Evaluations and expectancies of alcohol and marijuana problems among college students.

Two studies examined the associations between evaluations (good-bad) and expected likelihood (likely-unlikely) of alcohol- and marijuana-related problems and hazardous consumption and problems among college students. Participants provided data on alcohol use, alcohol-related problems, and expectancies and evaluations of alcohol problems; marijuana use indices, marijuana-related problems, marijuana effect expectancies, and likelihood and evaluations of marijuana problems. Evaluations of alcohol problems were positively related to the number of binge drinking occasions and alcohol-related problems. The interaction between evaluations and expectancies was significant in predicting the number of binge drinking occasions. Expectancies demonstrated a curvilinear relationship with binge drinking and alcohol-related problems. Marijuana users evaluated marijuana-related problems as less negative and less likely to occur than did nonusers. Expectancies, but not evaluations, of negative consequences were significantly associated with marijuana use intensity. Expectancies of problems demonstrated a curvilinear relationship with marijuana-use intensity and marijuana problems. Men evaluated alcohol and marijuana problems less negatively than did women. In summary, the expected likelihood of alcohol-marijuana problems and the evaluation of such problems represent a vulnerability factor associated with increased liability for hazardous alcohol and marijuana use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceived vulnerability to alcohol-related harm in young adults: Independent effects of risky alcohol use and drinking motives.

Perceived vulnerability to negative outcomes can motivate heavy drinkers to adopt health protective behavior, but little is known about determinants of perceived vulnerability to alcohol-related harm. University students (N ?=?286) were assessed to determine epidemiological risk status on a standardized problem drinking measure, typical reasons for drinking and cutting down, and perceived risk of experiencing alcohol-related harm. Results showed a positive relationship between problem drinking status and perceived risk of experiencing harm. However, at-risk drinkers believed that they were less likely to personally experience harm than comparable peers (p ?     

Drinking and desired self-images: Path models of self-image goals, coping motives, heavy-episodic drinking, and alcohol problems.

Coping motives for drinking initiate alcohol-related problems. Interpersonal goals, which powerfully influence affect, could provide a starting point for this relation. Here we tested effects of self-image goals (which aim to construct and defend desired self-views) and compassionate goals (which aim to support others) on heavy-episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. Undergraduate drinkers (N=258) completed measures of self-image and compassionate goals in academics and friendships, coping and enhancement drinking motives, heavy-episodic drinking, and alcohol-related problems in a cross-sectional design. As predicted, self-image goals, but not compassionate goals, positively related to alcohol-related problems. Path models showed that self-image goals relate to coping motives, but not enhancement motives; coping motives then relate to heavy-episodic drinking, which in turn relate to alcohol-related problems. Self-image goals remained a significant predictor in the final model, which accounted for 34% of the variance in alcohol-related problems. These findings indicate that self-image goals contribute to alcohol-related problems in college students both independently and through coping motives. Interventions can center on reducing self-image goals and their attendant negative affect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health, not social support, mediates the forgiveness-alcohol outcome relationship.

Religiousness and spirituality are important to most Americans, and evidence suggests that they may contribute to both addiction and recovery. Forgiveness is a specific dimension of religiousness and spirituality that may enhance recovery, but the mechanism(s) through which it operates is unknown. We hypothesized that higher levels of forgiveness would be associated with higher levels of mental health and social support, which, in turn, would be associated with improved alcohol-related outcomes. Baseline and 6-month longitudinal data from a sample of 149 individuals with alcohol use disorders seeking outpatient substance abuse treatment were analyzed through multiple-mediation statistical techniques. While previous research has shown direct associations among forgiveness, alcohol-related outcomes, mental health, and social support, this study found that the direct associations between forgiveness and alcohol-related outcomes were no longer significant when mental health and social support were analyzed as mediator variables. At baseline, for each alcohol-related outcome measured (alcohol-related problems, percent heavy drinking days, percent days abstinent, and drinks per drinking day), mental health individually played a role in the relationship with both forgiveness of self and forgiveness of others, fully mediating or operating through an indirect-only pathway. For alcohol-related problems only, mental health fully mediated the relationship with forgiveness of self at follow-up and operated through an indirect-only pathway with forgiveness of others longitudinally. Social support and feeling forgiven by God were nonsignificant variables at baseline, follow-up, and longitudinally. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Correction to Leeman, Toll, Taylor, and Volpicelli (2009).

