A Daily-Level Analysis of Moderators of the Association between Alcohol Expectancies and Alcohol Use among College Student Drinkers

Bibliographic Data

ID21645874
AuthorsJason J Ramirez (0000-0002-1892-5605, University of Washington, corresponding author), Isaac C Rhew (0000-0001-9731-8776, University of Washington), Megan E Patrick (0000-0003-3594-4944, University of Minnesota), Mary E Larimer (0000-0002-2003-2312, University of Washington), Christine M Lee (0000-0001-7899-8120, University of Washington)
Year2020
Volume55
Issue6
Pages973-982
Publication date2020-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueSubstance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10826084.2020.1717535
PMID31997688
OpenAlexW3003161789
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited38

Background: Alcohol expectancies, or the perceived likelihood of experiencing certain effects after consuming alcohol, are associated with college student drinking such that heavier drinkers expect a greater likelihood of positive effects. However, less is known as to whether day-to-day within-person deviations in expectancies are associated with drinking that same day and for whom and when these associations may be strongest. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine daily-level associations of positive and negative alcohol expectancies with alcohol use, and whether associations differed according to demographic characteristics and additional alcohol-related constructs. Methods: College student drinkers (N = 327, 53.8% female) participated in an intensive longitudinal study that captured daily-level data. Alcohol use and expectancy measures were utilized from a baseline session and at the daily-level using Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Results: Results found that on days when participants reported stronger positive and negative expectancies than their average, they were more likely to drink as well as consume more alcohol when drinking. Moderation analyses revealed that positive expectancies were more positively associated with the likelihood of any drinking for women relative to men, and more positively associated with the quantity of alcohol consumption for younger students, students with lower baseline rates of drinking, and students with greater overall positive alcohol expectancies. Conclusions/Importance: The findings demonstrate that alcohol expectancies fluctuate within-person across days and these fluctuations are meaningful in predicting same-day drinking. Interventions that seek to modify expectancies proximal to drinking events may be considered to reduce college student drinking

Alcohol · Alcohol consumption · Environmental health · Expectancy theory · Injury prevention · Moderation · Poison control · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Suicide prevention · Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects · Clinical Psychology · Human Factors and Ergonomics · Medicine · Psychology · Smoking Behavior and Cessation · Social Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

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