Further, it appears that developmental changes in drinking motives, specifically coping motives, may be an important mechanism through which changes in both neuroticism and impulsivity relate to changes in alcohol problems. Littlefield, Sher, and Wood (2010) recently showed that changes in neuroticism and impulsivity also related to changes in coping motives, such that individuals that decreased in these respective personality constructs also tended to show more pronounced decreases in coping motives, which in turn predicted steeper decreases in alcohol problems. Overall, these findings suggest that the relation between changes in personality and alcohol problems are largely mediated by changes in coping motives and that these constructs should be considered together in a developmental framework (see Integrating Developmental Models of Alcohol, Personality, and Relevant Mediators section below).
