To explore the possibility of other theoretical relationships between the variables of Interest, we tested several alternative models. These included the possibility that actual drinking mediated the relationship between coping strategies and alcohol expectancies. And that expectancies mediate the relationship between drinking and drinking motives, In all these analyses only one mediation pathway was observed, specifically, AUDIT scores were observed to mediate the relationship between avoidant coping strategies and expectations of tension reduction (z=4.76, p