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Showing papers in "Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs in 1993"



Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: High rates of childhood victimization for women with alcohol problems suggest that there is a link between victimization and the development, specifically, of women's alcohol problems.
Abstract: The interrelationships between experiences of childhood victimization and the development of women's alcohol-related problems are explored. Two different forms of childhood victimization are examined: (1) parent-to-child violence and (2) childhood sexual abuse (familial and nonfamilial). Data were collected from 472 women between the ages of 18 and 45 during in-depth interviews. Women were grouped to allow for the following two sets of comparisons: comparison 1: alcoholics in alcoholism treatment (n = 98), drinking drivers (n = 100) and a household sample (without alcohol problems) (n = 82); comparison 2: women with alcohol problems in treatment (n = 178), women without alcohol problems in treatment (n = 92) and a household sample (n = 82). High rates of childhood victimization for women with alcohol problems suggest that there is a link between victimization and the development, specifically, of women's alcohol problems. The strength of the interrelationships between childhood victimization and the development of women's alcohol problems when holding the treatment condition constant is of particular interest in this study. The rates of childhood victimization were significantly greater for women with alcohol problems in treatment as compared to women without alcohol problems in treatment. Thus, even when holding the treatment condition and family background variables constant, childhood victimization has a specific connection to the development of women's alcohol problems. These findings remained significant even when controlling for demographic and family background differences, including parental alcohol problems. Language: en

335 citations



Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: It is suggested that a sense of purpose in life increases with continuing sobriety and practice of the spiritual principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between spirituality and recovery from alcoholism. Spirituality was defined as the extent of practice of Alcoholics Anonymous Steps 11 and 12 and was measured by a Step Questionnaire developed by the researcher. Step 11 suggests prayer and meditation and Step 12 suggests assistance of other alcoholics. Expressed degree of purpose in life was also seen as a reflection of spirituality. It was postulated that the extent to which Steps 11 and 12 were practiced would be positively correlated with the extent of purpose in life reported by 100 Alcoholics Anonymous members. The major findings of this study are significant positive correlations between practice of Step 11 and purpose in life scores (r = .59, p < .001) and between Step 11 and length of sobriety (r = .25, p < .01). Number of Alcoholics Anonymous meetings attended was significantly correlated with purpose in life scores (r = .24, p < .01) and length of sobriety (r = .25, p < .01). These findings suggest that a sen...

203 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: The conclusion can be drawn that drinking-driving is part of a more general lifestyle involving behavior and psychosocial unconventionality.
Abstract: Behavioral and psychosocial correlates of drinking and driving were examined in two independent samples of licensed drivers aged 18 to 25 selected from the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles database. Mail questionnaires were returned by 2,300 young adults (1,196 in Sample 1; 1,104 in Sample 2). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relation of a latent-variable measure of drinking-driving to latent-variable measures of other driving behaviors, problem behaviors and psychosocial variables. Drinking-driving, drug-driving and risky driving were found to comprise a more general, second-order factor of problem driving behavior. Drinking-driving was also found to constitute one aspect of a larger second-order latent variable that included problem drinking, marijuana use, other illicit drug use and delinquent-type behavior. In combination, the variables of problem driving, other problem behaviors, psychosocial unconventionality, risk-taking and hostility/aggression accounted for 57% of the variance in young adult drinking-driving. All of these Sample 1 findings were buttressed by confirmatory analyses in the independent Sample 2 data. The conclusion can be drawn that drinking-driving is part of a more general lifestyle involving behavior and psychosocial unconventionality.

200 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: A hypothetical model is described that summarizes the experimental findings and provides a vehicle for discussing the major factors and psychological processes involved in alcohol-induced aggression.
Abstract: Research on the relationship between alcohol, drugs and aggression is reviewed. The findings indicate that alcohol is a potent antecedent of aggressive behavior. Studies conducted in our laboratory demonstrate that aggressive behavior is related to the quantity of alcohol ingested, that the effect of social pressure to aggress and of intense provocation is enhanced by alcohol, that the instigating effect of alcohol depends upon the aggressive disposition of the alcohol consumer, that the aggressive behavior of the intoxicated person can be regulated by altering cues that affect cognitive processes and that other depressant increase aggressive responding. A hypothetical model is described that summarizes the experimental findings and provides a vehicle for discussing the major factors and psychological processes involved in alcohol-induced aggression.