Reports an error in "Alcohol-induced disinhibition expectancies and impaired control as prospective predictors of problem drinking in undergraduates" by Robert F. Leeman, Benjamin A. Toll, Laura A. Taylor and Joseph R. Volpicelli (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 2009[Dec], Vol 23[4], 553-563). The table headings in Table 5, p. 561 should have read “Time 2 alcohol related problems” and “Time 2 heavy episodic drinking”. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2009-24023-001.) Trait disinhibition is associated with problem drinking and alcohol drinking can bring about a state of disinhibition. It is unclear however, if expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition are unique predictors of problem drinking. Impaired control (i.e., difficulty in limiting alcohol consumption) may be related to disinhibition expectancies in that both involve issues of control related to alcohol use. Data from a prospective survey of undergraduates assessed during freshman (N = 337) and senior year (N = 201) were analyzed to determine whether subscales of the Drinking-Induced Disinhibition Scale (Leeman, Toll, & Volpicelli, 2007) and the Impaired Control Scale (Heather et al., 1993) predicted unique variance in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. In Time 1 cross-sectional models, Dysphoric disinhibition expectancies predicted alcohol-related problems and impaired control predicted both alcohol-related problems and heavy episodic drinking. In prospective models, Time 1 impaired control predicted Time 2 alcohol-related problems and Time 1 Euphoric/social Disinhibition expectancies predicted Time 2 heavy episodic drinking. These findings suggest that expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition and impaired control predict unique variance in problem drinking cross-sectionally and prospectively, and that these phenomena should be targeted in early intervention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Does alcohol use mediate the association between alcohol evaluations and alcohol-related problems in adolescents?

Alcohol use becomes more frequent during adolescence, with the percentage of youth who drink doubling from 8th grade to 12th grade. The escalation in drinking behavior during adolescence is often associated with increased problems and other risk behavior, such as drunk driving. In this study, adolescents (N?=?557) were recruited from an emergency department to assess their alcohol use, positive and negative evaluations about alcohol, driving after drinking, and problems experienced from drinking. Analyses explored the mediational role of drinking behavior between adolescents' evaluations and problems from drinking and between evaluations and driving after drinking. The findings indicated that drinking behavior partially mediated the association between positive evaluations and problems experienced from drinking but did not mediate the association between evaluations and drunk driving. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Individual differences in memory associations involving the positive and negative outcomes of alcohol use.

In previous studies of memory association and alcohol use, the authors found that positive outcomes of drinking were associated in memory with alcohol concepts among heavier drinkers. The present study examined whether previous alcohol use predicted associative memory responses to negative, as well as positive, outcomes of drinking. It also examined whether the normative frequency of positive and negative outcomes affected responses. In the present sample of 609 students, previous alcohol use, normative frequency of outcome, and the number of outcomes listed strongly predicted alcohol-related associative responses to positive outcomes and, to a lesser extent, negative outcomes. The results suggest that repetitive alcohol use strengthens the association in memory between alcohol concepts and both positive and negative outcomes. However, thoughts about potential positive outcomes may be more readily cued by situational factors and events. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Binge drinking among underage college students: A test of a restraint-based conceptualization of risk for alcohol abuse.

