Reclaiming freedom in the loss of control: The influence of locus of control and drinking motives on drinking frequency - Ana Stopa (2020)

Previous research has found that the personality construct locus of control, that is the degree to which individuals believe they have control over the events in their lives, is associated with substance misuse. However, mixed findings exist regarding the direction of the relationship, with high levels of both internal and external control being associated with increased substance use. These mixed findings may be explained by a potential moderating relationship involving drinking motives, as individuals with internally generated motives (i.e., coping, enhancement) may feel a greater sense of control as a result of their substance use as compared to those who engage in substance use for externally generated reasons (i.e., social, conformity). The purpose of this study was to examine whether frequent alcohol consumption is positively associated with greater internal locus of control scores and whether internally generated drinking motives interact with locus of control. Conducted at Lakehead University, the present study recruited 86 participants between 18 and 30 years of age through undergraduate courses, advertisements on campus, and social media. Participants completed in-lab questionnaires including basic demographics, as well as measuring alcohol usage, drinking motives, and locus of control. I used hierarchical multiple linear regression to analyze the data. Results showed no relationship between locus of control and drinking frequency, with interactions between drinking motives and LOC also having no influence on drinking frequency. The current findings support continued research into drinking motives, as it was the primary factor influencing drinking outcomes in this sample of young adults. The present study also supports additional studies into the relationship between locus of control and anxiety.