When two separate sex-specific models were created, only females demonstrated significant mediation of LR through EXPECT and COPE to ALCOUT. These results may reflect prior reports that women might be more sensitive to the impact of alcohol expectancies on drinking practices [32, 33]. While not indicated in the prior literature [27, 34], the results might also support a greater meditational role for drinking to cope in females, at least within the LR-based model. However, the relationship of peer drinking to LR within the models was modest in both sexes, without evidence of mediation. In summary, the different rates of heavy drinking and alcohol problems in men and women might reflect, at least in part, the greater relationship of drinking in women to several mediators of the effect of a lower LR, as well as their higher overall LR per drink.
