Graduation Year
2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
M.A.
Degree Name
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Degree Granting Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Robert Schlauch, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Judith Bryant, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jack Darkes, Ph.D.
Keywords
Alcohol Use, Contextual Factors, Drinking Motives, Social Connectedness
Abstract
Loneliness, a negative affective state that arises when someone perceives a lack of social connectedness, is a predisposing and maintaining factor of alcohol use behavior. Several studies have linked loneliness to drinking at the daily level and elevated AUD risk using longitudinal designs; however, cross-sectional studies have identified inconsistent patterns. The current study applied a multidimensional framework of loneliness (i.e., emotional and social dimensions) to examine daily relations between loneliness and drinking in an AUD sample (N = 60), with consideration of drinking context (social vs. solitary) as a moderator. Results indicated that emotional loneliness (within-person) was associated with increased drinking likelihood (OR = 1.09) and quantity (OR = 1.06), while social loneliness was associated with decreases in both drinking likelihood (IRR = .897) and quantity (IRR = .954). The effects of loneliness dimensions on drinking quantity did not vary as a function of drinking context. Exploratory analyses showed that emotional loneliness (between-person) was associated with coping (b = .042) and loneliness alleviation (b = .049) drinking motives, while social loneliness (within-person) was associated with enhancement (b = .053) motives for a given drinking occasion. The differential findings for emotional and social loneliness may be ascribed to differences in their subjective manifestations, in that emotional loneliness is a more severe form of loneliness that overlaps significantly with negative affective states, while social loneliness may be readily alleviated by adaptive behavioral strategies and/or social withdrawal. These findings offer important insight for interventions aimed at reducing loneliness and alcohol use behavior. Limitations and areas for future research are discussed with the goal of maximizing translational potential.
Scholar Commons Citation
Walsh, Brendan E., "Examining Associations Between Social and Emotional Loneliness and Drinking in a Clinical Sample with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD): An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study" (2024). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/10259