199 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: It is concluded that questions that produce valid and reliable responses do so for identifiable reasons, and measurement instruments can be improved by incorporating particular features.
Abstract: This work assesses the validity and reliability of self-reported survey data on drinking behavior There is evidence to suggest that data are adversely affected by bias from underreporting This bias affects the validity of measures of consumption of alcohol and can have deleterious effects on the results of some forms of statistical estimation Data for this study were collected at an isolated military base The remoteness of this site and the fact that it is a military station made it possible to estimate the actual level of consumption of alcohol for the population by assessing apparent consumption through officially recorded sales of alcohol The results of eight measures of consumption of alcohol were compared with apparent consumption, as established by documented sales, and the validity and reliability of the various measures were determined using the classical correlational approach The validity and reliability of the data generated by the self-report survey were also analyzed using LISREL, the measurement model in particular The results indicate that various instruments used to assess the consumption of alcohol produce very different outcomes in terms of their validity and reliability, some questions being considerably more valid and reliable than others Two of the more salient characteristics of questions that affect validity and reliability were isolated, namely a question's ability to aid recall and its ability to mitigate the effects of persons providing socially desirable responses The LISREL results show that these are two underlying factors for the measurement of the consumption of alcohol It is concluded that questions that produce valid and reliable responses do so for identifiable reasons, and measurement instruments can be improved by incorporating particular features

186 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Correlational analyses suggest that biased perceptions of problems were unrelated to personal levels of alcohol consumption, and cognitive and motivational factors that could result in this misrepresentation of peer behavior are discussed.
Abstract: Previous studies have shown that college students' perceptions of the quantity and frequency of peer alcohol consumption are biased. Most students report that their social referents drink more than they themselves do. In the current study members of two fraternities and two sororities (N = 252) were asked to make two types of ratings of alcohol-related consequences across four target individuals. The ratings were: (1) the frequency of occurrence of predefined alcohol-related negative consequences and (2) the degree to which certain alcohol-related consequences are considered "problems." The targets were: themselves, their best friend, a typical member of their fraternity or sorority and a typical student at the university. Estimates of frequency of problem behaviors for typical member of the residence and typical student at the university were significantly higher than ratings for self (p < .001). Data from ratings of behavioral definitions of alcohol problems for the same four targets replicated the bias, although to a lesser degree. Correlational analyses suggest that biased perceptions of problems were unrelated to personal levels of alcohol consumption. Results are discussed in terms of the cognitive and motivational factors that could result in this misrepresentation of peer behavior.

173 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: It is suggested that patients with low investment should be treated in an extended cognitive behavioral modality, while relationally enhanced CB treatment should be limited to high investors who are likely to experience support for their abstinence following treatment.
Abstract: Social support is associated with better response to treatment. Treatments focused on relationships, such as marital and family therapy, are directed in part at promoting this support. However, the strength of the relationship between support and abstinence is modest, as is the demonstrated incremental effectiveness of treatments focused on relationships. Treatment-matching research needs to determine under what set of conditions treatments focused on relationships will enhance abstinence. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether the relationship between alcohol involvement and alcohol-specific social support is moderated by a person's social investment. The second aim was to determine the set of circumstances under which extended individually focused cognitive behavioral (CB) treatment and a relationship enhancement (RE) of brief cognitive behavioral treatments would improve outcomes. Patients were randomly assigned to individual or relationship-enhanced outpatient treatment and followed for 12 months. Results indicated that a patient's social investment did moderate the strength of the relationship between support and posttreatment alcohol involvement: Among high investors, there was a strong positive relationship, while the association was weak for low investors. A hypothesized triple-order interaction between social investment, posttreatment support and treatment did not materialize. However, an interaction between support and treatment showed that those with high support did equally well in either treatment, while those posttreatment support was low benefited from CB, but experienced poor outcomes when treated in relationship enhancement of CB. Further analyses indicated that increasing alcohol-specific support for low investors was probably contraindicated. We suggest that patients with low investment should be treated in an extended cognitive behavioral modality, while relationally enhanced CB treatment should be limited to high investors who are likely to experience support for their abstinence following treatment.

