Role of Causality Orientations in Predicting Alcohol Use and Abstinence Self-Efficacy

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the present study, we examined the ability of Self-Determination Theory’s causality orientations to predict alcohol use and abstinence self-efficacy. We also provided suggestions for counselors supporting client and student autonomy in clinical practice. Objectives: This study sought to answer the following questions: (a) Does a person’s causality orientation (autonomy, control, and impersonal) predict their alcohol use? (2) Does a person’s causality orientation (autonomy, control, and impersonal) predict their temptation to use drugs and alcohol? (3) Does a person’s causality orientation (autonomy, control, and impersonal) predict their confidence to use drugs and alcohol? Method: We utilized Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk), a crowdsourced online labor market approach to collect data from a community sample. Results: The results suggest heightened impersonal orientation was predictive of increased alcohol use and increased temptation to use while control orientation was also predictive of increased temptation. Higher autonomous orientation was predictive of increased confidence to not use while impersonal and controlled were not. Conclusion: This study’s findings underline the importance of SDT in substance use prevention, initiation, and treatment, and open the door to more empowering interventions. Through the intentional use of SDT, individuals may feel more empowered to set and achieve goals, feel a greater sense of control in their lives, strengthening their overall autonomy.