Exploring the Relationship Between Behavioral Inhibition and Approach Systems and Alcohol-Related Outcomes in People...

The Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) are two core motivational systems linked to addictive behaviors. Understanding the biobehavioral mechanisms and correlates of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), including BIS/BAS, could lead to improved strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Using baseline data from five clinical studies, we conducted secondary analyses to explore the link between BIS/BAS and alcohol-related outcomes in people with AUD (N = 94). We hypothesized that lower BIS and higher BAS scores would be associated with more severe alcohol use, obsessive thoughts, and compulsive behaviors toward alcohol. In additional post-hoc analyses, we also explored the mediating effects of anxiety and depression in this regard.

Higher BIS scores were associated with higher severity of alcohol use and more obsessive-compulsive drinking behaviors, as respectively measured by the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS). Anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and depression (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) significantly mediated the positive associations between BIS scores and AUDIT/OCDS. No significant associations were found between BAS scores and alcohol-related measures.

These findings suggest that, in this sample of middle-aged people with AUD, a heightened BIS leads to more severe alcohol use, and this relationship is mediated by anxiety and depressive symptoms. Further prospective research in adults with AUD and varying levels of alcohol use is necessary to better understand the relationship between BIS/BAS and alcohol-related outcomes.