Big-Five personality domains predict drinking motives

Relations between the Big-Five personality domains and motivations for drinking alcohol were examined. Young adult drinkers (n=581) completed the Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised and the 100-item International Personality Item Pool questionnaire measuring the Big-Five personality domains. Multiple regression analyses revealed that personality domains predicted both external (Conformity and Social), and particularly, internal (Coping and Enhancement) drinking motives after controlling for usual weekly drinking levels, demographic variables and overlap between drinking motives. Replicating previous findings with the NEO personality scales, Coping motives were predicted by low Emotional Stability, and Enhancement motives were predicted by high Extraversion and low Conscientiousness. Additional relations not previously documented with the NEO personality scales were observed between personality domains and drinking motives (e.g., low Extraversion predicted Coping motives, and high Intellect/Imagination and low Agreeableness predicted Enhancement motives). Thus, converging evidence suggests the presence of personality vulnerability factors associated with risky internal reasons for drinking.