The authors tested a restraint-based model that binge drinking is a function of being tempted to drink alcohol while also being concerned about avoiding excessive alcohol intake. Underage (18-to 20-year-olds, 204 men and 225 women) college student drinkers completed measures that assessed the attraction to alcohol (e.g., temptation to drink, alcohol expectancies), concern about regulating alcohol intake (e.g., restriction of alcohol intake, reasons for limiting drinking), and alcohol-related outcomes (binge drinking, alcohol problems). In separate hierarchical multiple regressions, the attraction to alcohol accounted for significant amounts of additional variance in each of the alcohol outcomes. Concern about regulating alcohol intake accounted for additional variance, above that explained by attraction to alcohol. The results suggest that interventions for underage binge drinking should include training in the skills for regulating alcohol intake. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Generation and recall of alcohol-related information in excessive drinkers: Relation to problem severity, outcome expectancies, and stage of change.

Generation and recall of information supporting and opposing reduction in alcohol use were examined in 47 excessive drinkers. Generation of reasons to change drinking increased across stages of change and was positively associated with alcohol problem severity, negative alcohol expectancies, benefits of changing drinking, and strength of reasons to change. Generation of reasons not to change drinking was not significantly associated with stage of change but was positively associated with positive alcohol expectancies and strength of reasons not to change. Incidental recall of negative outcomes of changing drinking decreased across stage of change and was positively associated with perceived strength of reasons not to change. Results suggest potential biases in generation and recall of alcohol-related information that could act to maintain excessive drinking by making certain types of information more available during decision making. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Older adult controlled drinkers and abstainers

Little is known about the lifetime course of alcohol problems, especially during late adulthood. Many individuals with a history of alcohol problems achieve remission of their symptoms through abstinence or controlled drinking. This study examined 135 older adults with a prior history of alcohol diagnoses who were symptom free for at least the past year. Two groups were identified based on their alcohol consumption within the past year: abstinent individuals (n = 92) and controlled drinkers (n = 43). The groups did not differ in age, racial composition, education, income, or years since their last alcohol-related symptom, but they did differ in gender composition, indices of alcoholism severity, history of formal and informal treatment, as well as lifetime alcohol consumption patterns. Abstinent individuals had more severe alcohol problems, consumed higher amounts of alcohol on drinking days, had more years of heavy alcohol consumption, and were more likely to have attended alcohol treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The controlled drinkers had a longer history of moderate social drinking, and their current consumption habits appeared to be similar to symptom-free older adult drinkers. The results suggest that gender, alcoholism severity, history of formal and informal treatment, and past consumption patterns are associated with whether older adults with histories of alcoholism attain successful outcomes through abstinence or controlled drinking.     

Perfectionism, perceived stress, drinking to cope, and alcohol-related problems among college students.