172 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: It is concluded that the appropriate alcohol administration design depends on the particular theoretical and methodological issues of a research program.
Abstract: This article reviews literature on the utility of different experimental designs in human alcohol administration research, with particular attention to the balanced-placebo design (BPD). Many believe the BPD can orthogonally manipulate alcohol's pharmacological effects and the effects of dosage-set (believing that one has consumed a certain amount of alcohol). However, research has accumulated that suggests these effects cannot be disentangled at moderate to high doses of alcohol. The strengths and weaknesses of a number of experimental designs are discussed with regard to the variables that designs can assess or control. Methodological issues in deception conditions and manipulation checks are reviewed. Topics in need of empirical investigation are highlighted. It is concluded that the appropriate alcohol administration design depends on the particular theoretical and methodological issues of a research program.

172 citations


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Four of alcohol's dose- and rate-dependent pharmacological properties may increase the likelihood of human aggression and alcohol-related disruption of certain higher order cognitive functions may reduce the inhibitory control generally exercised by previously established knowledge.
Abstract: Four of alcohol's dose- and rate-dependent pharmacological properties may increase the likelihood of human aggression. As an anxiolytic, alcohol is capable of reducing the inhibitory effect of fear on manifestation of aggressive behavior. As a psychomotor stimulant, alcohol can potentiate aggressive behavior, once evoked, or lower the threshold for such evocation. Alcohol-related disruption of certain higher order cognitive functions may reduce the inhibitory control generally exercised by previously established knowledge and decrease ability to plan in the face of threat or punishment. Finally, alcohol's ability to increase pain sensitivity may increase the likelihood of defensive aggression. Discussion of the nature and relevance of these pharmacological properties is structured according to a heuristic and synthetic schema, predicated upon consideration of an inhibitory neuropsychological structure--the individually and culturally determined general expectancy set.


Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Findings converge with recent evidence which suggests a particularly strong relationship between cocaine abuse and alcoholism that may differ from other types of alcohol-drug comorbidity and suggests that cocaine abuse may increase vulnerability to secondary alcoholism.
Abstract: Two hundred ninety-eight treatment-seeking and 101 community cocaine abusers were interviewed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Research Diagnostic Criteria. Alcoholism was the most frequently diagnosed current and lifetime psychiatric disorder in both samples. Several findings from this study converge with recent evidence which suggests a particularly strong relationship between cocaine abuse and alcoholism that may differ from other types of alcohol-drug comorbidity. First, rates of alcoholism among cocaine abusers doubled those of comparable samples of opioid addicts. Second, while virtually all cocaine abusers in this sample reported some alcohol use during the past month, a lifetime diagnosis of alcoholism was associated with more severe cocaine dependence. Third, the onset of alcoholism followed the onset of drug dependence for the majority of alcoholic cocaine abusers, a pattern which contrasts that typically seen in other types of drug-alcohol comorbidity and suggests that cocaine abu...

