Showing papers in "Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs in 1989"
TL;DR: The results suggest that the RAPI may be a useful tool for the standardized and efficient assessment of problem drinking during adolescence.
Abstract: Longitudinal data were obtained from a nonclinical sample of 1,308 male and female adolescents covering the age range from 12 to 21. Factor analyses of 52 symptoms and/or consequences of alcohol use yielded three problem dimensions. In addition, a unidimensional, 23-item scale (the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index, RAPI) was constructed with an internal consistency of .92. Correlations between RAPI and alcohol-use intensity were moderately strong for all age groups at each test occasion (ranging from .20 to .57), yet low enough to suggest that identification of problem drinkers requires both types of measures. The results suggest that the RAPI may be a useful tool for the standardized and efficient assessment of problem drinking during adolescence.
1,673Â citations
TL;DR: The research generally supports the efficacy of three alcohol-specific policies: raising the minimum legal drinking age to 21, increasing alcohol taxes and increasing the enforcement of drinking-driving laws and suggests that various environmental safety measures reduce the incidence of alcohol-related trauma.
Abstract: The research evaluating the effects of programs and policies in reducing the incidence of alcohol problems is critically reviewed. Four types of preventive interventions are examined including: (1) policies affecting the physical, economic and social availability of alcohol (e.g., minimum legal drinking age, price and advertising of alcohol), (2) formal social controls on alcohol-related behavior (e.g., drinking-driving laws), (3) primary prevention programs (e.g., school-based alcohol education), and (4) environmental safety measures (e.g., automobile airbags). The research generally supports the efficacy of three alcohol-specific policies: raising the minimum legal drinking age to 21, increasing alcohol taxes and increasing the enforcement of drinking-driving laws. Also, research suggests that various environmental safety measures reduce the incidence of alcohol-related trauma. In contrast, little evidence currently exists to support the efficacy of primary prevention programs. However, a systems perspe...
463Â citations
TL;DR: In the young sample (average age 35 years), there is no evidence that individuals genetically predisposed to heavy drinking are any less likely to be married than the rest of the population, and statistical analyses show that marital status is an important modifier of genetic effects on drinking habits.
Abstract: Information about drinking practices has been obtained by questionnaire from 1,984 monozygotic and dizygotic adult female twin pairs from the Australian twin register, including 1,690 pairs where both twins have used alcohol. Statistical analyses of these data show that marital status is an important modifier of genetic effects on drinking habits. In young twins, aged 30 years or less, genetic differences between individuals account for only 31% of the variance in alcohol consumption of married respondents, but for 60% of the variance of unmarried respondents. In twin pairs, aged 31 years or more, genetic differences account for 46-59% of the variance in married twins, but for 76% of the variance in unmarried twins. In our young sample (average age 35 years) there is no evidence that individuals genetically predisposed to heavy drinking are any less likely to be married than the rest of the population. Some alternative explanations of these findings are also rejected.
209Â citations
TL;DR: Monthly intreatment ratings of self-efficacy to avoid drug and alcohol abuse were examined among 419 substance abuse inpatients of a residential treatment community and it is proposed that the present findings are consistent with previous research in demonstrating a relationship between self-efficiency and outcome and provide new information suggesting that low self- efficacy may be related to positive outcome under certain circumstances.
Abstract: Monthly intreatment ratings of self-efficacy to avoid drug and alcohol abuse were examined among 419 substance abuse inpatients of a residential treatment community. Posttreatment interviews were conducted with 81 patients approximately 6 months following discharge to assess the relationship between self-efficacy and relapse. As expected, self-efficacy increased during treatment and was higher among abstainers than relapsers at follow-up. Contrary to expectations, low self-efficacy at intake was related to longer inpatient residence and more positive conditions of discharge. Furthermore, abstainers had slightly lower self-efficacy scores than relapsers at intake and increased their self-efficacy two-fold over relapsers during the course of treatment. Contrary to previous research with tobacco smoking, self-efficacy ratings at the end of treatment were not related to substance abuse at follow-up. It is proposed that the present findings are consistent with previous research in demonstrating a relationship between self-efficacy and outcome, and provide new information suggesting that low self-efficacy may be related to positive outcome under certain circumstances. Hypotheses are advanced regarding (1) the potential utility of intreatment change measures, (2) the role of underestimation in self-efficacy ratings and (3) the role of denial in substance abuse populations.