This study investigated the association between perfectionism (categorized by adaptive perfectionistic, maladaptive perfectionistic, or nonperfectionistic groups), perceived stress, drinking alcohol to cope, and alcohol-related problems in a large sample of college students (N = 354). Maladaptive perfectionists reported significantly higher levels of stress and drinking to cope than adaptive perfectionists and nonperfectionists. Adaptive perfectionists reported the fewest alcohol-related problems, suggesting that healthy levels of high standards may protect against drinking to cope with stress. Across all participants, a significant indirect effect for drinking to cope supported its role as a mediator between stress and alcohol-related problems. Structural equation modeling analyses supported the moderating role of perfectionism in this mediation model, such that maladaptive perfectionists were more likely to drink to cope under stress and report alcohol-related problems, whereas higher stress was associated with fewer alcohol-related problems among nonperfectionists. Additional analyses revealed higher stress levels for women and a stronger link between stress and drinking to cope for women compared to men. Future research directions as well as clinical implications regarding perfectionism, stress, drinking to cope, and alcohol-related problems are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efficacy of web-based personalized normative feedback: A two-year randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Web-based brief alcohol interventions have the potential to reach a large number of individuals at low cost; however, few controlled evaluations have been conducted to date. The present study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of gender-specific versus gender-nonspecific personalized normative feedback (PNF) with single versus biannual administration in a 2-year randomized controlled trial targeting a large sample of heavy-drinking college students. Method: Participants included 818 freshmen (57.6% women; 42% non-Caucasian) who reported 1 or more heavy-drinking episodes in the previous month at baseline. Participants were randomly assigned in a 2 (gender-specific vs. gender-nonspecific PNF) × 2 (single vs. biannual administration of PNF) + 1 (attention control) design. Assessments occurred every 6 months for a 2-year period. Results: Results from hierarchical generalized linear models provided modest effects on weekly drinking and alcohol-related problems but not on heavy episodic drinking. Relative to control, gender-specific biannual PNF was associated with reductions over time in weekly drinking (d = ?0.16, 95% CI [?0.02, ?0.31]), and this effect was partially mediated by changes in perceived norms. For women, but not men, gender-specific biannual PNF was associated with reductions over time in alcohol-related problems relative to control (d = ?0.29, 95% CI [?0.15, ?0.58]). Few other effects were evident. Conclusions: The present research provides modest support for the use of biannually administered web-based gender-specific PNF as an alternative to more costly indicated prevention strategies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol-induced disinhibition expectancies and impaired control as prospective predictors of problem drinking in undergraduates.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 24(3) of Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (see record 2010-19026-008). The table headings in Table 5, p. 561 should have read “Time 2 alcohol related problems” and “Time 2 heavy episodic drinking”.] Trait disinhibition is associated with problem drinking and alcohol drinking can bring about a state of disinhibition. It is unclear however, if expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition are unique predictors of problem drinking. Impaired control (i.e., difficulty in limiting alcohol consumption) may be related to disinhibition expectancies in that both involve issues of control related to alcohol use. Data from a prospective survey of undergraduates assessed during freshman (N = 337) and senior year (N = 201) were analyzed to determine whether subscales of the Drinking-Induced Disinhibition Scale (Leeman, Toll, & Volpicelli, 2007) and the Impaired Control Scale (Heather et al., 1993) predicted unique variance in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. In Time 1 cross-sectional models, Dysphoric disinhibition expectancies predicted alcohol-related problems and impaired control predicted both alcohol-related problems and heavy episodic drinking. In prospective models, Time 1 impaired control predicted Time 2 alcohol-related problems and Time 1 Euphoric/social Disinhibition expectancies predicted Time 2 heavy episodic drinking. These findings suggest that expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition and impaired control predict unique variance in problem drinking cross-sectionally and prospectively, and that these phenomena should be targeted in early intervention efforts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential utility of three indexes of risky drinking for predicting alcohol problems in college students.

This study evaluated the relationship between alcohol-related problems and 3 indexes of risky drinking in college student drinkers: number of drinks consumed per week, frequency of binge drinking, and estimated blood alcohol levels (BALs). Use of 2 independent samples (N??=?204, N??=?181) allowed a cross-validation of obtained associations. Results indicated that neither binge drinking frequency nor BAL were more highly related to alcohol-related problems than was weekly drinking. Furthermore, BAL did not provide unique explanatory power in accounting for alcohol-related problems; mixed results were obtained regarding the relationship of binge drinking estimates with problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Help-seeking for alcohol-related problems in college students: Correlates and preferred resources.

Despite the development of a variety of efficacious alcohol intervention approaches for college students, few student drinkers seek help. The present study assessed students' history of help-seeking for alcohol problems, as well as their estimates of how likely they would be to use various help-seeking resources, should they wish to change their drinking. Participants were 197 college students who reported recent heavy drinking (46% male, 68.5% White, 27.4% African-American). Participants completed measures related to their drinking and their use (both past use and likelihood of future use) of 14 different alcohol help-seeking options. Repeated-measures analyses of variance revealed that students preferred informal help-seeking (e.g., talking to friends and family) over formal (e.g., talking with a counselor or medical provider) and anonymous resources (e.g., internet- or computer-based programs). Higher self-ideal discrepancy, greater depressive symptoms, and more alcohol-related consequences were positively associated with actual past help-seeking. Alcohol-related problems and normative discrepancy were negatively associated with hypothetical likelihood of utilizing all three help-seeking resources. These results suggest that heavy drinking college students prefer low-threshold intervention options including peer, family, computerized, and brief motivational interventions. Only 36 participants (18.3% of the sample) reported that they had utilized any of the help-seeking options queried, suggesting that campus prevention efforts should include both promoting low-threshold interventions and attempting to increase the salience of alcohol-related risk and the potential utility of changing drinking patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The evaluation of chance-determined outcomes.

