ASSOCIATIONS OF LONELINESS AND SLEEP WITH SOLITARY DRINKING AND DRINKING CONSEQUENCES

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Loneliness and sleep problems have been independently associated both with each other and with drinking-related impairment. However, much research investigating loneliness and sleep has not considered the social context of drinking. Of particular relevance, individuals may engage in solitary drinking as a means of managing both loneliness and sleep problems. This cross-sectional study tested (a) associations of loneliness and sleep quality with solitary drinking, and (b) associations of loneliness, sleep quality, and solitary drinking with drinking consequences. Methods & Data Online survey data were drawn from 184 past-year college drinkers (Mage = 18.73 [SD = 1.07];55% female;68% White) reporting on affect and substance use behavior six months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Logistic regression was used to detect differences in odds of past-year solitary drinking by loneliness and subjective sleep quality, and zero-inflated negative binomial regression was used to detect differences in drinking consequences by loneliness, subjective sleep quality, and past-year solitary drinking. All analyses controlled for sex, age, White race, depressive symptoms, and overall drinking frequency. Results: Loneliness, but subjective sleep quality, was positively associated with odds of past-year solitary drinking (OR = 1.11 [95% CI = 1.02, 1.21], p = .02). The relationship of loneliness with solitary drinking was attenuated to non-significance (p = .06) when the interaction between loneliness and sleep on solitary drinking was considered. Solitary drinking was associated with greater drinking consequences (RR = 1.28 [95% CI = 1.01, 1.59], p = .03), although neither loneliness nor sleep were associated with drinking consequences. Conclusions: College students may engage in solitary drinking to cope with loneliness, which may be particularly heightened in the context of pandemic-related social isolation;however, they do not appear to drink alone to manage sleep. Consistent with prior literature, findings highlight solitary drinking as a risk for greater drinking consequences, though null associations with loneliness and sleep suggest that additional risk factors for solitary drinking and associated consequences be explored.