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Degree

Master of Arts, Miami University, Psychology, 2005.

Abstract

Review of the literature will show that the presence of social anxiety is often linked to the presence of alcohol abuse. Additionally, previous work has focused on the link between the use of different defense mechanisms and alcohol abuse. The current study aims to merge these two perspectives and discover if the use of certain defense mechanisms and the presence of social anxiety, in a college-aged population, can be seen as risk factors for alcohol abuse and binge drinking. 286 students were recruited to complete measures on social anxiety, defense mechanisms, and drinking patterns. Results show that individuals low in social anxiety who employ immature defense mechanisms were more likely to have score highly on a measure of alcoholism, and individuals low in social anxiety who use either mature or immature defenses were more likely to binge drink. Additional analyses were also conducted, including a brief look at some demographic variables. Possible explanations of these findings, and limitations are discussed.

Subject Headings

Psychology, Clinical

Keywords

College Alcohol Abuse; Binge Drinking; Social Anxiety; Defense Mechanisms

Advisor

Karen Maitland Schilling

Pages

29p.

Document number: miami1114092616
Permalink: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1114092616

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