Association Between Alcohol Consumption, Self-Worth, and Social Connectedness

Authors: Christian Scrum, Zachary Costanza, Lina Begdache

Field of Study: Psychology

Program Affiliation: B-SMART

Faculty Mentors: Lina Begdache

Easel: 33

Timeslot: Morning

Abstract: This cross-sectional study examined whether alcohol consumption is associated with perceived self-worth and social connectedness among college students at a large public university. Anonymous online surveys were completed by 1,410 students aged 18 years or older, who reported their alcohol use using the AUDIT-C and rated self-worth and social connectedness using items from the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised on 6-point Likert scales. Pearson correlations indicated that heavier alcohol consumption was significantly negatively associated with perceived social connectedness and with aspects of self-worth related to emotional regulation, while self-worth and social connectedness were strongly positively correlated. These findings suggest that higher alcohol use may reflect and potentially intensify difficulties with emotional regulation and feelings of disconnection from others, highlighting the need for interventions that simultaneously target risky drinking, students’ self-worth, and their sense of belonging on campus.