198Â citations
TL;DR: Alcoholic women were found to have higher levels of spouse-to-woman negative verbal interaction, moderate violence and severe violence as compared to the household women and victims of spousal violence should be screened for alcohol-related problems.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between spousal violence and women's alcoholism problems This study compares two samples: (1) 45 alcoholic women selected from local treatment agencies and Alcoholics Anonymous groups and (2) 40 nonalcoholic women selected randomly from households Two-hour interview schedules were administered to both samples The Conflict Tactics Scale was used to assess spouse-to-woman violence Alcoholic women were found to have higher levels of spouse-to-woman negative verbal interaction, moderate violence and severe violence as compared to the household women Multivariate analyses revealed that spouse violence scores were strong predictors of type of sample This was true even after controlling for presence of alcohol problems in the spouse, income, parental violence, parental alcohol problems and changes in parental family These findings suggest that alcoholism treatment programs should screen for spousal violence among women alcoholics and that victims of spousal violence should be screened for alcohol-related problems
169Â citations
TL;DR: Although expectancies added significantly to explained variance in drinking when attitudes were controlled for, the increment was quite small, and the results suggest that attention to the relationships between attitudes and expectancies can inform further research in this area.
Abstract: Research on expectations about the effects of alcohol has shown these expectancies to be related to drinking habits. Expectancies can be seen as components of attitudes toward alcohol, which are also related to drinking behavior. The relationships between attitudes, expectancies, and self-reported drinking behavior were examined. Three different measures of expectancies were included in order to compare their relative utility in predicting drinking variables. Two of the three measures performed equally in prediction. Although expectancies added significantly to explained variance in drinking when attitudes were controlled for, the increment was quite small. The improvement in prediction was larger when the measures of attitudes and behavior lacked correspondence. The results suggest that attention to the relationships between attitudes and expectancies can inform further research in this area.
107Â citations
TL;DR: Impaired driving may be part of a global syndrome of risk-taking behavior and is an activity engaged in most often by those who frequently use alcohol and other drugs to cope with problems.
Abstract: This study assessed the prevalence of driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana among a sample of 18 and 21 year olds and examined the across-time relationships between intoxicated driving and consumption, risk-taking/impulsive orientation, negative intrapersonal state, stress and use of alcohol and other drugs to cope with problems. Self-report data were collected from 556 men and women, ages 18 and 21, at two points in time. The data indicated that at least a minimum level of drinking and driving, as well as smoking marijuana and driving, is engaged in at least once for the majority of youth. Correlations between eight driving behaviors and consumption variables indicated that frequency of substance use was strongly related to frequency of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Regression analyses revealed that coping use of substances was the strongest predictor of driving under the influence. A path model examining the effect of stress, negative states and risk-taking orientations (T1) on driving under the influence as mediated through coping use (T2) was tested. Results showed that risk-taking orientation was the strongest predictor of DWI, both directly and indirectly (as mediated through coping use). Findings suggest that impaired driving may be part of a global syndrome of risk-taking behavior and is an activity engaged in most often by those who frequently use alcohol and other drugs to cope with problems.
107Â citations
TL;DR: This article challenges the commonly held beliefs that there are few if any heavy drinkers among Asian-Americans and that different groups of Asians exhibit similar patterns of drinking.
Abstract: This article challenges the commonly held beliefs that there are few if any heavy drinkers among Asian-Americans and that different groups of Asians exhibit similar patterns of drinking. To explore these stereotypes, alcohol consumption patterns were compared in a survey of 298 Chinese, 295 Japanese and 280 Koreans in Los Angeles. Heavy drinking was found in each of the Asian groups. Gender specific logistic regression models were used to illustrate the differences in the drinking patterns of the Asian-American groups and to clarify the determinants of drinking. The greatest proportion of heavy drinking was found among the Japanese and the lowest among the Chinese. Having friends who drank was the only social factor consistently related to Asian drinking behavior.
