Live Poster Session: Zoom Link
Avivi Li
Avivi Li is a Senior at Wesleyan University, Double Majoring in Psychology and Theater. She works as a Lab Assistant in Reasoning and Decision Making Lab, and previously in Culture Emotion and Social Image Lab.
Abstract: Generalized anxiety disorder often co-occurs with alcohol use, yet the mechanisms linking these conditions remain unclear especially in all age groups. The study examined current generalized anxiety and alcohol consumption among adults who report a lifetime diagnosis of generalized anxiety and determine if this association is moderated by whether individuals self-medicate to treat their anxiety by alcohol or are treated by doctor-prescribed medication. Data showed that current generalized anxiety disorder alone was not significantly related to alcohol use; however, a strong and significant interaction emerged: individuals who drank to avoid anxiety showed markedly higher chance of alcohol consumption when currently anxious, whereas those who did not self-medicate showed no such pattern. Receiving medical treatment predicted lower alcohol use and did not moderate the anxiety–alcohol link. These findings highlight self-medication as a critical pathway connecting anxiety to alcohol use.
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