Environmental and Social Contexts Associated with Impulsivity and Alcohol Use Among Heavy Drinking College Students

Background: Although impulsivity is strongly linked to alcohol use, few studies have examined contextual factors that may impact impulsivity in real time. Thus, this study aimed to (1) determine which locations, social settings, and drinking contexts were associated with impulsivity and (2) examine whether the association between impulsivity and alcohol use in-the-moment was moderated by context. Methods: Participants were 89 (47 women) heavy drinking, college students who completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study. Each day, participants completed three random reports, and two reports at the beginning and end of any drinking occasions. Results: At the between-person level, individuals who were more frequently at parties and received more drink offers reported higher than average impulsivity. At the within-person level, being at home, at work or school, or alone was associated with lower impulsivity whereas reporting a greater number of drinks consumed by others was associated with greater impulsivity. No context significantly impacted the association between impulsivity and alcohol use. Conclusions: Although certain contexts were associated with impulsivity, contexts did not heighten the risk for impulsivity and alcohol use in the moment. Additional research is needed to fully elucidate the associations between contextual factors and impulsivity in real time.