Lowering risk for early alcohol use by challenging alcohol expectancies in elementary school children

    Authors

    I. Y. Cruz;M. E. Dunn

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Consult. Clin. Psychol.

    Keywords

    DRINKING-RELATED DIFFERENCES; ABUSE RESISTANCE EDUCATION; DRUG-ABUSE; EARLY ADOLESCENTS; MEMORY NETWORK; SUBSTANCE USE; ACTIVATION; PREVENTION; ORGANIZATION; REDUCTION; Psychology, Clinical

    Abstract

    Altering alcohol expectancies has reduced alcohol use among young adults and may lead to successful prevention of early alcohol use. The authors randomly assigned 216 4th-grade children to an expectancy challenge or control condition and used individual-differences scaling to map expectancies into memory network format, with preference mapping to model likely paths of association. After expectancy intervention, children exhibited a greater likelihood to associate alcohol use with negative and sedating consequences and a decreased likelihood to associate alcohol with positive and arousing consequences. Children and adults who emphasize negative and sedating effects have been found to be less likely to use alcohol. Therefore, expectancy challenge interventions that have been successful at modifying expectancies and subsequently decreasing alcohol consumption of adults may be useful in reducing the likelihood of early alcohol use among children.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

    Volume

    71

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-2003

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    493

    Last Page

    503

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000183032100009

    ISSN

    0022-006X

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