Testing a Cognitive-Motivational Model of Drinking Behaviour in a University Student Sample

The overall aim of the current thesis was to develop and test a cognitive-motivational model of drinking behaviour in a university student sample. Cognitive-motivational theory (e.g., Cox & Klinger 1988; Briener, Stritzke, & Lang, 1999) provides a framework in which decisions about drinking can be evaluated. By developing an understanding how university students make decisions about drinking contributes to understanding the processes underlying drinking behaviour and consequently the complexity of alcohol use. Cognitive-motivational theory recognises that alcohol use is a goal directed behaviour in which people use alcohol to achieve certain outcomes; further, it emphasises both the importance of separating approach and avoidance to alcohol, and the role of different cognitive-motivational variables in predicting drinking behaviour. The variables discussed in the current thesis include: alcohol outcome expectancies, motives and inclinations. The literature on cognitive-motivation and alcohol use was reviewed in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2 of the current thesis, the measurement of drinking behaviour in university student samples was reviewed. Attention was drawn to limitations in previous research which has focused only on binge drinking in student samples. It was argued that drinking behaviour is multidimensional, and consequently to best understand decisions about drinking, and drinking behaviour, theory should seek to explain: usual frequency of alcohol consumption, usual quantity consumed, frequency of feeling intoxicated, peak quantity of alcohol consumed, and alcohol related problems. These dimensions allow theory to explore the multidimensionality of alcohol use in university students. Subsequent studies in the thesis used these measures of drinking behaviour. The assessment of cognitive-motivational constructs; namely: alcohol outcome expectancies, motives, inclinations and refusal self efficacy expectancies was reviewed in Chapter 3.. Psychometric properties of assessment tools were reviewed, and for questionnaires which had not previously undergone confirmatory factor analysis, the analysis was performed in the chapter. In Chapter 4 the separation of approach and avoidance motivation, which is a key premise of cognitive-motivational theory was examined. Analyses using a sample of 490 university students supported the hypothesis that approach and avoidance are conceptually distinct. This enabled the exploration of competing motivation. An evaluative space proposed by Briener et al. (1999) was employed to investigate competing motivation; the evaluative space resulted in the identification of four different motivational dispositions: avoidance, ambivalence, approach and indifference. The different motivational dispositions were found to have different patterns of drinking behaviour, and endorsed different patterns of cognitive-motivational variables. In Chapters 5 and 6 a cognitive-motivational model of drinking behaviour was developed and tested using path analysis and structural equation modelling. Initially in Chapter 5 the goodness of fit of both a two-pathway approach-avoidance model adapted from Cox and Klingers (1988) motivational model and Briener et al.s (1999) ambivalence model; and a three-pathway strong approach-approach-avoidance model adapted from McEvoy, Stritzke, French, Lang and Ketterman (2003) was tested in a sample of 490 university students. The two-pathway model was a better fit to the data. In Chapter 6 the goodness of fit of a two-pathway model was tested in a longitudinal sample of 172 participants who had completed a seven month follow-up study. Results supported the goodness of fit of the two-pathway model over time. Expectancy theory (e.g., Bandura, 1978) highlights the difference between outcome expectancies and self efficacy expectancies, however to date only outcome expectancies have been included in cognitive-motivational research. The aim of Chapter 7 was to investigate the influence of drinking refusal self efficacy (DRSE) on the avoidance pathway of the two-pathway model. DRSE refers to the ability to resist drinking; therefore in the context of the two-pathway approach-avoidance model it was considered particularly important in understanding decisions not to drink. Thus, the influence of DRSE was investigated in relation to only the avoidance pathway. In the chapter both moderation and mediation hypotheses were tested. The results demonstrated that self efficacy both moderates, and partially mediates, the relationship between negative alcohol outcome expectancies and alcohol related problems. Further, DRSE mediated the relationship between avoidance motivation and drinking behaviour. The results were significant both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. In the final chapter of the thesis the findings presented in earlier chapters were consolidated. Theoretical implications of the findings were discussed in relation to Cox and Klingers motivational model and Briener et al.s ambivalence model. Further, in the discussion the current findings were applied to understanding behaviour change, and to practical applications that can inform the development of interventions for heavy drinking university students. Finally, limitations of the present research and directions for future research were discussed