Social anxiety among young adult drinkers: The role of perceived norms and drinking motives

The aim of the study was to examine the separate and combined influence of perceived norms, negative reinforcement drinking motives, and social anxiety on alcohol outcomes. Participants (N = 250) completed measures of injunctive norms, social anxiety, drinking motives, alcohol use, and alcohol-related problems. Data collection occurred in 2010. When examined separately, motives emerged as a stronger predictor of alcohol outcomes over norms. When tested jointly, findings suggest that for drinkers higher in social anxiety, normative perceptions are relevant and to such a degree that norms actually supersede their motivation to drink to conform. Implications and limitations are discussed.