Intention to Engage in Alcohol Use during Pregnancy

The Role of Attitudes and Prototypes

Bibliographic Data

ID21646055
AuthorsTess M D Fletcher (0000-0002-4537-1425, Enable Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia, corresponding author), Barbara Ann Mullan (0000-0002-0177-8899, Enable Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia), Amy Finlay‐jone (0000-0002-1336-4001, The Kids Research Institute Australia)
Year2023
Volume58
Issue11
Pages1333-1342
Publication date2023-09-19
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSubstance Use & Misuse (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1082-6084 • E-ISSN: 1532-2491
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10826084.2023.2215292
PMID37249357
OpenAlexW4378746796
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited42

Background: There is no known risk-free level of alcohol use in pregnancy. Despite this, many still believe that occasional drinking is safe. To-date, there is limited evidence of the influences on women’s decisions about low to moderate alcohol use in pregnancy. The aim of this study was to explore alcohol use intentions during pregnancy, using variables from the theory of planned behavior, the prototype/willingness model and personality variables. The study also investigated whether priming participants with exposure to prototypes describing different alcohol use behaviors had an impact on intentions.Methods: Participants, 746 women aged 20 to 45 years, were randomized to be prompted to think of one of two different “types” of behaviors, i.e., small level of alcohol use in pregnancy and ambiguous level of alcohol use in pregnancy. They then completed measures of theoretical variables, impulsivity, venturesomeness, and self-efficacy. Participants then answered whether they intended to use alcohol during a future pregnancy.Results: Over half of the variance in intentions to consume alcohol while pregnant were predicted by the final model (R2= .527, F (1, 438) = 13.201, p < .001). Positive attitudes toward alcohol use in pregnancy, from the theory of planned behavior, were the most significant predictor of intentions and intentions did not differ between groups according to prototype exposure.Conclusions: Future research should aim to explore the efficacy of interventions to reduce low to moderate alcohol use in pregnancy that utilize both the theory of planned behavior and prototype/willingness model to target determinants of intentions

Alcohol · Developmental psychology · Impulsivity · Personality · Pregnancy · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Self-efficacy · Theory of planned behavior · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Clinical Psychology · Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects · Psychology · Social Psychology · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access