Depressed and Drinking: A Daily Diary Study of Mood, Alcohol, and Behavioral Activation

Abstract

Young adults, compared to other age cohorts, are more likely to develop and experience depression and alcohol use disorders, singly or concurrently. Some interventions, including behavioral activation, have shown promise as potential concurrent treatment models for these concerns. Studies examining theorized behavioral activation treatment mechanisms alongside alcohol consumption and related factors, especially across multiple timepoints, are limited. We hypothesized that increased alcohol consumption (across timepoints) would be predicted by increased depression symptomatology, alcohol-related problems, and drinking to cope, as well as by decreased engagement with theorized behavioral activation treatment mechanisms. The current study (N = 109) explores these behavioral activation-, depression-, and alcohol-related factors in a college student sample through 22 daily online surveys. Results: alcohol-related problems and engagement with behavioral activation targets were both associated with alcohol consumption at baseline and only alcohol-related problems were predictive in longitudinal models of daily alcohol consumption, while in the weekly model, only the previous week's alcohol consumption and previous week's alcohol-related consequences were significant. These findings help to extend our understanding of the relation between depression, behavioral activation targets, and alcohol, and may help to refine mHealth or other interventions for this population.