Alcohol Studies

Moderators of the Relationship Between Religiosity and Alcohol Use in College Students

by Jessica Bodford

Induced theta activity as a biomarker for alcoholism in long-term abstinent alcoholics

by Casey Gilmore

Casey S. Gilmore & George Fein. Under review.

Event-related, target stimulus-phase-locked (evoked) brain activity in both the time and time-frequency (TF) domains... more Event-related, target stimulus-phase-locked (evoked) brain activity in both the time and time-frequency (TF) domains (the P3b ERP; evoked theta oscillations) has been shown to be reduced in alcoholics. Recently, studies have suggested that there is alcohol-related information in the non-stimulus-phase-locked (induced) theta TF activity. We applied TF analysis to target stimulus event-related EEG recorded during an oddball task from 41 long-term abstinent alcoholics (LTAA) and 71 non-alcoholic controls (NAC) to investigate the relationship between P3b, evoked theta, and induced theta activity. Results showed that induced theta 1) was larger in LTAA compared to NAC, and 2) was sensitive to differences between LTAA and NAC groups that was independent of the differences accounted for by P3b amplitude or evoked theta. These findings suggest that increased induced theta may likely be a biomarker for the effects of alcohol abuse on brain function.

Blog post: The drip feed

by James Nicholls

Points ADHS blog

Blog post: The news Alcohol Strategy raises some old questions

by James Nicholls

Huffington Post

Everyday, everywhere: alcohol marketing and social media - current trends

by James Nicholls

Email me for offprint copy

Disrupted Regulation of Social Exclusion in Alcohol-Dependence: An fMRI Study

by Alexandre Heeren

Maurage, P., Joassin, F., Philippot, P., Heeren, A., Vermeulen, N., Mahau, P., Delperdange, C., Corneille, O., Luminet, O., & de Timary, P. (in press). Disrupted regulation of social exclusion in alcohol-dependence: An fMRI study. Neuropsychopharmacology.

Structural Comparison of Cognitive Associative Networks In Two Populations1

by Kathryn Coronges

Acute and Long-Term Purkinje Cell Loss Following a Single Ethanol Binge During the Early Third Trimester Equivalent in the Rat

by Nirelia Idrus

Conference Report: Drink and the Life Cycle, 23 September 2011

by Deborah Toner

Medical and licit drug use in an urban/rural study population with a refugee background, 7-8 years into resettlement Einnahme von Medikamenten und …

by Karin Johansson Blight

Low-Effort Thought Promotes Political Conservatism

by Chris Crandall

Co authored with
Scott Eidelman, Jeffrey Goodman and John Blanchar

The authors test the hypothesis that low-effort thought promotes political conservatism. In Study 1, alcohol... more The authors test the hypothesis that low-effort thought promotes political conservatism. In Study 1, alcohol intoxication was measured among bar patrons; as blood alcohol level increased, so did political conservatism (controlling for sex, education, and political identification). In Study 2, participants under cognitive load reported more conservative attitudes than their no-load counterparts. In Study 3, time pressure increased participants’ endorsement of conservative terms. In Study 4, participants considering political terms in a cursory manner endorsed conservative terms more than those asked to cogitate; an indicator of effortful thought (recognition memory) partially mediated the relationship between processing effort and conservatism. Together these data suggest that political conservatism may be a process consequence of low-effort thought; when effortful, deliberate thought is disengaged, endorsement of conservative ideology increases.

Pathways from childhood intelligence and socio-economic status to late-life cardiovascular disease risk

by Gareth Hagger-Johnson

In press at Health Psychology, co-authored with René MÕTTUS, Leone C.A. CRAIG, John M. STARR, Ian J. DEARY.

