Evaluating distress as a moderator of the relationship between drinking identity and hazardous drinking during the post-college transition.

Drinking identity (the extent to which one associates the self with drinking alcohol) is a robust predictor of young adult hazardous drinking (HD; heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems), and decreases in drinking identity have been linked to the decline in HD that often occurs following college graduation. Identifying moderators is key to recognizing who is most at risk for continued HD given a drinking identity vulnerability. Using data from a longitudinal study of graduating college students from the U.S., we evaluated distress (depression, anxiety, stress symptoms) as a potential moderator. Between- and within-person components of drinking identity and distress were evaluated to consider both individual differences and variations within a person across time and changing contexts. Study hypotheses and data analysis plan were preregistered. Graduating college students who met HD criteria (N = 422) completed implicit and explicit drinking identity measures (assessed using reaction time and self-report measures, respectively), distress symptom questionnaires, and self-reported alcohol consumption and problems at four-month intervals for 2.5 years. Results supported moderation at the between-person level for alcohol consumption, with higher levels of implicit drinking identity and distress linked to greater subsequent alcohol consumption. Only between-person main effects for (explicit) identity and distress were linked to more subsequent alcohol-related problems. Though moderation findings were mixed, having a stronger drinking identity and/or greater distress was linked to continued HD risk in this sample. Individuals with these risk factors may benefit from enhanced prevention efforts to help graduates transition out of HD post-college.