Impulsivity, Binegativity, Drinking to Cope, and Alcohol-related Behaviors: A Moderated Mediation Model Among Bisexual Women

The present study examined a motivational pathway model whereby the relation between binegativity and alcohol-related problems was mediated by drinking to cope motives and alcohol consumption. The moderating role of impulsivity on the associations between binegativity, drinking to cope motives, and alcohol use outcomes was also examined. Data were collected from 225 self-identified bisexual women between the ages of 18 to 30 (M = 22.77, SD = 3.45) who participated in an online survey. Participants reported on their experiences of binegativity, drinking to cope motives, alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and impulsivity. Results revealed that drinking to cope motives and alcohol use sequentially mediated the relation between binegativity and alcohol-related problems. Thus, greater binegativity was related to greater alcohol-related problems through greater drinking to cope motives and subsequent elevated alcohol consumption. Impulsivity significantly moderated the relation between drinking to cope motives and alcohol-related problems, whereby the positive association between drinking to cope motives and alcohol-related problems was stronger for those who reported greater impulsivity. Although binegativity and impulsivity were positively related, impulsivity did not moderate the associations between binegativity, drinking to cope motives, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems. Findings from this study highlight binegativity and impulsivity as independent predictors of risky alcohol use behaviors. Such information could aid prevention and intervention programs aimed at reducing alcohol-related risks among bisexual women.