97Â citations
TL;DR: The perception of alcohol being essential to entertaining and as being relatively innocuous decreased significantly in the community-action cities, although primarily by stemming the national trend toward greater support for liberalization.
Abstract: This article reports outcomes of an evaluated community action program directed toward alcohol problem prevention. In a quasi-experimental design, change was monitored in six cities--two cities with an alcohol-focused community organizer and media campaign, two cities with the media campaign only and two reference cities. The community organizers worked with a local alcohol coordinating committee and other local organizations. They focused on alcohol availability (including the promotion of nonalcoholic beverages), advertising and, to a lesser extent, pricing policies. The media campaign focused on reducing the large-quantity drinking of young men, and generated considerable controversy. Before and after surveys of the general population were carried out to evaluate the outcome of the project. Support for control policies on advertising, availability and price held steady in the treatment communities but dropped in the reference communities. The perception of alcohol being essential to entertaining and as...
85Â citations
TL;DR: A scale for measuring expectancies that better explicates the nature and organization of alcohol expectancies will provide a much firmer footing for future studies on the contribution of expectancies to problem drinking.
Abstract: Expectations about the effects of alcohol are assumed to be an important psychosocial factor in both abusive and nonabusive drinking. Despite a body of research showing that people do hold some common expectations about alcohol effects, the nature of these expectancies is not well understood. Questionnaires developed to measure alcohol expectancies carry the assumption that expectancies are composed of several specific and independent factors. Confirmatory factor analyses of these scales indicate that the scales do not clearly reflect these distinct underlying dimensions. A scale for measuring expectancies that better explicates the nature and organization of alcohol expectancies will provide a much firmer footing for future studies on the contribution of expectancies to problem drinking.
74Â citations
TL;DR: Self-reported alcohol use was found to be a valid measure of alcohol consumption when compared to breath-analyzer readings for the same individuals, and self-reports when used in conjunction with a quantifiable estimate of blood alcohol may be an appropriate method of ascertaining alcohol's involvement in emergency room cases.
Abstract: This study reports breath-analyzer readings and self-reports as measures of alcohol-related admission to the emergency room of San Francisco General Hospital. A 20% probability sample of patients admitted during a 60-day period was breath analyzed and interviewed. Interviews and breath samples were obtained on 75% of the sample of 2,516 patients. Twice the proportion of injury patients compared to noninjury patients had positive admission breath samples and reported drinking prior to the event. Alcohol involvement reached 41% for self-reports among injured men and over half of both men and women injured in fights or assaults reported drinking prior to the event. Self-reported alcohol use was found to be a valid measure of alcohol consumption when compared to breath-analyzer readings for the same individuals. Emergency room patients may be more likely than others to provide accurate reports of alcohol consumption if they feel that disclosure of amount and timing of drinking prior to an injury or illness could be important in their care. The data suggest that self-reports when used in conjunction with a quantifiable estimate of blood alcohol may be an appropriate method of ascertaining alcohol's involvement in emergency room cases.
TL;DR: The scale, when applied to young and elderly groups of patients in alcohol withdrawal, indicated that the elderly group initially had a more severe withdrawal for which they received higher doses of chlordiazepoxide.
Abstract: The phenomenon of alcohol withdrawal has seldom been studied in subgroups of patients in withdrawal. We developed a rating scale for measuring alcohol withdrawal that we found to be reliable and valid. The scale, when applied to young (ages 21-33, N = 24) and elderly (ages 58-77, N = 26) groups of patients in alcohol withdrawal, indicated that the elderly group initially had a more severe withdrawal for which they received higher doses of chlordiazepoxide.
TL;DR: These estimates are inaccurate and that they continually overstate actual costs, and are not a valid measure of the costs over time due to changing definitions of what constitutes alcohol abuse and lack of correction for inflation.
