Stress is a significant predictor of alcohol use (Dawson, Grant, & Ruan, 2005; Hasin, Keyes, Hatzenbuehler, Aharonovich, & Alderson, 2007) and associated problems (McCreary & Sadava, 1998; 2000). Stressful life events, including discrimination experiences (Bux Jr., 1996), are believed to challenge an individual’s coping resources, leading to the use of alcohol in an effort to regulate negative affect (e.g., Greeley & Oei, 1999). Coping motives—which refer to the “strategic use of alcohol to escape, avoid, or otherwise regulate negative emotions” (Cooper, Frone, Russell, & Mudar, 1995, p. 991)—are robust predictors of alcohol-related problems, including alcohol dependence (Carpenter & Hasin, 1998). Stress is associated with stronger coping motives for drinking, which in turn account for the relationship between stress and increased alcohol consumption (Ham & Hope, 2003; Park, Armeli, & Tennen, 2004).
