Motives to drink as mediators between childhood sexual assault and alcohol problems in adult women

Two models are proposed to relate maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and alcohol-related problems for women with a history of childhood sexual assault (CSA). The distress coping model suggests only one motive-drinking to cope with negative emotions-mediates the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems. The emotion regulation model suggests two motives mediate the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems: drinking to cope with negative emotions and drinking to enhance positive emotions. These models were tested in a random community sample of 697 women, ranging from 25 to 75 years old. Both motives partially mediated the relationship between CSA and alcohol problems. Effects were small, but reliable.