Citation

Lee CK, Feng JY. Psychol. Health 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/08870446.2024.2316680

PMID

38361382

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Undergraduate drinking is associated with childhood adversity, early alcohol experience, and drinker self-schema. However, the pathway linking childhood adversity to undergraduate drinking problems remains undefined. This study aimed to identify the effects of childhood poly-adversity on the sequelae of adolescent alcohol-use trajectory, drinker self-schema, and alcohol problems among undergraduates. We also examined whether adolescent alcohol-use trajectory and drinker self-schema mediated the effects of childhood poly-adversity on undergraduate alcohol problems.

METHODS: Baseline data from an ongoing prospective study, which included 851 first- and second-year full-time college students in Taiwan, were used. An anonymous online questionnaire was administered.

RESULTS: The results showed that low poly-adversity and high poly-adversity were associated with the mean of initial alcohol use frequency during adolescence and further alcohol problems at college than those with no adversity. High poly-adversity was also associated with the increase in alcohol use frequency during adolescence. Both initial and increase in alcohol use frequency were associated with higher drinker self-schema scores and further alcohol problems. The indirect effects of high poly-adversity on undergraduate alcohol problems were mediated through adolescent alcohol-use trajectories and drinker self-schema.

CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that early identification of childhood poly-adversity and interventions to decrease adolescent drinking may prevent the formation of drinker self-schema and reduce undergraduate drinking problems.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent drinking; Adverse childhood experience; child maltreatment; college drinking; self-cognition