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Dissertation_Chang, Y-Chun2.11 MB
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Dissertation
AFFECT, EMOTION REGULATION, ALCOHOL USE, AND CONTEXT IN DAILY LIFE
Washington State University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
05/2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7273/000007337
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to extend the existing literature on the cross-sectional mediating effect of negative emotion regulation difficulties (NERD) between negative affect (NA) and alcohol use to using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to distinguish the between- and within-person effects. We also examined if positive emotion regulation difficulties (PERD) served a similar mediating role between positive affect (PA) and alcohol use. Additionally, we examined whether affective instability or affect intensity provided better predictive validity for daily emotion regulation and alcohol use. Method: 118 young adults (69.5% female at birth, 80.5% White) reporting risky drinking completed a baseline survey, followed by 15 consecutive days of EMA. During this period, participants completed assessments up to six times a day, reporting their NA/PA, NERD/PERD, alcohol use, and problems, and self-initiated a drinking report whenever they were about to engage in alcohol use. Two-level multilevel structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the associations between- and within-person levels. Results: NERD significantly mediated the relationship between NA and alcohol-related outcomes at the between-person level but not at the within-person level. Specifically, individuals who experienced higher daily NA relative to others tended to report greater NERD, which, in turn, was associated with alcohol problems directly (b = .050, SD = .019, 95% BCI [.018, .090]) or through alcohol use (b =.027, SD = .017, 95% BCI [.001, .067]). However, PERD did not mediate the relationship between PA and alcohol use at either level. Additionally, affect intensity demonstrated better model fit and predictive validity for daily emotion regulation and alcohol-related outcomes than affective instability. Conclusion: NERD functions as a risk factor at the between-person level rather than within individuals. Individuals with higher NA relative to others tended to report greater NERD, which in turn contributed to increased overall alcohol use and problems in daily life.
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Details
- Title
- AFFECT, EMOTION REGULATION, ALCOHOL USE, AND CONTEXT IN DAILY LIFE
- Creators
- Yi-Chun Chang
- Contributors
- Benjamin O. Ladd (Chair)Renee E. Magnan (Committee Member)Michael J. Cleveland (Committee Member)Susan E. Collins (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Department of Psychology
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 107
- Identifiers
- 99901221253501842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation