Zeynep Erdoğan YILDIRIM
Addicta The Turkish Journal On Addictions - 2026;13(3):331-337
Risky alcohol use is highly prevalent among university students and can lead to severe mental health complications. This study examined whether life satisfaction moderates the association between the personality trait of conscientiousness and anxiety among emerging adults who engage in risky alcohol use. The sample comprised 70 university students aged 18-29 who scored 3 or above on the Addiction Profile Index Risk Scanning Scale-Alcohol. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Addiction Profile Index Risk Scanning Scale-Alcohol, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-Short Form, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Moderation analysis (Model 1) demonstrated that conscientiousness was negatively associated with anxiety and that life satisfaction significantly moderated this relationship. Higher conscientiousness predicted lower anxiety at low and moderate levels of life satisfaction, whereas this association was attenuated and became non-significant at high levels of life satisfaction. These findings suggest that life satisfaction operates as a protective psychological resource and that the mental health effects of conscientiousness should be interpreted within a broader well-being framework, particularly in preventive efforts targeting risky alcohol use among university students.
