Citation

Poulton A, Eastwood O, Bruns LRJ, Sinnott RO, Hester R. Alcohol Clin. Exp. Res. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/acer.14755

PMID

34859438

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Heightened behavioural impulsivity has been advocated as pre-existing risk factors for the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Nonetheless, studies investigating impulsivity in adolescent/young adult at-risk drinkers - who are at increased risk of developing AUD - report mixed findings. This may be due to methodological limitations related to definitions of at-risk drinking, the retrospective assessment of alcohol intake, and/or the relatively modest sample size of some studies.

METHODS: Healthy individuals (N = 814, M(ag) (e) = 22.50) completed online surveys and a measure of choice impulsivity. Of these, a number also undertook an online measure of response inhibition (n = 627, M(ag) (e) = 22.66), and a further subgroup submitted real-time alcohol consumption information for a period of 21 days using an app (n = 543, M(ag) (e) = 22.96). Differences in behavioural impulsivity were assessed as a function of various at-risk alcohol intake categories. Hierarchical multiple regression was employed to determine whether impulsivity predicted alcohol use in the form of a continuous index comprising variables related to intake and consequences of use.

RESULTS: Significantly greater impulsivity was not evident in heavy, standard binge, high binge, harmful, or hazardous alcohol drinkers as compared to controls, regardless of the criteria employed to categorise these at-risk drinkers. Neither choice impulsivity nor reduced response inhibition significantly predicted the alcohol use index.

CONCLUSIONS: While results could be attributed to the online nature of this research, it is possible more sensitive measures of behavioural impulsivity are required when assessing non-dependent drinkers.

Language: en

Keywords

alcohol; alcohol use disorder; behavioural impulsivity; choice impulsivity; response inhibition