Drinking patterns of college students with comorbid depression and anxiety symptoms: the moderating role of gender

Background: Students with anxiety or mood issues tend to engage in more problematic drinking, but less is known about those students with co-occurring anxiety and mood symptoms. Methods: This study compares rates of weekly alcohol use, hazardous drinking, and alcohol-related negative consequences in a sample of 699 college students with symptoms of comorbid anxiety and depression (35% of the sample) compared to their non-symptomatic drinking peers, as well as the moderating role of gender. Results: We found main effects of gender and comorbidity status such that participants with comorbid symptoms of anxiety and depression or who were male reported higher rates of weekly alcohol use, more hazardous drinking and more alcohol-related negative consequences than their non-symptomatic and female peers. We also found an interaction effect on alcohol-related negative consequences such that male participants with comorbid anxiety and depression reported more alcohol-related negative consequences than all other groups. Conclusion: These findings imply that while any student drinker with both anxiety and depression may be considered at higher risk for problematic drinking behavior, the risk of negative consequences in particular may be highest in the men of that group.