Alcohol Demand Assessed Daily as a Predictor of Same Day Drinking

• Published in: Psychology of addictive behaviors Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 114 - 120
• Main Authors: Aston, Elizabeth R., Merrill, Jennifer E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychological Association 01-02-2023
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Alcohol; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Use; Behavioral Economics; College Students; Consumer Behavior; Drinking behavior; Drinks; Ethanol; Female; Human; Humans; Intervention; Linear analysis; Male; Money; Risk Factors; Same day; Simulation; Students; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; alcohol; daily demand; behavioral economics
• ISBN: 9781433896552; 1433896540; 1433896559; 9781433896545
• ISSN: 0893-164X; 1939-1501
• DOI: 10.1037/adb0000890

Objective: In this investigation, baseline (trait) and daily (brief) alcohol purchase task (APT) indices (intensity: consumption at zero cost; Omax: maximum expenditure; breakpoint: cost suppressing consumption to zero) were used to investigate the influence of morning demand on subsequent alcohol consumption. Method: Heavy drinking college students (n = 92, age 18-20, 50% female) completed 28 daily morning reports including demand and prior day drinking. Hierarchical linear modeling, with days (Level 1) nested within-person (Level 2) were used to test the effect of morning demand on number of drinks consumed on planned drinking days, with Level 1 (study day, survey time, weekend/weekday) and Level 2 (spending money, typical drinks) covariates. Subsequently, the relative impact on daily drinking of (a) the average of each daily demand index on planned drinking days versus (b) the matched trait demand index was assessed. Results: Higher morning intensity was related to increased alcohol consumption later that night. This finding held in sensitivity analyses wherein demand was assumed to be zero on unplanned drinking days. When tested individually, both aggregate daily and baseline trait intensity were significantly associated with average drinks measured daily. However, in the same model, only aggregate daily intensity was significant. Neither daily aggregate nor trait breakpoint or Omax were significant. Conclusions: Findings replicate previous work suggesting that brief demand (intensity) can predict same day drinking. Elevation in intensity in particular may denote greater risk for elevated alcohol consumption at subsequent episodes, thus intervention among at-risk drinkers may be possible prior to drinking initiation.
Public Health Significance Statement
This study replicated previous work suggesting that the relative reinforcing value (i.e., demand) of alcohol assessed via a brief alcohol purchase task can predict same day drinking. Elevation in brief intensity in particular may signify greater risk for elevated alcohol consumption at subsequent episodes, thus intervention among at-risk drinkers may be possible prior to drinking initiation. In this regard, the brief alcohol purchase task may be a useful tool to assess the potential for hazardous drinking in settings within which longer assessments of demand are impractical.