Using Sleep Quality and Alcohol Expectancies as Predictors for Problematic Alcohol Use

College students who experience problematic alcohol use report poorer health and endorse more health-related problems, like sleep deprivation, than their counterparts who engage in safer alcohol consumption behaviors (Demartini & Carey, 2009; Ham & Hope, 2003). Students who engage in higher rates of problematic alcohol use also report the anticipated effect of relaxation and tension reduction as part of their decision to consume alcohol than students who do not engage in problematic alcohol use (Brown, Christiansen, & Goldman, 1987). The link between sleep problems and the use of alcohol as both a relaxant and sleep aid increase the risk for the development of alcohol-related problems (Brower, 2001). The current study supported previous literature in regards to the effectiveness of the Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS) in improving sleep quality and lowering the strength of endorsed tension-reducing alcohol-related expectancies due to their influence on sleep quality. Additionally, the study found that a predictive relationship between alcohol related expectancies and problematic alcohol use in that an increased number of alcohol related expectancies predicted higher rates of problematic alcohol use. Future research could look to see if the effect of sleep quality and tension reducing alcohol expectancies on problematic alcohol use is evident in a larger population as well as examine the effect of the inclusion of sleep and health-related information during the BASICS intervention in reducing risky drinking behaviors