The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities

Introduction Unlike sex, the association between gender and high-risk drinking has been relatively understudied in post-secondary students. Gender expression may influence the use of protective coping strategies and beliefs about alcohol. Objectives This study evaluated associations between gender...

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Main Author: A. Bahji
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2022-06-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822006253/type/journal_article
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author A. Bahji
author_facet A. Bahji
author_sort A. Bahji
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Unlike sex, the association between gender and high-risk drinking has been relatively understudied in post-secondary students. Gender expression may influence the use of protective coping strategies and beliefs about alcohol. Objectives This study evaluated associations between gender expression, protective coping strategies, beliefs about alcohol, and high-risk alcohol use in post-secondary students. Methods We analyzed data from a cross-sectional study of 3,446 undergraduate students at two Canadian universities in October 2017. The primary outcome was high-risk drinking during the previous month, measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score. We evaluated gender expression (masculine, feminine, androgynous, and undifferentiated), protective coping strategies, and beliefs about alcohol using validated scales. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the association between gender expression and AUDIT scores. Results The most prevalent gender expression was androgynous (35.1% overall), while the undifferentiated role was the least prevalent (17.4% overall). Those who adhered to an androgynous gender role (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.90) were significantly more likely to engage in problem drinking. In addition, greater scores on the protective behavioural strategies scale were associated with reduced odds of problem drinking (OR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.95, 0.97) while higher alcohol saliency scores were associated with higher odds of problem drinking (OR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.13). Conclusions Higher protective behavioural strategies and lower alcohol salience beliefs were associated with lower alcohol use. Androgynous gender roles were associated with high-risk alcohol use. Disclosure No significant relationships.
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spelling doaj.art-214ebd248409409296a24ed8f3d4c68d2023-11-17T05:09:24ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852022-06-0165S242S24210.1192/j.eurpsy.2022.625The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universitiesA. Bahji0University of Calgary, Department Of Psychiatry, Calgary, Canada Introduction Unlike sex, the association between gender and high-risk drinking has been relatively understudied in post-secondary students. Gender expression may influence the use of protective coping strategies and beliefs about alcohol. Objectives This study evaluated associations between gender expression, protective coping strategies, beliefs about alcohol, and high-risk alcohol use in post-secondary students. Methods We analyzed data from a cross-sectional study of 3,446 undergraduate students at two Canadian universities in October 2017. The primary outcome was high-risk drinking during the previous month, measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score. We evaluated gender expression (masculine, feminine, androgynous, and undifferentiated), protective coping strategies, and beliefs about alcohol using validated scales. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the association between gender expression and AUDIT scores. Results The most prevalent gender expression was androgynous (35.1% overall), while the undifferentiated role was the least prevalent (17.4% overall). Those who adhered to an androgynous gender role (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10, 1.90) were significantly more likely to engage in problem drinking. In addition, greater scores on the protective behavioural strategies scale were associated with reduced odds of problem drinking (OR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.95, 0.97) while higher alcohol saliency scores were associated with higher odds of problem drinking (OR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.10, 1.13). Conclusions Higher protective behavioural strategies and lower alcohol salience beliefs were associated with lower alcohol use. Androgynous gender roles were associated with high-risk alcohol use. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822006253/type/journal_articleSurveyUniversity Mental Healthgenderalcohol
spellingShingle A. Bahji
The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities
European Psychiatry
Survey
University Mental Health
gender
alcohol
title The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities
title_full The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities
title_fullStr The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities
title_full_unstemmed The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities
title_short The association between gender expression, beliefs about alcohol, coping skills, and alcohol consumption in post-secondary students at two Canadian universities
title_sort association between gender expression beliefs about alcohol coping skills and alcohol consumption in post secondary students at two canadian universities
topic Survey
University Mental Health
gender
alcohol
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933822006253/type/journal_article
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