Significance of a Behavioral Economic Index of Reward Value in Predicting Drinking Problem Resolution

• Published in: Journal of consulting and clinical psychology Vol. 74; no. 2; pp. 317 - 326
• Main Authors: Tucker, Jalie A, Vuchinich, Rudy E, Black, Bethany C, Rippens, Paula D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychological Association 01-04-2006
• Subjects: Addiction; Addictive behaviors; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Alcohol; Alcohol Abuse; Alcohol consumption; Alcohol Drinking - economics; Alcohol Drinking - prevention & control; Alcohol Drinking - therapy; Alcohol Use; Alcoholism; Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning; Behavior Modification; Behavioral Economics; Behavioural psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical psychology; Economic behaviour; Expenditures; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health behavior; Help Seeking; Helpseeking; Human; Humans; Incentives; Income; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Money Management; Outcomes of Treatment; Personal expenditure; Prediction; Predictor Variables; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Reward; Rewards; Savings; Time; Time Factors; Token Economy; Toxicology; time horizons; alcohol problems; behavioral economics; drinking resolutions; Alcoholism; Behavior; Reward
• ISSN: 0022-006X; 1939-2117
• DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.74.2.317

This study investigated whether a behavioral economic index of the value of rewards available over different time horizons improved prediction of drinking outcomes beyond established biopsychosocial predictors. Preferences for immediate drinking versus more delayed rewards made possible by saving money were determined from expenditures prior to resolution attempts by problem drinkers with different help-seeking experiences (
N
= 144). As hypothesized, stable resolutions over a 2-year follow-up were associated with proportionally more preresolution discretionary expenditures on savings and less on alcohol compared with unstable resolutions. The relationship held regardless of help-seeking history, and preresolution drinking practices, problems, and income were similar across outcomes. The findings extend experimental work on behavioral economics and indicate that measuring monetary allocation improves prediction of outcomes.