Examined responses to chance-determined outcomes in 2 experiments in which 454 undergraduates received a positive or negative outcome on the basis of chance. Ss evaluated both outcomes prior to and after learning which outcome they had received. Overall, there were no changes in evaluation of the positive outcome. The negative outcome was rated more positively on the 2nd rating. Those receiving the negative outcome rated it more positively than those receiving the positive outcome. The negative outcome was evaluated more positively when the post-outcome rating was delayed rather than assessed immediately after Ss learned of their outcome. Ss were more surprised to get the positive than the negative outcome, suggesting a lower pre-outcome subjective probability of receiving the positive outcome (i.e., pessimism). Outcome evaluations of 15 control Ss who did not expect to receive either outcome were compared to pre-outcome evaluations of experimental Ss. There were no differences for the positive outcome, but the negative outcome was evaluated more positively by experimental Ss. Results indicate that pre- and post-outcome reevaluations occurred, both of which have the effect of decreasing the aversiveness of (potentially) receiving a negative outcome. (French abstract) (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Alcohol, sexual arousal, and the transfer of excitation.

Investigations of the alcohol-related disinhibition of responses to deviant sexual stimuli suggest that the pharmacological actions of ethanol have little influence on the disinhibition process. The mere belief that alcohol is consumed is sufficient to induce increased sexual arousal. Studies with conventional stimuli, however, suggest that interactions occur between the pharmacological presence of ethanol and the psychological expectations of its presence. The present article examines the contribution of pharmacological, cognitive, and environmental variables to perceived sexual arousal. Pictures that elicited either a low or moderate level of self-reported sexual arousal were viewed and evaluated by 64 men and 64 women after completing their drinks. The evaluations and arousal measures suggested significant Instruction by Content by Arousal interactions. The strongest perceptions of arousal occurred among Ss who did not know they were drinking alcohol. When Ss were unaware of the alcohol intoxication, the pharmacological excitation induced by alcohol transferred to the perception and evaluation of the slides. (33 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of alcohol use to other health behaviors among college students.

The present study examined whether high levels of drinking are negatively associated with the likelihood of engaging in health-enhancing behaviors and positively associated with the likelihood of engaging in health-compromising behaviors. It was hypothesized that higher levels of drinking would be associated with more negative indicators of psychological health. Health behaviors of 183 college freshmen were assessed with the Computerized Lifestyles Assessment and the Brief Symptom Inventory. Consistent with prior research, results indicated a significant positive linear trend across abstainers, light-moderate drinkers, episodic drinkers, and heavy drinkers in reports of cigarette use, other drug use, and sexual activity. However, a comparison of other health areas, including psychological health, indicated no significant trends. Implications for substance abuse prevention programs and directions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brief intervention for harm reduction with alcohol-positive older adolescents in a hospital emergency department.

This study evaluated the use of a brief motivational interview (MI) to reduce alcohol-related consequences and use among adolescents treated in an emergency room (ER) following an alcohol-related event. Patients aged 18 to 19 years (N?=?94) were randomly assigned to receive either MI or standard care (SC). Assessment and intervention were conducted in the ER during or after the patient's treatment. Follow-up assessments showed that patients who received the MI had a significantly lower incidence of drinking and driving, traffic violations, alcohol-related injuries, and alcohol-related problems than patients who received SC. Both conditions showed reduced alcohol consumption. The harm-reduction focus of the MI was evident in that MI reduced negative outcomes related to drinking, beyond what was produced by the precipitating event plus SC alone. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)