Objective: Drinking for emotion regulation may be a concern for college students who have experienced childhood maltreatment, due to high levels of shame and guilt. The present cross-sectional survey study tested how trait shame-proneness, trait guilt-proneness, and trauma-related guilt are differently related to drinking motives and how these…

Objective: College students experience a variety of stressors that can increase the risk for mental health concerns, like depression. It is crucial for practitioners working on college campuses to understand the relationship among stressful life events, depression, and coping strategies. The purpose of this study was to explore life stressors'…

Objective: Cannabis use in college students has increased over time and is linked to negative consequences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many students experienced greater stress, which could heighten cannabis use and related consequences. This study was designed to clarify motivations for cannabis use that may link pandemic-related stressors to…

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked with caloric overeating and weight gain. We employed a mediation analysis to determine whether pandemic-associated overeating was a direct effect of COVID-19-related anxiety (affect regulation theory) or mediated by a coping mechanism of escape eating (escape theory). A diverse pool of college…

Objective: To examine associations among college students' worry about COVID-19, use of healthy and unhealthy coping techniques, and sleep-related impairment. Participants: The sample consisted of 366 undergraduate students (M[subscript age] =19.48 ± 1.76 years, 63.4% women; 62.6% college freshman). Methods: University students completed a series…

Objective: We examined the associations between coping strategies in response to racism and distress symptoms. Sample: One hundred forty-four racially minoritized students at a northeastern university completed an online survey. Methods: Participants completed self-report active and emotion-focused coping and distress symptom (i.e., depression and…

Objective: Research indicates that coping styles mediate self-control and health outcomes. Emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies (eg, getting advice or planning) are used to address stressors. In contrast, avoidance-focused strategies (eg, substance use) are used to escape distress and are associated with greater alcohol problems. The…

Objectives: To investigate stress levels among Canadian female university students and determine cutoff scores for low, moderate, and high stress in this population. Participants: Hundred female undergraduates, mean age of 20.3 (SD = 1.8) years. Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed and students were approached in hallways at the start of…

Objective: Drinking more and drinking to cope increase undergraduates' likelihood of experiencing alcohol-related problems (ARP; e.g., driving intoxicated). In accordance with stress-coping models of addiction, anxiety about COVID-19 may motivate undergraduates to drink to cope, leading them to experience more ARP. However, this hypothesis has not…

Objective: To examine coping strategies in relation to student experience of food insecurity during the transitionary period from high school to college. Participants: Freshmen undergraduates (n = 231) enrolled in one of two public universities during December of 2021, living in traditional student housing. Methods: Participants were emailed a…

Objective: The secondhand effects of alcohol use (SEA) are adverse consequences caused by another's drinking. This study explored the relationship among the experience of SEAs, alcohol use, and alcohol related consequences (ARC). In addition, we examined whether coping (i.e., adaptive, maladaptive, substance use coping, maladaptive coping without…

Objective: The present study examined the moderating effect of coping flexibility on the association between the coping waiting patiently for interpersonal stressors and depression. Coping flexibility refers to devising and implementing suitable coping strategies according to the situation, coping was defined in this study as holding oneself back…

Objective: Examine the effects of a relaxation course with a mindfulness meditation component in a two-group pre-test and post-test non-randomized study design. Participants: Participants included 219 undergraduate students (experimental group: n = 103; control group: n = 116), 18-43 years old. Methods: Completion of measures of stress,…

Objective: This research examined how stressors experienced by college students within the first month of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with their reports of psychological distress, mindfulness, and coping strategies. Participants: Students attending 11 universities in the U.S. (N = 464, M age = 20.72, SD = 3.90, 91% female, 61% White, and…

Objective: This study aimed to explore the mental health status, coping strategies, and social support of international students in Canada. Participants: Undergraduate and graduate international students studying at one Canadian university participated in an online survey. Methods: The survey consisting of four assessments--the Mental Health…