Desire for alcohol and outcome expectancies as measures of alcohol cue-reactivity in social drinkers.

Abstract

To assess the responsiveness of questionnaire measures of desire to drink and alcohol outcome expectancies. A subjective alcohol cue-reactivity paradigm (alcohol cue: sight, smell, taste) was used with a 2 x 2 between-subject design (n = 88), drink type (soft/alcoholic) and order of assessment (desire-expectancy/expectancy-desire). Covariance analysis controlled for quantity of recent alcohol consumption. A quiet alcohol research suite. Eighty-eight male and female social drinking students, recruited for a 'taste preference' survey. Three composite measures using questionnaire totals and subscales: of desire (DAQ), positive expectancy (AEQ) and negative expectancy (NAEQ). Timeline Follow-back procedure for recent consumption. Subjective cue-reactivity was found for the DAQ total score and the subscales 'strong intentions and desires' and 'negative reinforcement'. Expectancies did not demonstrate alcohol cue-reactivity. The DAQ and subscales are sensitive measures of alcohol cue-reactivity in social drinkers. Potential uses of the subjective cue-reactivity procedure with multi-factorial representations of cue reaction are identified.