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Integrating disinhibition and learning risk for alcohol use
D M McCarthy1, L S Kroll, G T Smith
1Department of Psychology, University of California, San Diego 92093-0109, USA. dmmccart@ucsd.edu
Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Trait disinhibition influences problem drinking by biasing alcohol expectancies. Disinhibited individuals are more prone to act on positive alcohol beliefs, especially men.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- The acquired preparedness model of problem drinking suggests trait disinhibition influences alcohol expectancies.
- Trait disinhibition, conceptualized as neurotic extraversion, may lead to biased formation of positive alcohol expectancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the acquired preparedness model of problem drinking.
- To examine the mediating and moderating roles of alcohol expectancies in the relationship between disinhibition and drinking behavior.
- To investigate the behavioral manifestations of disinhibition in reward-seeking contexts.
Main Methods:
- Study 1: Assessed trait disinhibition, alcohol expectancies, and drinking behavior.
- Study 2: Employed a learning task to assess reward-seeking versus punishment-avoidance in disinhibited individuals.
- Analyzed mediation and moderation effects, and differential effects based on sex.
Main Results:
- Positive alcohol expectancies mediated the relationship between disinhibition and drinking.
- Disinhibition moderated the expectancy-drinking link, with disinhibited individuals acting more on positive expectancies.
- Disinhibited individuals prioritized reward over punishment avoidance in a learning task.
- Study 2 findings replicated Study 1 for men but not women.
Conclusions:
- The acquired preparedness model is supported, with disinhibition influencing drinking via alcohol expectancies.
- Disinhibition is linked to a greater tendency to pursue rewards, even when detrimental.
- Sex differences may influence the manifestation of disinhibition and its relationship with alcohol expectancies and drinking.
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