Abstract: This article provides an exposition and critical review of the methods and assumptions used by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to estimate the economic costs of alcohol abuse. Particular attention is paid to the methods used to estimate productivity loss which comprises over half of total abuse costs. This study concludes that these estimates are inaccurate and that they continually overstate actual costs. The main reasons for this overstatement are the attribution of causality to alcohol abuse where none has been shown to exist and improper methodology with regard to productivity impairment measures. In addition to being inaccurate at any point in time, the estimates are not a valid measure of the costs over time due to changing definitions of what constitutes alcohol abuse and lack of correction for inflation. Also, the method used implies cost comparisons with a society with no alcohol abuse. As a result of these considerations the estimates lack policy relevance.
TL;DR: Findings suggest that although children of alcoholics are at risk for the development of alcoholism, deviant drinking practices may not be discernible in adolescence.
Abstract: Adolescent children of alcoholic, depressive and normal control fathers were assessed with a variety of alcohol and drug use measures. Children of alcoholics were quite similar to the other two groups with regard to alcohol consumption, reasons for drinking, attitudes toward temperate and intemperate use of alcohol, and the typical drinking context. However, children of alcoholics, both male and female, were more likely to report drug use than children of depressives or children of normal controls. These findings suggest that although children of alcoholics are at risk for the development of alcoholism, deviant drinking practices may not be discernible in adolescence.
TL;DR: Of 161 alcohol-abusing patients who were hospitalized for suicide attempts (attempters) between 1970 and 1975 and followed until 1982, 18 eventually committed suicide, and possible explanations for the absence of a relationship between hopelessness or depression with ultimate suicide are discussed.
Abstract: Of 161 alcohol-abusing patients who were hospitalized for suicide attempts (attempters) between 1970 and 1975 and followed until 1982, 18 eventually committed suicide. The 143 nonsuiciders were compared to the 18 with respect to 27 background characteristics including their psychiatric diagnosis, Beck Depression Inventory, Hopelessness Scale, and Suicidal Intent Scale (SIS) scores. Only the SIS precautions subscale differentiated those who did and did not eventually commit suicide: the patients who eventually killed themselves had described taking more precautions against discovery at the time of their index attempts than did those who did not commit suicide. Possible explanations for the absence of a relationship between hopelessness or depression with ultimate suicide are discussed.
TL;DR: Examination of changes in drinking behaviors in two groups of community-dwelling men indicates that retirement generally heralds no great shift in alcohol consumption or drinking behaviors, although retirees showed more variability between T1 and T2.
Abstract: This study examines changes in drinking behaviors over an approximately 2-year span in two groups of community-dwelling men: 100 men who retired between baseline (T1) and follow-up (T2) and 316 men who remained employed. Measures were obtained from two drinking surveys conducted as part of a panel study of aging. Results indicate that the event of retirement was not a significant predictor of changes in average alcohol consumption, although retirees showed more variability between T1 and T2. Considering other binary drinking behavior variables, continuing workers and eventual retirees did not differ in the proportions moving into or out of the nondrinker status, or the situation of consuming an average of 3+ drinks/day. However, retirees by T2 were more likely to report the onset of periodic heavier drinking and problems with drinking. Evidence from this study indicates that retirement generally heralds no great shift in alcohol consumption or drinking behaviors.
TL;DR: In this paper, the role of alcohol expectancies in predicting post-drinking behavior was investigated, and they found that expectancies, Buss-Durkee hostility and Mosher sex-guilt significantly predicted violence viewing and violent-erotica viewing.
Abstract: To investigate the role of alcohol expectancies in predicting postdrinking behavior, two studies were conducted. In Study 1, an instrument assessing alcohol expectancies was devised for later use in prediction. Factor analyses with split-sample validation confirmed 3 factors (11 total items): disinhibition, aggression and sexuality. In Study 2, expectancies, Buss-Durkee hostility and Mosher sex-guilt were assessed in a preexperimental questionnaire session. In a subsequent drink administration session, an expectancy set manipulation led subjects to expect alcohol or to expect tonic. To assess postdrinking behavior, interest in violent, erotic and violent-erotic materials was measured unobtrusively using an ad lib slide-viewing task. Consistent with the hypotheses, expectancies in conjunction with trait hostility significantly predicted violence viewing and violent-erotica viewing for expect alcohol, but not expect tonic controls. Moreover, after variance due to hostility was accounted for, expectancies pr...
