Psychosocial Vulnerability and the Consumption of Alcohol and Caffeinated Beverages Among Romanian Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Adolescence constitutes a developmental stage marked by increased vulnerability to the adoption of consumption behaviors shaped by individual, social, and contextual determinants. This study aimed to examine the association between cumulative psychosocial vulnerability and the consumption of alcohol, coffee, and energy drinks among adolescents in Romania, employing a composite behavioral score designed to capture personal, social, and contextual stability. This cross-sectional study included 521 adolescents, with data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic when schooling was entirely online. Alcohol, coffee, and energy drink consumption were analyzed using Pearson correlations and binary logistic regressions. The composite behavioral score was constructed as the mean of standardized indicators, with higher values reflecting lower levels of psychosocial vulnerability. Results indicate that the composite behavioral score is negatively and significantly associated with alcohol consumption (r = −0.150, p = 0.001; OR = 0.51, 95% CI [0.33–0.80], p = 0.002), indicating a lower likelihood of consumption among adolescents with more stable psychosocial profiles. In contrast, the score was not significantly associated with coffee or energy drink consumption. Analyses also revealed significant differences in the composite behavioral score by gender (Cohen’s d = −0.82), with boys exhibiting higher vulnerability, and by residential environment (Cohen’s d = −1.15), with adolescents from rural areas—particularly boys—showing higher levels of psychosocial vulnerability. A secondary composite score, excluding demographic variables, was also computed to assess the robustness of the observed associations, with only area of residence remaining a significant predictor. In conclusion, the findings are consistent with the hypothesis that cumulative psychosocial vulnerability is relevant for explaining alcohol consumption in adolescence but not for coffee or energy drink use. These results highlight the need for a conceptual distinction between consumption behaviors with a normative status and those more clearly associated with psychosocial risk, as well as the importance of prevention interventions tailored to the specific characteristics of each type of consumption.