The study analyzed the moderating role of emotion regulation in the relation between sensitivity to reward, sensitivity to punishment and alcohol outcomes among hazardous drinking college students. Alcohol outcomes measured were drinking days per week, drinks per drinking day, and binge drinking days per week. We predicted that students with higher sensitivity to reward would report higher levels of alcohol consumption, and that sensitivity to punishment would not be associated to any alcohol use. Finally, we hypothesized that emotion regulation would moderate the relation between sensitivity to reward, but not sensitivity to punishment, and alcohol outcomes. Specifically, those higher in sensitivity to reward and low in emotion regulation were expected to report more frequent and heavier alcohol use. The study found that emotion regulation did not play a moderating role nor was it significant when any of the main effects were examined. However, the study did find that sensitivity to reward was significantly correlated with drinks per drinking day and binge drinking days per week.

I'd like to thank my mentor, Dezarie Moskal, my advisor, Stephen A. Maisto, and my Honors reader, Sarah E. Woolf-King, for dedicating their time and energy into ensuring my success on this project. All of your help was greatly appreciated.

Links to Project Materials:

College of Arts & Sciences 2021, Social Science Projects 2021, 2021