TL;DR: The niche for such "reasons" measures in participant screening and program evaluation is discussed, and an application in a prevention experiment with heavily drinking students, is discussed.
Abstract: Dimensions of cognitions associated with self-regulation of alcohol consumption were studied using a 22-item Reasons for Limiting Drinking (RLD) scale in a student survey of nine universities. Data on 2,482 drinkers were factor analyzed using several methods in split halves and the total sample. Four interpretable factors accounting for 39% of the common variance were consistently found. Based on core content, these subjective motivational factors were labeled self-control, upbringing, self-reform and performance. Reliability analysis was used to construct subscales to assess these factors. Subscales had adequate internal reliability (alphas = .66-.73) for brief research scales. Relationships between the RLD subscales and between these subscales and selected demographic, alcohol-consumption and problem indicators are summarized. Based on these results and an application in a prevention experiment with heavily drinking students, the niche for such "reasons" measures in participant screening and program evaluation is discussed.
TL;DR: It is indicated that FH+ adolescents are more likely than FH- adolescents from symptom-free families to report experiencing problems/consequences related to both drinking and drug taking.
Abstract: Data concerning adolescent alcohol and drug using behaviors, as well as the drinking patterns of their parents, were obtained from a sample of 1,380 New Jersey youth born between 1961 and 1969. Initially tested between 1979 and 1981 at ages 12, 15 or 18, these subjects were retested between 1982 and 1984 (retest rate = 95%). We wish to describe the early differences in patterns of alcohol and drug use between offspring of families exhibiting a positive history of alcoholism (FH+) and those without such backgrounds (FH-). FH+ subjects are compared to three other groups from varying parental backgrounds (heavy drinking nonalcoholic parents, high stress families and symptom-free families) as regarding problem use. Several indicators of problem use (e.g., early onset of intoxication, frequent intoxication, escape drinking) were not found to be more prevalent among FH+ than FH- adolescents. Analyses indicate, however, that FH+ adolescents are more likely than FH- adolescents from symptom-free families to repor...
TL;DR: The data suggest that ethanol induces rapid and widespread increases in EEG alpha activity which may be associated with the reinforcing properties of ethanol, and that a possible genetic predisposition for ethanol-related effects on behavior may be reflected in measures of brain electrical activity.
Abstract: Topographic maps of brain electrical activity from scalp EEG electrodes were obtained from healthy adult female volunteers using a Brain Electrical Activity Mapping (BEAM) system. Each woman received both ethanol (0.7 g/kg, p.o.) and placebo in a counterbalanced order under double-blind conditions at an interval of 1-6 days. Subjective reports of intoxication were obtained continuously via an instrumental joystick device. Subjects reported when they detected ethanol and qualitatively pleasant (i.e., euphoric) or unpleasant (i.e., dysphoric) effects. All subjects reliably discriminated ethanol from placebo. Pronounced increases in EEG alpha activity occurred during ethanol-induced intoxication in all subjects. Analysis of topographic maps revealed that the distribution of high-amplitude, fast-frequency EEG alpha activity extended further frontally to the central sulcus and temporally during ethanol intoxication than during control sessions or after placebo administration. Area analysis and significant prob...
TL;DR: There was a decrease in perceived certainty of arrests, but this decrease seems to have been compensated by increases in legal knowledge, credibility of sanctions and personal support for drunk-driving controls.
Abstract: This investigation of drinking and driving explored American attitudes, beliefs, legal knowledge and self-reported violations through national surveys in 1983 (1,000 drivers) and 1986 (1,800 drivers). The findings from 1986 replicated all of the basic drinking-driving control tactics reported in 1983, and there were modest gains in compliance rates over time. There was a decrease in perceived certainty of arrests, but, in view of the compliance gains, this decrease seems to have been compensated by increases in legal knowledge, credibility of sanctions and personal support for drunk-driving controls. While there was support for some elements of simple deterrence theory, the findings are more fully accommodated by the inculcation process implied in general deterrence theory.
TL;DR: In its present form, the ADS appears to have fair concurrent validity, but limited predictive utility within a sample of inpatient alcoholics.
