A multimodal, longitudinal investigation of alcohol’s emotional rewards and alcohol consumption over time in young adults

Theories of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) have long suggested that alcohol's emotional rewards play a key role in reinforcing problematic drinking. Studies employing survey methods, in which participants recall and aggregate their experiences with alcohol in a single questionnaire, indicate that self-reported expectancies and motivations surrounding alcohol’s emotional rewards predict problematic drinking trajectories over time. But, to date, no longitudinal research has directly assessed participants’ emotional responses to alcohol as a predictor of drinking outcomes. The current study combines laboratory alcohol-administration, ambulatory methods, and longitudinal follow-ups to assess whether alcohol’s ability to enhance positive mood and relieve negative mood predicts later drinking problems. Sixty heavy social drinkers (50% female) participated in laboratory-based alcohol-administration, attending both alcohol (target BAC .08%) and no-alcohol laboratory sessions. Forty-eight of these participants also wore transdermal alcohol monitors—calibrated for each participant via laboratory alcohol-administration—and completed mood surveys outside the laboratory for 7-days. Participants reported on their drinking at 18-month follow-up (90% compliance). Controlling for baseline drinking, greater negative mood relief from alcohol at baseline predicted more drinking problems at follow-up, an effect that emerged as consistent across methods capturing alcohol’s emotional rewards in the laboratory, b=-.23, p=.03, as well as via ambulatory methods, b=-1.81, p=.02. Greater positive mood enhancement from alcohol, captured via laboratory methods, also predicted drinking problems, b=.17, p=.01, and binge drinking, b= 2.04, p=.01, at follow-up. Models examining drinking frequency/quantity were non-significant. Results provide initial support for emotional reward as a potential factor in the development of problematic drinking.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Venerable, III, Walter James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Fairbairn, Catharine E

• Alcohol
• Emotion
• Longitudinal
• Laboratory
• Ambulatory

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2019 Walter Venerable, III

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106323

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/106323