Projected Alcohol Dose Influences on the Activation of Alcohol Expectancies in College Drinkers

    Authors

    J. P. Read; C. Lau-Barraco; M. E. Dunn;B. Borsari

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Alcoholism

    Keywords

    College Students; Alcohol Expectancies; Expectancy Activation; ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL-CHILDREN; TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY; OUTCOME; EXPECTANCIES; MEMORY NETWORK; FAMILY-HISTORY; HEAVY DRINKING; DRUG-USE; STUDENTS; SELF; CONSUMPTION; Substance Abuse

    Abstract

    Background: Alcohol expectancies have been linked to drinking behavior in college students, and vary according to a number of factors, including projected dose of alcohol. Research using Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) suggests that drinking may be influenced by activation of differing expectancy dimensions in memory, yet studies have not examined expectancy activation according to projected alcohol doses. Methods: The present study used Individual Differences Scaling (INDSCAL) to map expectancy networks of college students (n = 334) who imagined varied drinking at high and low alcohol doses. Expectancy activation was modeled by dose, as well as by gender and by drinking patterns (typical quantity, blood alcohol content, heavy episodic drinking, and alcohol consequences). Expectancies were organized along positive-negative and arousal-sedation dimensions. Anticipation of a high dose of alcohol was associated with greater emphasis on the arousal-sedation dimension, whereas anticipation of a lower dose was associated with greater emphasis on the positive-negative dimension. Results: Across heavy, medium, and light drinkers, expectancy dimensions were most distinguishable at higher doses; activation patterns were more similar across drinking groups at lighter doses. Modest evidence for the influence of gender on activation patterns was observed. Findings were consistent across alcohol involvement indices. Conclusions: These data suggest that both dimensionality and context should be considered in the refinement of interventions designed to alter expectancies in order to decrease hazardous drinking.

    Journal Title

    Alcoholism-Clinical and Experimental Research

    Volume

    33

    Issue/Number

    7

    Publication Date

    1-1-2009

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    1265

    Last Page

    1277

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000267281200021

    ISSN

    0145-6008

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