AlcoholRelated Ecological Covariates of Identity Distress among College

Alcohol-Related Ecological Covariates of Identity Distress among College Students Nicolin Goodin and Nikole Rudis Mentor: Dr. Jessica Samuolis, Department of Psychology, Sacred Heart University INTRODUCTION Emerging adulthood is defined as the developmental period from adolescence to early adulthood (18 -25) (Arnett, 2000). During this age, a large number of young adults attend college. This time period is characterized by risky behavior, such as alcohol use (Schulenberg, 2017), as well as an extended process of identity exploration (Arnett, 2000). Alcohol use among college students can become problematic. According to NIAAA (2018), a large percentage of college students consumed alcohol (58%) and engaged heavy alcohol use (12. 5%) in the past month as based on the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The identity development process can become distressful for some youth (Berman, Montgomery, & Kurtines, 2004). One study on college students reported a rate of 9. 7% for identity disorder and 18. 8% for identity problems (Gfellner & Cordoba, 2011). Despite the nature of this developmental period as being characterized by both identity exploration and risky alcohol use, very little research exists that examines the association between alcohol use and identity distress. One promising approach to understanding this association is to utilize an ecological framework. An ecological framework considers multiple influences on behavior, including factors at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community and public policy levels (Mc. Leroy, Bibeau, Steckler, & Glanz, 1988). Examining ecological co-variates can offer insight into the multiple influences on behavior and serve as a meaningful way to inform health promotion (Mc. Leroy et al. , 1988). Specifically for college students, an examination of alcoholrelated covariates can provide insight on the association between alcohol use and identity distress. A range of potential alcohol-related ecological covariates exist that warrant consideration. These include individual characteristics such as perceptions and experiences, interpersonal factors such as peer influences, and a range of organizational, community, and policy factors such as aspects of the campus environment and the presence of alcohol-related policies and programs. An examination of the association of these factors with identity distress will provide a greater understanding of the confluence between alcohol use and identity distress and potentially inform prevention efforts. Additionally, identifying the extent to which alcohol use is associated with identity distress will add to the literature on this topic. OBJECTIVES 1) Identify the extent to which identity distress is associated with alcohol use among college students. 2) Examine the extent to which alcohol-related ecological factors co-vary with identity distress. METHODS Participants 599 undergraduate students enrolled in a private Catholic University located in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States The sample included: 74% female, 79. 5% white 100% enrolled full time 59% university housing, 41% non university housing 27% freshman, 22. 9% sophomore, 23% junior, 26. 4% senior Procedures An online survey was emailed to undergraduate students in February of 2018. Incentives included a raffle for 125 $15 gift cards to the university bookstore, a $400 gift card to Southwest Airlines, and an i. Phone X. Students were directed to a different link that was separate from the survey to register for the raffle. The study was approved by the university’s Institutional Review Board. Survey administration was part of a Connecticut Healthy Campus Initiative grant. METHODS Measures The Core Alcohol and Drug Survey (Long Form) (CORE: Presley, Meilman, & Lyerla, 1994) assesses alcohol and drug use behaviors, perceptions, related experiences/consequences, and characteristics of a campus environment. Scales utilized in current study were selected based on their assessment of the ecological covariates of interest (see Table 2). Alcohol use was assessed using the CORE item regarding the frequency of alcohol use within the last year. The Identity Distress Survey (IDS: Berman, Montgomery, & Kurtines, 2004) measures identity distress related to identity issues. The IDS includes 10 items that assess long term goals, career choice, friendships, sexual orientation and behavior, religion, values or beliefs, and group loyalties by asking participants to rate their levels of distress from ‘None at all’, ‘Mildly’, ‘Moderately’, Severely’ to ‘Very Severely’. This survey also assesses the degree and length of distress. An identity distress score can be calculated for each domain as well as for all of the identity domains combined. Internal consistency has been reported as 0. 84 with test-retest reliability of 0. 82, and the survey has demonstrated convergent validity with other measures of identity development (Berman et al. , 2004). RESULTS Rates of alcohol use were examined. Approximately 25. 7% of the sample never drank or six or fewer times a year, 28. 5% drank one to two times a month, 29. 5% once a week, 14. 7% three times a week, and 1. 5% five times a week within the last year. Rates of identity distress in the sample were also examined. A total score for identity distress was calculated by adding up all of the distress scores on each of the seven identity domains. Identity distress ranged from 7 to 35 with a mean of 12. 