Exploring the 2-Component Approach to Reinforcing Substances Model (2- CARS) of alcohol across undergraduates from four countries

MEZQUITA, LAURA; BRAVO, ADRIAN J.; IBAÑEZ, M. I; GULLO, MATTHEW. J.; WOOD, A. J. ; PILATTI, ANGELINA; ORTET, GENERÓS

Madrid

Conferencia; 20th European Conference on Personality; 2022

Previous studies have found that personality characteristics are associated with approach motivation (i.e., Reward Drive, RD). Further, reduced capacity to inhibit reward-related behaviors (i.e., Rash Impulsivity, RI) are related to hazardous drinking through positive alcohol expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy, respectively. This model is known as the 2-Component Approach to Reinforcing Substances Model (2-CARS). The aim of the current study was to test the 2-CARS model in a large cross-national sample (N=1744) and explore if the model was invariant across undergraduates from U.S., Argentina, Spain, and Australia. The resulting Structural Equation Model showed adequate fit to the data (CFI=.973; RMSEA=.048, SRMR=.026). The indirect effects showed that RI was related to greater alcohol use through low drinking refusal self-efficacy (β=.10, 99%CI [-.14 -.06]) while RD was related through higher positive expectancies (β=.21, 99%CI [.15 .26]). Multigroup analysis showed only minor differences across countries, supporting the 2-CARS across nations.