Coping style as a risk factor for future alcohol use disorder: A 16-year longitudinal study in a Canadian military sample.

Background: Coping strategies used in response to stress have the potential to influence the development of mental health disorders, including alcohol use disorders. The current study investigated whether coping strategies placed an individual at greater likelihood for developing a future alcohol use disorder.

Methods: This study used data from the Canadian Armed Forces Members and Veterans Mental Health Follow-up Survey; a nationally representative 16-year follow-up survey, with initial data collected in the 2002 Canadian Community Health Survey - Canadian Forces Supplement.