Semester of Graduation

Summer 2026

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

College students with high social anxiety and heavy episodic drinking appear to consume alcohol more frequently and at greater quantities, presumably because individuals with higher trait social anxiety may be more responsive to the stress-response dampening effects of alcohol in social contexts due to appraisal disruption and activation of implicit social cognitions. However, little work has tested this hypothesis within a controlled lab-based setting. The current study tested whether the sequence of alcohol intoxication and induction of an anticipatory social stressor interacts with trait social anxiety to predict changes in anticipatory social anxiety, craving, implicit drinking identity, and implicit self-esteem. Undergraduate students with past month heavy episodic drinking (N = 51) received a moderate-to-large dosage of alcohol and instructions to prepare to make a good impression on a confederate. Sequence of alcohol administration and induction of anticipatory social stressor was manipulated between subjects. There was a significant interaction between condition and trait social anxiety on changes in implicit drinking identity, such that alcohol intoxication before induction of anticipatory anxiety (versus after) was associated with greater increases in implicit drinking identity among those with higher (but not lower) trait social anxiety. There was no significant impact of appraisal disruption on state social anxiety, craving, or implicit self-esteem. Findings shed light on the role of implicit drinking identity on heavier drinking among college students with higher levels of trait social anxiety and effects of appraisal disruption on state social anxiety, craving, implicit self-esteem, and implicit drinking identity.

Date

6-19-2024

Committee Chair

Julia D. Buckner

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31390/gradschool_theses.6004

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