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: In this article, 45 male alcoholics, detoxified without medication, were assessed during either their second, fourth or sixth day of withdrawal, and their reactivity was compared to that of alcoholics detoxified with chlordiazepoxide (n = 15), and to their fourth week after drinking.
Abstract: Alcoholics' reactions to drinking-related stimuli (cue reactivity) have been well documented and alcohol cue exposure treatment has been conducted recently in several clinical trials. Prior to conducting large-scale clinical trials it is important to know what effects detoxification may have on cue reactivity. However, no information is available about the effects of stage of detoxification or of detoxification medication on alcohol cue reactivity. In this study, 45 male alcoholics, detoxified without medication, were assessed during either their second, fourth or sixth day of withdrawal. Further, their reactivity was compared to that of alcoholics detoxified with chlordiazepoxide (n = 15), and to that of alcoholics in their fourth week after drinking (n = 28). Cue reactivity assessment investigated salivation and urge to drink after 3 minutes of water cue exposure and then after 3 minutes of alcohol cue exposure. Urges to drink were assessed during an additional 15 minutes of alcohol exposure to explore latency to maximum reactivity and habituation. Reactivity did not differ as a function of group membership, although salivation was elevated to both beverages during the first week of detoxification. Of the sample, 70% reacted to alcohol with increased urge and 65% with increased salivation, with no difference between groups in proportions of reactors. The maximum urge to drink occurred in the first 6 minutes of alcohol exposure, followed by a gradual and significant decrease. There were no differences on these measures between alcoholics in their first or fourth week after their last drink. Implications for theory and clinical applications are discussed.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: In this article, the extent of drinking in different social settings is estimated based on a large-scale 1989 national survey in Canada, and the distribution of total drinking is strongly related to demographic variables and individual level of consumption.
Abstract: Based on a large-scale 1989 national survey in Canada, the extent of drinking in different social settings is estimated. Home consumption accounts for the greatest share of total drinking. while drinking in licensed establishments accounts for approximately one-fourth of consumption. This estimate is externally validated against scales data. The set of questions on drinking venues produces estimates of individual's alcohol consumption which have higher coverage rates than the more commonly used quantity-frequency or recent occasion approaches. The distribution of total drinking in different settings is strongly related to demographic variables and individual level of consumption. In particular, drinking in bars and taverns is related to higher levels of drinking and self-reported drinking problems. The proportion of drinking in different venues is not strongly related to drinking problems, once demographic variables and individual consumption patterns are taken into account. This does not mean that drinking venue is not a significant factor in the development of problems--it may be via its impact on consumption level and heavy drinking occasions that drinking venue relates to drinking problems.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Developing a three-part Impaired Control Scale (ICS) showed that, despite difficulties reported in the literature, impaired control could be measured in a reliable fashion, with satisfactory discriminant and concurrent validity.
Abstract: Impaired control over drinking has occupied a central place in explanations of alcohol dependence since the late 18th century. Despite this key theoretical role, no instrument has been developed to directly assess the construct. This article describes the development of a three-part Impaired Control Scale (ICS), in which Part 1 measures the degree to which a subject has attempted to exercise control over drinking in the past 6 months; Part 2 measures the degree of success in controlling drinking over the past 6 months; and Part 3 measures the subject's belief in his or her ability to control drinking if it were attempted. Psychometric analysis showed that, despite difficulties reported in the literature, impaired control could be measured in a reliable fashion, with satisfactory discriminant and concurrent validity. Preliminary investigation of the relationship between the ICS and elements of the alcohol dependence syndrome suggests that the construct of impaired control is related to, but may be distinguished from, a general factor of alcohol dependence. While more research is needed to replicate these findings and to examine interrelationships among the various parts of the ICS, the scale may have both theoretical and practical value in research and treatment for alcohol dependence and its related problems.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Behavioral findings suggest that P300 amplitude is an electrophysiological marker of alcoholism risk in young boys.
Abstract: A total of 86 children (45 male) between the ages of 8-18 who were from families that were either at high- or low-risk for developing alcoholism were evaluated in a visual event-related potential paradigm. The children responded to two target conditions (hard and easy) and a blank condition by pressing an appropriate button. P300 amplitude was reduced in prepubescent boys who were at high-risk for developing alcoholism. Reaction time data for type of target indicated that, while latency was longer for the hard condition compared to the easy one, no significant differences by risk status were found. Performance accuracy did not differ by group status. These behavioral findings suggest that P300 amplitude is an electrophysiological marker of alcoholism risk in young boys.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: As predicted, alcoholics who received RP after BMT had more days abstinent and fewer days drinking, maintained their improved marriages better and used behaviors targeted by BMT more than those who received BMT alone.
