A Network Analysis of Negative Affect and Risky Alcohol Use.

BACKGROUND

Negative affect is a well-established risk factor for problematic drinking, but little is known about how specific emotional and behavioral symptoms interact. Network analysis provides a framework to examine these symptom-level connections.

OBJECTIVES

This study explored (1) the network of negative affect symptoms, (2) the network of risky alcohol use behaviors, and (3) the integrated network linking the two domains.

METHODS

Data came from 13,250 adults in the 19th wave of the Korean Welfare Panel Study. Seven negative affect and seven risky drinking items were analyzed using a Gaussian Graphical Model with graphical lasso regularization. Centrality indices identified core nodes.

RESULTS

Negative affect items formed a dense cluster, with "felt that people disliked me" and "felt sad" emerging as central. Risky alcohol use behaviors also clustered tightly, with "failure to fulfill obligations due to drinking" most central. In the integrated network, direct links were limited, but key bridges connected sadness with drinking-related regret, and perceived difficulty with alcohol-related harm.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight social rejection, sadness, and functional impairment as central elements in emotion-alcohol interactions. Although domains were largely distinct, bridging nodes suggest potential intervention targets. Emotion-focused strategies may help reduce risky drinking.