2018, among young adults between the ages of 20–39 years old, approximately 13.5% of all deaths are the result of alcohol consumption; the peak of alcohol consumption in young adults falls between the 20 and 24 years (World Health Organization, 2018), corresponding with college ages. A new transdiagnostic approach is proposed, which goes beyond the traditional diagnostic limits, and can provide a new perspective into how to account for AUD and other mental health problems, having a better classification system, compared to the existing standard (Dalgleish et al, 2020) This new approach arises from a series of findings that suggest that the commonalities between the different disorders should be taken into account for evaluation and treatment (Nolen-Hoeksema and Watkins, 2011). In this context, some transdiagnostic factors have drawn special attention in AUD and other mental health-related problems, being psychological (in)flexibility one of the key transdiagnostic clinical variables. The role of transdiagnostic predictors of problematic alcohol consumption in Ecuador are understudied

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