Hazardous Drinking Mediates the Relation Between Externalizing Personality and Reduced Adherence to COVID-19 Public Health Guidelines in University Students

Overview

Journal Emerg Adulthood

Publisher Sage Publications

Date 2024 Apr 11

PMID 38603422

Authors

Vanessa Morris

Natasha Baptist-Mohseni

Naama B Kronstein

Clayton B Murphy

Fakir Yunus

Tabatha Thibault

Audrey Livet

Aram Mahmoud

Philippe Petrin-Pomerleau

Marvin Krank

Kara Thompson

Patricia Conrod

Sherry H Stewart

Matthew T Keough

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Using a multigroup path analysis, we examined if hazardous alcohol use mediated the relations between elevated externalizing personality traits (i.e., impulsivity or sensation seeking) and reduced adherence to COVID-19 public health guidelines. We hypothesized that those high in externalizing personality traits would demonstrate less adherence to public health guidelines and that hazardous alcohol use would mediate this relationship. First- and second-year undergraduates ( = 1232; ages 18-25) from five Canadian universities participated in a cross-sectional survey between January to April 2021. Individuals with higher levels of impulsive or sensation seeking personality traits demonstrated poorer adherence to COVID-19 public health guidelines and these relations were mediated by hazardous alcohol use. Results suggest that hazardous drinking is an important target for students high in impulsivity and sensation seeking to increase their adherence to public health guidelines and thereby help control viral spread.

Citing Articles

Relationship Between Personality Traits and Emotional Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Canadian Emerging Adults.

Moore M, Yunus F, Thompson K, Keough M, Krank M, Conrod P Emerg Adulthood. 2025; 13(2):363-377.

PMID: 40051415 PMC: 11879772. DOI: 10.1177/21676968241313068.

High peak drinking levels mediate the relation between impulsive personality and injury risk in emerging adults.

Yunus F, Standage C, Walsh C, Lockhart P, Thompson K, Keough M Inj Epidemiol. 2024; 11(1):5.

PMID: 38350989 PMC: 10863178. DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00487-4.

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