Objective: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase marker of systemic inflammation and considered an established... more Objective: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase marker of systemic inflammation and considered an established risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in old age. Previous studies have suggested that low childhood intelligence, lower socio-economic status (SES) in childhood or in later life, unhealthy behaviors, poor wellbeing and high Body Mass Index (BMI) are associated with inflammation. Life course models that simultaneously incorporate all these risk factors can explain how CVD risks accumulate over time, from childhood to old age. Methods: Using the data from 1,091 Scottish adults (Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936), a path model was constructed to predict CRP at age 70  from concurrent health behaviors, self-perceived quality of life and BMI and adulthood SES as mediating variables, and from parental SES and childhood intelligence as distal risk factors. Results: A well-fitting path model (CFI = .92, SRMR = .05) demonstrated significant indirect effects from childhood intelligence and parental social class to inflammation via BMI, health behaviors and quality of life (all ps < .05). Low childhood intelligence, unhealthy behaviors, and higher BMI were also direct predictors of CRP. Conclusions: The life course model illustrated how CVD risks may accumulate over time, beginning in childhood and being both direct and transmitted indirectly via low adult SES, unhealthy behaviors, impaired quality of life and high BMI. Knowledge on the childhood risk factors and their pathways to poor health can be used to identify high risk individuals for more intensive and tailored behavior change interventions, and to develop effective public health policies.

De Roiste, A., Gavin, A. & Nic Gabhainn, S. (2008). Urban and rural patterns in adolescent alcohol consumption in Ireland. National Institute of Health Sciences Research Bulletin, 4(4), s7-s8

by Saoirse Nic Gabhainn

Creating better stories: Alcohol and gender in transitions to adulthood

by Pete Seaman

A doubling of alcohol related deaths in the last 15 years (ISD Scotland, 2011) indicates that action is required to... more A doubling of alcohol related deaths in the last 15 years (ISD Scotland, 2011) indicates that action is required to reduce levels of alcohol consumption. A strong and pioneering set of polices have been laid out in the Scottish Government’s strategic document for tackling alcohol related harm; Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol. Although the evidence for the effectiveness of price and availability controls is strong at a population level, how these approaches will play-out across subgroups of the population is less well understood. Cutting beneath a national cultural relationship with alcohol are subgroup experiences where the role of alcohol is differentiated by class, gender, ethnicity and age cohort. In this report, we explore how a key population group, young adults, understand their relationship to alcohol and what influences their choices and behaviours.Further, we maintain a keen focus on a key factor which differentiates the experience of young adulthood – gender.

Sex and Sexism in Australian Alcohol Advertising: (Why) Are Women More Offended than Men?

by Sandra Jones

Jones, S. C., & Reid, A. (2011). Sex and Sexism in Australian Alcohol Advertising: (Why) Are Women More Offended than Men? Contemporary Management Research 7(3), 211-230.

Alcohol advertisements often attract criticism for portraying women in an overtly sexual and demeaning fashion, with... more Alcohol advertisements often attract criticism for portraying women in an overtly sexual and demeaning fashion, with past research finding that women are more critical than men. The first study reported here found that neither feminism nor gender role identity added substantial explanatory power beyond that of gender. Females reported more negative attitudes toward ads that used demeaning sexual appeals and more positive attitudes toward empowering appeals. The second study provided quantitative evidence in support of the assumption that it is offensive sexual portrayals, rather than other aspects of sexist advertisements, that are disliked.

