The Nature of Attitude

ABSTRACT

Previous research has shown that acute alcohol consumption is associated with negative responses toward outgroup members such as sexual minorities. However, simple alcohol cue exposure without actually consuming alcohol also influences social behavior. Hence, it was reasoned that priming participants with words related to alcohol (relative to neutral words) would promote prejudiced attitudes toward sexual minorities. In fact, an experiment showed that alcohol cue exposure causally led to more negative implicit attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. In contrast, participants’ explicit attitudes were relatively unaffected by the priming manipulation. Moreover, participants’ typical alcohol use was not related to their attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. In sum, it appears that not only acute alcohol consumption but also the simple exposure of alcohol cues may promote negative views toward lesbians and gay men.     

A year in the college life: Evidence for the social investment hypothesis via trait self-control and alcohol consumption

The present study examined 12-month prospective relations among trait self-control, subjective role investment, and alcohol consumption in a sample of university students (N = 129). Using neo-socioanalytic theory and the social investment hypothesis as guiding frameworks, it was expected that greater initial role investment would predict greater self-control and less alcohol consumption at follow-up. Path analyses showed higher initial levels of subjective college student role investment predicted greater subsequent self-control and lower drinking amounts, controlling for initial standing on self-control and alcohol consumption. Greater initial trait self-control also predicted subsequent lower alcohol consumption. The discussion emphasizes the importance of incorporating subjective role investment, in addition to nominal role participation, in developmental accounts of personality traits, social identity, and behavior.     

Five-Factor Model and alcohol outcomes: Mediating and moderating role of alcohol expectancies

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the Five-Factor Model of personality and alcohol expectancies (AEs) with different alcohol outcomes. The sample was composed of 738 participants (63.7% females). Path and regression analyses were performed to test the mediation and moderation effects. The results indicated that Neuroticism was related to alcohol consumption through Positive Alcohol Expectancies, and that Negative Alcohol Expectancies, but also Positive Alcohol Expectancies, partially mediated the relationship of Neuroticism to alcohol-related problems. In addition, Positive Alcohol Expectancies partially mediated the associations of extraversion and low conscientiousness with weekend Standard Drink Units (SDUs), and they completely mediated the associations of these personality variables with alcohol-related problems. Additional direct paths were found from low agreeableness to weekly SDUs and alcohol-related problems; and from low openness to weekend SDUs. Moderation effects of alcohol expectancies on personality and both alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were also found. The present research contributes new evidence on the influence of the five factors of personality on alcohol outcomes, and the mediation/moderation role of alcohol expectancies. These findings can be useful to develop prevention/intervention programmes.     

Reducing alcohol consumption during pre-drinking sessions: testing an integrated behaviour-change model

Objective: Pre-drinking, the practice of consuming alcohol prior to attending a subsequent event, increases the risk of alcohol-related harm, and is common in undergraduate student populations. The current study tested an integrated behaviour change model to identify the motivational, social-cognitive, and implicit predictors of pre-drinking.

Design: University students (N?=?289) completed an online questionnaire comprising measures of motivational and social-cognitive constructs related to reducing pre-drinking alcohol consumption and past behaviour, and an implicit association test for drinking identity. Participants reported their pre-drinking alcohol consumption at follow-up, 4 weeks from baseline.

Main Outcome Measures: Self-reported pre-drinking alcohol consumption.

Results: A variance-based structural equation model revealed that few model hypotheses were supported. Although the effects of past behaviour, perceived behavioural control, and implicit drinking identity, on follow-up pre-drinking alcohol consumption were statistically significant, the effect of intention was not.

Conclusions: Current findings indicate pre-drinking alcohol consumption is associated with past behaviour, perceived behavioural control and implicit drinking identity, and no intentions to reduce pre-drinking alcohol consumption. The finding raise questions over the validity of applying the integrated model in this context. Interventions should consider these factors and attempt to facilitate the formation of intentions that lead to subsequent behaviour.     

The impact of motor vehicle injury on distress: Moderators and trajectories over time

Research reveals that motor vehicle injuries (MVIs) can result in severe and debilitating psychological distress. Yet, not every person who has sustained a MVI suffers psychologically. It appears that risk of distress varies by demographic and psychosocial characteristics. The present study aimed to explore the trajectories of post-MVI distress and the effect of pre-MVI psychological functioning on post-MVI distress. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to explore the longitudinal dataset from the Canadian National Population Health Survey. Participants were assessed up to nine years post-MVI. Post-MVI distress increased over time. Men experienced greater overall distress than women and a greater increase in distress over time. Pre-MVI distress predicted post-MVI distress. This relationship was strongest for those with greater pre-MVI alcohol consumption. At low levels of pre-MVI distress, greater pre-MVI alcohol consumption was related to lower post-MVI distress, but at high levels of pre-MVI distress, greater pre-MVI alcohol consumption predicted increased post-MVI distress. Those with partners experienced less distress than the unpartnered. This study supports the general findings of other post-MVI and post-trauma studies, although the current study’s main and interaction effects reveal more complex and nuanced relationships among variables in their prediction of post-MVI psychological distress.     

A systematic review of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol misuse: study characteristics,program content and outcomes

ABSTRACT

Alcohol misuse is a common, disabling and costly issue worldwide. Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has the potential to reduce the harms of alcohol misuse, particularly for individuals who are unable or unwilling to access face-to-face therapy. A systematic review was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases for all relevant articles published from 1980 to January 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included if (i) an ICBT intervention targeting alcohol misuse was delivered; (ii) participants were aged 18 years or older; and (iii) primary outcomes were quantity of drinking. A qualitative analysis was conducted on the content of the ICBT programs. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies included participants from the general population, while studies conducted within clinic settings with diagnosed individuals were rare. The programs were similar in terms of included modules. Small effects were seen in studies on self-guided ICBT, while therapist-guided ICBT rendered small to large effects. The current review indicates that ICBT has a significant effect in reducing alcohol consumption. Larger studies evaluating ICBT compared to active control groups especially within clinic settings are warranted.     

Health-related behaviour and personality trait development in adulthood

This investigation explored the contribution of a healthy lifestyle to personality trait stability and change during adulthood. A nationally representative sample of 11,133 Australian adults completed self-report measures of health-related behaviour and personality traits at baseline (2010) and again four years later (2014). Results showed that physical activity and alcohol intake, and to a lesser extent diet and cigarette smoking, were important for mean-level change and intra-individual stability of personality for all trait dimensions. Moreover, positive health behaviours were associated with less of a decrease in extraversion and more of an increase in openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness over four years.These findings suggest that healthy living might help to facilitate desirable personality trait stability and change during adulthood.     

The cost of treating substance use disorders: individual versus family therapy

This study examined the cost of substance use disorders treatment in a large healthcare organization. A survival analysis demonstrated that family therapy utilised the least number of sessions (M = 2.41) when treating substance use disorders followed by individual therapy (M = 3.38) and mixed therapy (M = 6.40). Family therapy was the least costly of the three types, at $124.55 per episode of care for a client, with individual therapy costing $170.22 and mixed therapy $319.55. The ratio of family therapists utilising family therapy was more than three to one compared to other licensed professionals. The percentages of clients coming back for more than one episode of care are fewest for family therapy (8.9%) followed by mixed therapy (9.5%) and individual therapy (12.0%).