Test and study worry and emotionality in the prediction of college students’ reasons for drinking: An exploratory investigation.

Abstract: 

Educational environments can place an exorbitant strain on the psychological well-being of students, and oftentimes students resort to substance use as a means to escape the stress of performance expectations. This study explored the influence of test and study worry and emotionality on students’ reported reasons for-consuming alcohol. The Reasons for Drinking Scale (RFD; Cronin, 1997) and Test and Study Attitudes Inventory (TSAI; Spielberger & Lunsford, 2001) were used to assess student reported reasons for consumption and test and study worry and emotionality, respectively. Results indicated that students who experienced test and study related worry and emotionality reported drinking for tension reduction more so than for soda/ camaraderie or mood enhancement. Further, women reported that mood enhancement and tension reduction were less likely to be reasons why they consume alcohol. These findings suggest that strategies to reduce test and study anxiety may also decrease alcohol consumption related to tension reduction.