Abstract: This study evaluated whether alcoholics who received couples relapse prevention (RP) sessions in the year after short-term behavioral marital therapy (BMT) did better than those who did not receive additional RP. Couples (n = 59) with an alcoholic husband, after participating in weekly BMT couples sessions for 5 months, were assigned randomly to receive or not receive 15 additional conjoint couples relapse prevention (RP) sessions over the next 12 months. Outcome measures were collected before and after BMT and at quarterly intervals for the year after BMT. Significant improvements in the alcoholics' drinking and the couple's marital adjustment occurred from before to after BMT replicating results of our own and other's earlier studies of BMT with alcoholics, and outcomes remained significantly improved through 12-months follow-up independent of the amount of aftercare received. Given these favorable outcomes overall, the present study provided a stringent test of the hypothesized utility of RP. As predicted, alcoholics who received RP after BMT had more days abstinent and fewer days drinking, maintained their improved marriages better and used behaviors targeted by BMT more than those who received BMT alone. The prediction that greater continued use of behaviors targeted by BMT would be associated with better outcomes irrespective of the amount of aftercare received also was supported. The final prediction that couples with more severe alcohol and marital problems at study entry would show the greatest additional benefit from RP was not supported. The relatively clear-cut findings favoring RP may be due to the fact that RP in this study was an intensive, multifaceted booster maintenance intervention delivered in a couples format over a lengthy period of time. Moreover, the present results occurred during the time that couples were still getting RP. Limitations to the generalizability and interpretation of the results are discussed.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Electroencephalographic, autonomic and subjective reactions to alcohol were examined among 78 young nonalcoholic men, cross-classified with respect to the presence/absence of a family history of alcoholism and the presence of a personal history of antisocial personality disorder.
Abstract: Electroencephalographic, autonomic and subjective reactions to alcohol were examined among 78 young nonalcoholic men, cross-classified with respect to the presence/absence of a family history of alcoholism (FH) and the presence/absence of a personal history of antisocial personality disorder (ASP). Both an alcohol placebo and alcohol (0.32 ml/kg) were administered in a single laboratory session. The four groups of subjects were compared at baseline, and at several discrete time points before and after consumption of placebo and alcoholic beverages. During the baseline period, ASP+ subjects exhibited significantly more body sway and faster frontal EEG activity than their ASP- counterparts. The combination of ASP with FH was associated, at baseline, with an excessive amount of high frequency (18.6-27.6 Hz) beta activity in the right frontal EEG. After beverage consumption, several significant FH effects emerged that were independent of the effects of ASP. After placebo consumption, FH+ subjects exhibited significantly more fast alpha (10.9-12.5 Hz) activity at the right frontal electrode than FH- subjects. This difference persisted until blood alcohol concentrations began to rise, at which time fast alpha activity in FH+ subjects declined to FH- levels. Differences between the two FH groups were also apparent in their subjective reactions to the placebo and alcoholic beverages. Relative to FH- subjects, FH+ subjects rated themselves as more intoxicated after consuming the placebo but less intoxicated after consuming alcohol. FH+ subjects expressed greater confidence in their ability to resist the offer of an alcoholic drink across most time points.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: There is an overall negative relationship between alcohol consumption and technical aspects of work performance as indicated by workplace collateral reports, which indicates that heavier drinkers are more likely to score lower on self-direction at work, conflict avoidance at work and interpersonal relations at work.
Abstract: This study examines the work performance of 136 males, including both self-reports and reports of workplace collaterals. Comparisons are made on several dimensions of work performance and different levels of alcohol consumption. Different levels of drinking are not associated with scales of self-reported work performance, but relatively heavy drinkers are less frequently absent and late to work than their lighter drinking counterparts. Collateral reports of work performance, however, indicate that heavier drinkers are more likely to score lower on self-direction at work, conflict avoidance at work and interpersonal relations at work. The relationship of alcohol consumption to the technical aspects of work performance is less clear. There is, however, an overall negative relationship between alcohol consumption and technical aspects of work performance as indicated by workplace collateral reports. The implications for the design of workplace intervention programs are considered.



Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Results showed that the stress and negative affect model predicted alcohol use and, consistent with theoretical predictions and previous research, negative affect partially mediated the relation between stress and alcohol use, but behavioral undercontrol did not moderate the effects of stress andnegative affect for COAs and non-COAs.
Abstract: Empirical evidence for the stress and negative affect model of adolescent alcohol use has been inconsistent. We hypothesized that this inconsistent support was partially due to a third variable that moderates the model's effects. The current study assessed behavioral undercontrol as a moderator of the stress and negative affect model of adolescent alcohol use. Using a community-based sample of adolescent children of alcoholics (COAs) and a demographically matched comparison group (non-COAs), life stress, negative affect, behavioral undercontrol and alcohol use were assessed. Results showed that the stress and negative affect model predicted alcohol use. Consistent with theoretical predictions and previous research, negative affect partially mediated the relation between stress and alcohol use. However, behavioral undercontrol did not moderate the effects of stress and negative affect for COAs and non-COAs. Theoretical and methodological implications of the findings are discussed.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Results indicated that cigarettes were viewed as a less serious substance abuse problem than were alcohol or cocaine and recovery was rated as more likely to occur from treatment than from self-change.
Abstract: Visitors (N = 579) to a science center read selected scenarios and evaluated the most likely outcome for a hypothetical substance abuser. Respondents were randomly assigned to one of six scenario conditions: a person with one of three different substance abuse problems (alcohol, tobacco, or cocaine) was crossed with two labels reflecting high or low substance dependence. Results indicated that: (1) cigarettes were viewed as a less serious substance abuse problem than were alcohol or cocaine (a person who smoked cigarettes was rated as more likely to recover from his problem, self-change was regarded as more appropriate and less stigma was associated with smoking than with the other two drugs); (2) non-abstinent recoveries of all types were greeted with skepticism; and (3) recovery was rated as more likely to occur from treatment than from self-change.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: While alcoholics appeared to affectively experience stressful events in a manner similar to that of controls, they had an attenuated cortisol response, and a possible pathophysiological mechanism for this dysregulation is discussed.
Abstract: Sober alcoholics show an attenuated hormonal response to pharmacological agents that normally stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPAC) axis. To determine if this same result would be found using biobehavioral stressors, 52 detoxified (mean = 32 days) male alcoholics and 30 male nonalcoholic controls were given two moderately aversive tasks (mental arithmetic and cold pressor test). Three samples of blood were drawn during a 2.5-hour prestressor baseline, a fourth immediately following the stressors and a fifth, 20 minutes later. At each of these times, subjects were asked to report their degree of distress. Serum cortisol concentrations did not differ between groups at baseline or immediately following the stressors, but 20 minutes later alcoholics had significantly lower concentrations than controls. The groups did not differ on their degree of self-reported distress in response to the stressors. Thus, while alcoholics appeared to affectively experience stressful events in a manner simi...

