Alcohol demand assessed daily as a predictor of same day drinking

In this investigation, baseline (trait) and daily (brief) alcohol purchase task (APT) indices (intensity: consumption at zero cost; O_max: maximum expenditure; breakpoint: cost suppressing consumption to zero) were used to investigate the influence of morning demand on subsequent alcohol consumption.

Heavy drinking college students (n = 92, age 18-20, 50% female) completed 28 daily morning reports including demand and prior day drinking. Hierarchical linear modeling, with days (Level 1) nested within-person (Level 2) were used to test the effect of morning demand on number of drinks consumed on planned drinking days, with Level 1 (study day, survey time, weekend/weekday) and Level 2 (spending money, typical drinks) covariates. Subsequently, the relative impact on daily drinking of (a) the average of each daily demand index on planned drinking days versus (b) the matched trait demand index was assessed.

Higher morning intensity was related to increased alcohol consumption later that night. This finding held in sensitivity analyses wherein demand was assumed to be zero on unplanned drinking days. When tested individually, both aggregate daily and baseline trait intensity were significantly associated with average drinks measured daily. However, in the same model, only aggregate daily intensity was significant. Neither daily aggregate nor trait breakpoint or O_max were significant.

Findings replicate previous work suggesting that brief demand (intensity) can predict same day drinking. Elevation in intensity in particular may denote greater risk for elevated alcohol consumption at subsequent episodes, thus intervention among at-risk drinkers may be possible prior to drinking initiation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).