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Upward pressures on drinking: exposure and reactivity in adulthood
Sonne Lemke1, Penny L Brennan, Kathleen K Schutte
1Department of Veterans Affairs, Center for Health Care Evaluation, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. sonne.lemke@va.gov
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
|April 21, 2007
Summary
Situations like peer influence, relationship issues, and emotional distress commonly increase alcohol consumption across life stages. Problem drinkers are more exposed and reactive to these triggers.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Addiction Research
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Understanding situational triggers for alcohol consumption is crucial for effective intervention.
- Life-course perspectives are essential for examining changes in drinking behavior.
- Differentiating between nonproblem and problem drinkers provides insight into varying risk factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify common situations associated with increased alcohol consumption.
- To analyze these associations across different life periods (early adulthood, middle age).
- To compare situational influences on drinking between nonproblem and problem drinkers.
Main Methods:
- A community sample of 480 nonproblem and 351 problem drinkers (mean age 69) was surveyed.
- Participants reported on exposure to social influences and stressors across three life periods.
- Reactivity to these situations, defined as increased alcohol consumption, was assessed.
Main Results:
- Social influences (drinking peers/partner) and stressors (family problems, emotional distress) were frequently linked to increased drinking.
- Exposure to and reactivity to these triggers varied across life periods.
- Problem drinkers showed significantly higher exposure and reactivity to social influences and stressors compared to nonproblem drinkers.
Conclusions:
- Tailoring prevention and treatment for alcohol use disorders to specific situational pressures is recommended.
- Understanding individual differences in exposure and reactivity can optimize interventions.
- Addressing social and emotional factors across the lifespan is key for managing alcohol consumption.
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