Citation

Farris SR, Ostafin BD, Palfai TP. Psychol. Addict. Behav. 2010; 24(1): 151-156.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/a0018294

PMID

20307123

Abstract

Research suggests that alcohol use is influenced by (a) the strength of automatic motivational responses to alcohol cues and (b) individual differences in self-control. The current study was designed to examine whether the self-control skill of inhibiting response to distracting stimuli would moderate the relation between automatic alcohol motivation and alcohol use. Eighty-seven hazardous drinkers completed baseline measures of automatic alcohol motivation and trait self-control and reported their drinking at a follow-up session 6 weeks later. Regression analyses demonstrated an interaction such that greater distractibility strengthens a positive relation between alcohol use and automatic alcohol motivation. These results contribute to a growing body of work indicating that self-control resources may help to inhibit the influence of automatic processes on alcohol behavior.

Language: en