Not just the taste: Why adolescents drink alcopops

by Sandra Jones

­Jones SC & Reis S (2011) Not just the taste: Why adolescents drink alcopops. Health Education 112(1), 61 - 74.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the features of alcopops which make them attractive to Australian... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the features of alcopops which make them attractive to Australian adolescents, which features are most important in determining choice of ready-to-drinks (RTDs) over other alcoholic drinks, and whether these vary by age and gender.
Design/methodology/approach – Mixed methods study. Participants in Study 1 (focus groups) were 72 adolescents aged 12-17 from New South Wales, Australia; four groups each from Sydney (metropolitan area), Wollongong (regional) and Dubbo (rural); and in Study 2 (survey), 1,263 adolescents aged 12-17 recruited through schools, mall intercepts, and online.
Findings – The predominant factor influencing preference for alcopops across both genders was taste, followed by alcohol strength and cost, although the association between price and choice was complex. Convenience was an important factor, including ease of carrying and concealing, as was the physical appearance (particularly for younger drinkers). Non-drinkers and experimental drinkers reported that advertising was a key influencer.
Practical implications – These results elaborate on previous research, indicating that alcopops are appealing to young people for a number of reasons (including taste, cost and alcohol strength), many of which differ in importance depending on age and gender. Given that advertising was found to be a key factor in the preference for alcopops, alcohol-related media literacy education may help young people to resist these harmful persuasive messages.
Originality/value – This study goes beyond previous research into the role of taste preferences to explore the complexity of reasons for adolescents' alcohol consumption. In doing so, this research provides the basis for future educational and policy interventions.

Exposure to alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among Australian adolescents

by Sandra Jones

Jones SC & Magee CA (2011) Exposure to alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among Australian adolescents. Alcohol & Alcoholism 46 (5), 630-637.

Aims: Underage drinking is a major problem in Australia and may be influenced by exposure to alcohol advertising. The... more Aims: Underage drinking is a major problem in Australia and may be influenced by exposure to alcohol advertising. The objective of the present study was to collect data on 12–17 year old Australian adolescents' exposure to different types of alcohol advertising and examine the association between exposure to advertising and alcohol consumption. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 1113 adolescents aged 12–17 years recruited with a variety of methods to gain a cross-section of participants across metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales (including independent schools, mall intercepts and online). Participants answered a series of questions assessing adolescents' exposure to alcohol advertising across eight media (including television, Internet and point-of-sale). Alcohol consumption was assessed using three questions (initiation, recent consumption and frequency of consumption in the previous 12 months). Results: The majority indicated that they had been exposed to alcohol advertisements on television, in newspapers and magazines, on the Internet, on billboards/posters and promotional materials and in bottleshops, bars and pubs; exposure to some of these types of alcohol advertisements was associated with increased alcohol consumption, with differences by age and gender. Conclusion: The results are consistent with studies from other countries and suggest that exposure to alcohol advertisements among Australian adolescents is strongly associated with drinking patterns. Given current high levels of drinking among Australian youth, these findings suggest the need to address the high levels of young people's exposure to alcohol advertising.

The effect of Point of Sale Promotions on the alcohol purchasing behaviour of young people in metropolitan, regional and rural Australia

by Sandra Jones

Jones SC & Smith K (2011) The effect of Point of Sale Promotions on the alcohol purchasing behaviour of young people in metropolitan, regional and rural Australia. Journal of Youth Studies 14(8), 885-900.

This study, part of a larger project examining marketing and alcohol, looked specifically at the effects of point of... more This study, part of a larger project examining marketing and alcohol, looked specifically at the effects of point of sale (POS) promotions on young people, with a view to providing evidence which could be used to inform policy and regulation in this area. A series of focus groups were conducted in three different locations with young people aged 16–25 years, separated by age and gender, with a total of 85 participants. Participants were asked questions about their recollection of various POS promotions and the effect of these promotions on their alcohol purchasing and consumption behaviour. The majority of participants indicated a strong link between POS promotions and alcohol purchasing and consumption behaviour. A majority of participants demonstrated a strong recall of previous promotions and almost all participants indicated they had been influenced to buy more or a particular brand of alcohol because of a promotion. Specifically, the results of the study indicate that POS promotions involving price or volume discounts have a strong impact on young people, and are particularly effective in encouraging the purchase of increased volumes of alcohol, suggesting a need for regulation in this area.

Social connections and suicidal thoughts and behavior.

by Kim Van Orden

The relation between interpersonal violence and substance use among a sample of university students: Examination of the role of victim and perpetrator substance …

by Debra Kaysen