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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate which alcohol use expectancies could predict harmful use in the French Army, to identify some hypotheses concerning socializing or coping effects.
METHODS: A cross-sectional survey, using self-administered questionnaires, was conducted in two Army units in 2011 (n = 249). Drinking disorders were identified using the Alcohol use disorders identification test (AUDIT). Alcohol expectancies were measured with the Alcohol Effects Questionnaire (AEFQ). A cluster analysis was performed to identify AEFQ dimensions in our sample. Relationships between AUDIT and AEFQ were explored using multinomial logistic regression.
RESULTS: According to AUDIT, 28.8% of soldiers had a hazardous use without dependence and 19.9% were dependent. The AEFQ had a good internal coherence with a 0.78 global alpha coefficient. The scales identified by the cluster analysis in our sample fitted those retained in the originally validated AEFQ, with a correspondence ranging from 60% to 100%. In multivariate analysis, the scale Social and physical pleasure was associated with increasing hazardous use and subjects who had greater Global positive and Social and physical pleasure scales were more at risk of dependence.
CONCLUSION: The present study, in line with previous research in terms of importance of alcohol use disorders among military personnel, suggests that soldiers may not only use alcohol as an individual strategy to cope with underlying depressive disorders, but also as a collective strategy to increase group bonding to cope with the difficulties of military profession.
Language: en |