New study finds that romantic relationships mitigate effects of trauma on alcohol use among college students

April 22, 2021

A new study by EDGE Lab graduate student, Rebecca Smith, and Associate Director, Dr. Jessica Salvatore, to be published in a forthcoming issue of Addiction explores the effects of relationship status, partner alcohol use and relationship satisfaction on the association between interpersonal trauma and alcohol use among college students. 

College students report high levels of alcohol use, and there is evidence that this alcohol use is exacerbated by interpersonal trauma exposure. This study, based on reports from participants in the Spit for Science project, found that involvement in relationships, but not relationship satisfaction, appears to reduce the effects of interpersonal trauma exposure on alcohol use among US college students, while high partner alcohol use appears to exacerbate it.

To learn more about the study in Rebecca Smith's words, visit the VCU News Press Release.

To read the publication visit, A longitudinal study of the moderating effects of romantic relationships on the associations between alcohol use and trauma in college students