Moderating Role of Emotion Regulation in the Relationship Between Perceived Stress and Alcohol Use Among Nigerian Adults.

Abstract

Alcohol use is a significant public health concern globally, with Nigeria experiencing increasing rates of
consumption and related health consequences. Stress has been identified as a major risk factor for
alcohol use, yet not all individuals experiencing stress resort to alcohol, suggesting the presence of
moderating psychological factors such as emotion regulation strategies.This study examined the
moderating role of emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) in
the relationship between perceived stress and alcohol use among Nigerian adults.Participants (N = 331)
were drawn from Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria. They completed standardized self-report measures,
including the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and
Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ). Data was analyzed using the Hayes' PROCESS macro for
SPSS.Moderation analyses showed that cognitive reappraisal significantly weakened the relationship
between perceived stress and alcohol use (B = –.38, p< .001). Similarly, expressive suppression
moderated this relationship, albeit with a slightly weaker effect (B = –.38, p< .001). Gender was also a
significant predictor, with men reporting higher alcohol use than women (B = 1.21, p<.001).Emotion
regulation strategies play a critical role in mitigating stress-induced alcohol use. These findings
underscore the need for targeted interventions promoting adaptive emotion regulation strategies to
reduce alcohol misuse in the Nigerian population.