Abstract: The present study investigated whether the degree of alcohol dependence, as operationalized by Skinner and Allen's Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS), covaried with concurrent and predictive criteria in a sample of hospitalized alcoholics. As previously reported, the ADS was found to be unidimensional and internally consistent. However, compared to Skinner and Allen's findings, these inpatients had significantly lower ADS scores. Correlations with concurrent measures of cognitive functioning, psychiatric and physical symptoms tended to be smaller than, but in the same direction as, those previously reported using an outpatient sample. ADS scores did not significantly predict attrition from inpatient treatment, self-reported alcohol consumption over 9-month follow-up or duration of aftercare involvement. Patients who relapsed reported significantly higher ADS scores at admission, however, the magnitude of this relationship was modest (r = .16). In its present form, the ADS appears to have fair concurrent valid...
TL;DR: There is a higher likelihood of alcohol in the victim for homicides that occur during time periods when there are more homicides, and it is suggested that in some cases the alcohol may be a causal factor in the homicide.
Abstract: A comparison was made between homicides in which the victim had either been drinking or had not been drinking. Medical examiner records for 792 homicides in Erie County, New York from 1972 through 1984 were used. A logistic regression found that in a significantly higher proportion of certain types of homicides there was alcohol in the victim's blood: male victims, victims aged 30-49, homicides that occur in the warmer months and in the evening or at night, homicides not related to another crime, stabbings, and homicides that take place in bars and restaurants. Some circumstances associated with a very high likelihood of alcohol in the victim's blood were: men killed at night, men killed by women, black male victims and all killings on Saturday or Sunday nights. These results suggest that a high likelihood of alcohol in victims is associated with circumstances that make drinking more likely (e.g., male victims, homicide at night), but also alcohol is more likely present in homicides that arise spontaneous...
TL;DR: Evaluation results of knowledge gained indicate that the local trainers had substantial success in imparting FAS information to a variety of audiences and that the knowledge was retained by the groups over time and that there may have been some general diffusion of knowledge among peers in local communities.
Abstract: Presented here are a detailed description and outcome evaluation of a comprehensive, macro-level Fetal Alcohol Syndrome prevention program for Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The program was designed to provide native communities throughout the United States with the knowledge, skills and strategies to initiate primary, secondary and tertiary prevention measures on their own. The key to the program was the training of a cadre of trainers/advocates in all local Native American and Alaska Native communities served by the Indian Health Service. These people were then supported and assisted in their efforts through a variety of means. Evaluation results of knowledge gained indicate that the local trainers had substantial success in imparting FAS information to a variety of audiences (prenatal groups, school children and community groups). Further, the evaluation samples also indicate that the knowledge was retained by the groups over time (2-4 months) and that there may have been some general diffusion o...
TL;DR: Analysis of the role of the presenting problem with BAL revealed that being involved in an accident was significantly predictive of a high BAL in a multivariate context, however, patients presenting with psychiatric problems had overall higher levels of intoxication than other patients.
Abstract: This article examines the distribution of positive blood alcohol levels (BALs) among emergency room patients and the relationship between intoxication and other variables. Approximately one-quarter of the 640 subjects had positive blood alcohol levels and 16.3% had BAL readings above 0.10%, the legal limit for operating a motor vehicle in most states. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis indicated a significant relationship between employment status, gender, educational attainment, age and BAL. There were no significant racial differences. Analysis of the role of the presenting problem with BAL revealed that being involved in an accident was significantly predictive of a high BAL in a multivariate context. However, patients presenting with psychiatric problems had overall higher levels of intoxication than other patients. These findings have major implications for public policy formulation vis-a-vis public health delivery.
TL;DR: It is indicated that Asians self-reported lower levels of alcohol consumption than did Caucasians, and physiological reactivity and attitudes toward drinking rather than general cultural values were significant predictors of ethnic differences in drinking.
