Moderation of alcohol craving reactivity to drinking-related contexts by individual differences in alcohol sensitivity: An ecological investigation

Constantine J Trela; Alexander W Hayes; Bruce D Bartholow; Kenneth J Sher; Andrew C Heath; Thomas M Piasecki

doi:10.1037/pha0000206

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Moderation of alcohol craving reactivity to drinking-related contexts by individual differences in alcohol sensitivity: An ecological investigation

Journal article

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Moderation of alcohol craving reactivity to drinking-related contexts by individual differences in alcohol sensitivity: An ecological investigation

Constantine J Trela, Alexander W Hayes, Bruce D Bartholow, Kenneth J Sher, Andrew C Heath and Thomas M Piasecki

Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, Vol.26(4), pp.354-365

08/01/2018

DOI: 10.1037/pha0000206

PMCID: PMC6072623

PMID: 29985018

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Abstract

Laboratory cue exposure investigations have demonstrated that, relative to drinkers who report a high sensitivity to the pharmacologic effects of alcohol, low-sensitivity (LS) drinkers show exaggerated neurocognitive and behavioral reactivity to alcohol-related stimuli. The current study extends this line of work by testing whether LS drinkers report stronger cravings for alcohol in daily life. Data were from an ecological momentary assessment study in which participants ( = 403 frequent drinkers) carried a palmtop computer for 21 days and responded to questions regarding drinking behavior, alcohol craving, mood states, and situational context. Initial analyses identified subjective states (positive and negative mood, cigarette craving) and contextual factors (bar-restaurant location, weekend, time of day, presence of friend, recent smoking) associated with elevated craving states during nondrinking moments. Effects for nearly all these craving correlates were moderated by individual differences in alcohol sensitivity, such that the associations between situational factors and current alcohol craving were larger among LS individuals (as determined by a questionnaire completed at baseline). Complementary idiographic analyses indicated that self-reported craving increased when the constellation of situational factors more closely resembled individuals' observed drinking situations. Again, this effect was moderated by alcohol sensitivity, with greater craving response increases among LS drinkers. The findings align with predictions generated from theory and laboratory cue exposure investigations and should encourage further study of craving and incentive processes in LS drinkers. (PsycINFO Database Record

Adolescent

Adult

Aged

Alcohol Drinking - psychology

Cigarette Smoking - psychology

Craving - physiology

Cues

Female

Humans

Individuality

Male

Middle Aged

Self Report

Social Environment

Surveys and Questionnaires

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Moderation of alcohol craving reactivity to drinking-related contexts by individual differences in alcohol sensitivity: An ecological investigation
Creators: Constantine J Trela - Department of Psychological Sciences
Alexander W Hayes - Department of Psychological Sciences
Bruce D Bartholow - Department of Psychological Sciences
Kenneth J Sher - Department of Psychological Sciences
Andrew C Heath - Department of Psychiatry
Thomas M Piasecki - Department of Psychological Science
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, Vol.26(4), pp.354-365
DOI: 10.1037/pha0000206
PMID: 29985018
PMCID: PMC6072623
NLM abbreviation: Exp Clin Psychopharmacol
ISSN: 1064-1297
eISSN: 1936-2293
Grant note: P50 AA011998 / NIAAA NIH HHS K05 AA017242 / NIAAA NIH HHS T32 AA013526 / NIAAA NIH HHS K05 AA017688 / NIAAA NIH HHS NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 08/01/2018
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984446415402771

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