Alcohol and anxiety reduction in female social drinkers

The present study used a 3 X 2 factorial design to investigate effects on assertive behavior and social anxiety of different doses of alcohol and individual differences in female social drinkers. Contrary to previous findings with men, a dose-dependent effect of alcohol was not found during the social interaction task. The high dose had mixed effects, reducing anxiety on some but not other dependent measures. The moderate dose resulted in significantly less assertiveness and increased heart rate during the social interaction, in high-tolerant subjects. Expectancies about intoxication failed to show significant effects. Of the individual difference variables, only acute tolerance significantly influenced alcohol's effects on anxiety. Alcohol did not reduce self-awareness.