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: The findings indicate that treatment should more often incorporate others from a client's social network, using significant others first to provide general social support and later alcohol-relevant support as well.
Abstract: This article describes a conceptual model developed to explain abusive use of alcohol and reports results of an initial test of that conceptualization. General social support is hypothesized to affect the level of subjective well-being, while alcohol-relevant social support affects the degree of alcohol involvement. A cross-sectional test of two models derived from this formulation was made using data from 148 alcoholic clients entering treatment at a private non-profit psychiatric facility. Results indicate that a model in which no direct relationship between alcohol involvement and subjective well-being is specified provides a more parsimonious explanation of interrelationships at the time of treatment entry. Alcohol involvement is explained by alcohol-relevant affiliative and instrumental support (albeit weakly), and subjective well-being is explained by general affiliative and instrumental social support. There is virtually no interrelationship between alcohol involvement and subjective well-being onc...

Journal Article•DOI•
William R. Yates1, Brenda M. Booth, D A Reed, Keith Brown, B J Masterson •
TL;DR: A high-risk alcoholism relapse (HAR) model (defined by chronicity of heavy drinking, daily alcohol consumption and previous treatment history) demonstrates descriptive and predictive validity and compares favorably to existing typology models.
Abstract: A major problem with alcoholism treatment is the high rate of early recidivism to drinking and re-admission for alcoholism treatment. The objective of this study was to retest a model or predict early (within 6 months) re-admission to alcoholism treatment using a second independent sample. Additionally, we compared a high-risk alcoholism relapse (HAR) model (defined by chronicity of heavy drinking, daily alcohol consumption and previous treatment history) with three previously defined alcoholism typologies for descriptive and predictive validity. Male alcoholics (N = 299) admitted for treatment at a Veterans Affairs inpatient treatment program were interviewed and then followed for 6 months after discharge. The HAR model identified 107 (35.8%) alcoholics at high-risk for relapse prior to discharge. Of the HAR group 61% were re-admitted within 6 months compared to 28% of the low-risk alcoholism relapse (LAR) group (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 2.4-6.8). The HAR group was older with a lower socioeconomic status, fewe...

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Subjects in the .85 g/kg group were more likely than control subjects to respond aggressively after being frustrated by the intruder's negative reaction to the initial attempt to resolve the conflict.
Abstract: The present study represents a preliminary exploration of the effects of alcohol on aggression (a hypothetical response to a videotaped provocation), using a social information processing model. Subjects were male social drinkers who received either a control beverage (ginger ale), placebo, .45 g/kg alcohol or .85 g/kg alcohol. Subjects observed a series of videotaped scenes of potential conflict occurring in the lounge of a college dormitory. In these scenes, an intruder switched the channel on a television set without asking the person watching for permission. The four groups were similar in their ability to encode and interpret social cues. Subjects in the 0.85 g/kg group were less able to generate competent (nonaggressive) solutions and were less likely than controls to select adaptive (nonaggressive) solutions. Subjects in the .85 g/kg group were more likely than control subjects to respond aggressively after being frustrated by the intruder's negative reaction to the initial attempt to resolve the conflict.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: Decreases in P300 amplitude and delayed reduction of anterior negativity appear related to developmental processes in high-risk children.
Abstract: To determine if P300 and other event-related potentials (ERP) could serve as markers for risk of developing alcoholism, two groups of children (8-18 years old) were tested. The high-risk (HR) group consisted of 51 children with an average of 4.1 first- and second-degree relatives who were alcoholic. The low-risk group (LR) consisted of 42 children who had no first- or second-degree relatives who were alcoholic or met criteria for DSM-III Axis I psychopathology. Auditory stimuli varying in conditional probability were presented during a silent counting task, and during a choice reaction task. P300 amplitude was smaller in high-risk than low-risk children. When grouped according to gender and developmental status (8-12 and 13-18 year olds), P300 showed the greatest reduction for the older high-risk males compared to low-risk males. In addition, a previous finding was replicated: the prolonged centro-frontal negativity (232-352 msec), which decreased with age in low-risk children, showed significantly less reduction for high-risk children. Risk status was not related to either amplitudes of the N100 and P200 components of the ERP, or to latencies of any components. Decreases in P300 amplitude and delayed reduction of anterior negativity appear related to developmental processes in high-risk children.

Journal Article•DOI•
TL;DR: The findings of this study have implications for understanding the nature and time course of cue-elicited desire for alcohol and its potential role in the development and treatment of alcohol dependence.
Abstract: Physiological responses and self-reported desire for alcohol were compared in heavy (n = 21) and light (n = 29) drinkers under each of two cue conditions. The cues were presented in a counterbalanced order and consisted of the sight, smell and taste of the subject's preferred alcoholic beverage (alcohol cue) and of a nonalcoholic lemon-flavored drink (neutral cue). Heavy drinkers showed a significant linear increase in reported desire for alcohol over time in the presence of the alcohol cue. This persistent increase in desire for alcohol seen in heavy drinkers contrasted with the initial increase shown by light drinkers which dissipated over time. Neither group showed any significant change in desire for alcohol when presented with the neutral cue. Heavy drinkers showed lower levels of skin conductance than light drinkers and all subjects showed changes in heart rate during exposure to both cues. Heart rate was affected differentially in the two groups of drinkers but only when the alcohol cue was present...