67 (SD=5. 018). Pearson’s correlations were run to determine the association between identity distress and alcohol use, as well as between each of the seven identity domains and alcohol use. There was a strong positive correlation between total identity distress and alcohol use which was statistically significant (r=. 083, p=. 042). The identity domains of long term goals (r=. 106, p=. 009) and values and beliefs (r=. 088, p=. 031) were also significantly correlated with alcohol use. Career choice was correlated at the trend level (r=. 078, p=. 056). Potential ecological covariates were selected based on the ecological framework utilized, which is described in Table 1 (Mc. Leroy et al. , 1988). Covariates were selected to represent each of the levels of the model. Pearson’s correlations and Point biserial correlations were run to examine the relationships between the alcohol-related ecological covariates and identity distress (see Table 2). Table 1. Mc. Leroy et al. (1988) Ecological Model Levels and Definitions ____________________________________ RESULTS Table 2. Correlations of Alcohol-Related Ecological Covariates and Identity Distress ____________________________________ Correlation Intrapersonal Level/frequency of alcohol use . 083* Preference for alcohol to be available -. 100* Perceived risk of regular/elevated alcohol use -. 039 Experience of substance use-related consequences . 217** Abide by university policy on alcohol and other drug use. 128** Perceived positive effects of alcohol . 134** Interpersonal Close friends’ feeling about your alcohol use -. 053 Perceived frequency of alcohol use of average student . 045 Drinking is a central part of social life . 138** Students care about problems associated with alcohol and other drug use -. 126** Experienced peer pressure to drink and use drugs . 250** Organizational Campus environment promote alcohol use. 177** Campus concerned about prevention of alcohol and drug use. 072 Community Campus has drug and alcohol prevention program. 118* Campus use of alcohol more or less than other campuses. 093* Policy Campus has alcohol and drug policies -. 008 _____________________________________ *Correlations significant at. 05 level **Correlations significant at. 01 level DISCUSSION The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between identity distress and alcohol use among college students by examining possible alcoholrelated ecological covariates and their association with identity distress. A range of alcohol-related ecological covariates were found to be significantly associated with identity distress. These covariates represented all but one of the ecological levels examined. For example, perceived positive effects of alcohol (intrapersonal level), peer pressure to drink and use drugs (interpersonal level), campus environment that promotes alcohol use (organizational level), and campus drug and alcohol prevention program (community level) were among the covariates that were significantly associated with identity distress. The current study had some limitations, such as a higher percentage of female participants and a higher percentage of Caucasian participants. Additionally, some ecological covariates were assessed with a single item, thus research utilizing more comprehensive scales is needed. The findings highlight the value and importance of looking at the variety of alcohol-related ecological factors that may be impacting students’ identity distress. The results also provide insight into the design and implementation of prevention programs addressing identity distress and alcohol use. Level of Ecological Model Definition ____________________________________ Intrapersonal Characteristics of the individual such as knowledge, attitudes, behavior, self- concept, skills, etc. Interpersonal Formal and informal social networks and social support systems, including family, work, and Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469 480. friends/peers Berman, S. L. , Montgomery, M. J. , & Kurtines, W. M. (2004). The development and validation of a measure of identity distress. Identity: An Organizational Social institutions with organizational International Journal of Theory and Research, 4(1), 1 -8. Gfellner, B. M. , & Córdoba, A. I. (2011). Identity distress, psychosocial maturity, and adaptive functioning among university students. Identity, characteristics and formal and informal 11(2), 136 -154. rules and regulations for operation Mc. Leroy, K. R. , Bibeau, D. , Steckler, A. , & Glanz, K. (1988). An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Quarterly, 15(4), 351 -377. Community Relationships among organizations, institutions, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Alcohol Facts and Statistics. NIAAA Fact Sheet, 2018. Available at: and informal networks within defined boundaries https: //www. niaaa. nih. gov/alcohol- health/overview-alcohol consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics. Presley, C. A. , Meilman, P. W. , & Lyerla, R. (1994). Development of the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey: Initial findings and future directions. Policy Local, state, and national laws and policies Journal of American College Health, 42(6), 248 -255. ____________________________________ Schulenberg, J. E. , Johnston, L. D. , O’Malley, P. M. , Bachman, J. G. , Miech, R. A. , & Patrick, M. 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