Emerging adults’ ADHD symptoms and alcohol use: the mediating role of specific aspects of self-regulation

Abstract This study explores the underlying mechanism of the relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms and alcohol consumption, an increasingly risky behavior among Emerging Adults (EAs), particularly for college students. The specific focus is on understanding if and how self-regulation, specifically its inhibitory and initiatory facets, mediates this relationship. ADHD symptoms, alcohol consumption, and self-regulation have been assessed using self-report measures in 337 EAs (M = 21.63, SD = 1.51, 19–28 years old) recruited from the general population. The results indicate that ADHD symptoms have significant direct and indirect effects on alcohol consumption through inhibitory, but not initiatory self-regulation, with an impact of socio-demographic characteristics as covariates. These findings expand the literature on the interplay between the different aspects of self-regulation in ADHD symptoms and their effects on alcohol use in college students. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of targeting inhibitory self-regulation in interventions, which could mitigate alcohol use and enhance overall outcomes for individuals with higher ADHD symptoms.