Life Stress, Alcohol Addiction Personality & Alcohol Addiction: Evidence from Tsunami Resettles in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Perceived Life Stress in adults is one of the main reasons for alcohol consumption in many countries. This study aimed to (i) evaluate the relationship between life stress and alcohol addiction, and (ii) evaluate the related personality traits of alcohol addiction. Exploring the relationship between Alcohol Addiction Personality (AAP), Alcohol Addiction and Perceived Stress in the Sri Lankan context is relatively unexplored. The study was based on a sample of 50 alcohol users and 50 non-alcohol users among Tsunami Resettles in Southern Province in Sri Lanka. The average age of respondents was 24 years. Two clusters were selected to collect data using the stratified cluster sampling method. Addictive Proven Personality, Alcohol Addiction, Perceived Life Stress were measured using already developed scales with necessary changes. Correlation analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) were conducted to test the relationship between life stress, addictionprone personality, and alcohol addiction. The results indicated that: 1) The Life Stress is significantly associated with predicting alcohol addiction, 2) Psychoticism and neuroticism personality traits associated with alcohol addiction, 3) Extraversion personality has a negative significant association with alcohol addiction 4) There is a reciprocal relationship between life stress and alcohol addiction. Findings suggest that the scales used in this study could assist to diagnose addictive personality. This understanding is significant to provide suitable interventions to prevent alcohol addiction and perceived life stress. The personalized treatment approach highlights that stress management strategies in those who have a clear connection between stress and alcohol addiction will become particularly significant.