Abstract: The present study examined Asian and Caucasian differences in alcohol consumption and the self-reported socio-cultural and physiological correlates of consumption. The subjects were 83 Asian (38 male, 45 female) and 96 Caucasian (48 male, 48 female) students who were asked to complete questionnaires on: (1) demographic information, (2) general attitudes and values, (3) level of alcohol consumption, (4) attitudes toward drinking and (5) physiological reactivity. The results indicated that: (1) Asians self-reported lower levels of alcohol consumption than did Caucasians, and (2) physiological reactivity and attitudes toward drinking rather than general cultural values were significant predictors of ethnic differences in drinking. The results suggest the importance of simultaneously evaluating physiological reactivity and sociocultural factors in alcohol consumption.
TL;DR: The negative effects of early experiences with alcohol were predictive for abstinence in both sexes, but did not differentiate between moderate and heavy alcohol users in either.
Abstract: Male and female undergraduate college students were surveyed to examine whether age and circumstances of initial taste and intoxication experiences with alcohol would be predictive of current alcohol usage. Age of initiation, nature of the experience (pleasant vs unpleasant), social setting and type of beverage were examined. Only age of initial experience was found to be minimally predictive of subsequent heavier alcohol use. The negative effects of early experiences with alcohol were predictive for abstinence in both sexes, but did not differentiate between moderate and heavy alcohol users in either.
TL;DR: Of the individual difference variables, only acute tolerance significantly influenced alcohol's effects on anxiety and alcohol did not reduce self-awareness.
Abstract: The present study used a 3 X 2 factorial design to investigate effects on assertive behavior and social anxiety of different doses of alcohol and individual differences in female social drinkers. Contrary to previous findings with men, a dose-dependent effect of alcohol was not found during the social interaction task. The high dose had mixed effects, reducing anxiety on some but not other dependent measures. The moderate dose resulted in significantly less assertiveness and increased heart rate during the social interaction, in high-tolerant subjects. Expectancies about intoxication failed to show significant effects. Of the individual difference variables, only acute tolerance significantly influenced alcohol's effects on anxiety. Alcohol did not reduce self-awareness.
TL;DR: Alcoholism and family history of alcoholism are distinct, separate factors that have additive and not interactional effects; and these separate effects seem to operate in similar fashion in both male and female populations.
Abstract: Multivariate and univariate analyses were conducted to investigate specific hypotheses concerning the effects of alcohol abuse, family history of alcoholism and gender on items in five categories: (1) family of origin; (2) childhood attention deficit, conduct and learning disorders; (3) intraindividual (psychological) variables; (4) peers and family of procreation; and (5) sociocultural and community variables The sample consisted of 76 male and 72 female detoxified alcoholics and 50 male and 51 female community controls By selection procedures, groups had an approximately 50% incidence of familial alcoholism; all were given detailed structured interviews covering the above areas Significant differences between alcoholics and controls were found for all five categories, and four of the five categories showed significant family history effects Gender differences were present on only one category There were no significant Alcoholism X FH interactions We conclude that (1) alcoholism and family history of alcoholism are distinct, separate factors that have additive and not interactional effects; and (2) these separate effects seem to operate in similar fashion in both male and female populations The findings have relevance for methodological considerations and the identification of problem areas of functioning in the adult alcoholic and nonalcoholic offspring of alcoholics
TL;DR: Ethanol consumed in liquor and related statistics are provided from 1960 to 1986, as computed from liquor excise tax revenues, and sustained trends of lower proof and of relatively lower ethanol consumption are shown after 1974.
Abstract: The amount of ethanol consumed in alcoholic beverages is often used as one indicator of alcohol's impact on health and society. An objective method of measuring the amount consumed in liquor can be derived in most years from the federal excise taxes and revenues that are levied on liquor according to proof or ethanol content. Similar measurement is not possible for wine and beer. Ethanol consumed in liquor and related statistics are provided from 1960 to 1986, as computed from liquor excise tax revenues. Per capita ethanol consumption increased 39.1% between 1960 and 1974, almost the same as the 41.4% increase of apparent liquor consumption. The average ethanol content of liquor remained almost unchanged in this period. In contrast, sustained trends of lower proof and of relatively lower ethanol consumption are shown after 1974. Between 1974 and 1986 average proof of liquor decreased 17.0% and total ethanol consumed fell 23.9%, considerably more than the 8.3% decline of total liquor consumption. Per capit...