Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions Reduces Drinking When Drinking Is Hazardous: An Online Self-Regulation Intervention

Introduction. Drinking alcohol has detrimental health consequences, and effective interventions to reduce hazardous drinking are needed. The self-regulation intervention of Mental Contrasting with Implementation Intentions (MCII) promotes behavior change across a variety of health behaviors. In this study, we tested if online delivery of MCII reduced hazardous drinking in people who were worried about their drinking. Method. Participants ( N = 200, female = 107) were recruited online. They were randomized to learn MCII or solve simple math problems (control). Results. Immediately after the intervention, participants in the MCII condition (vs. control) reported an increased commitment to reduce drinking. After 1 month, they reported having taken action measured by the Readiness to Change drinking scale. When drinking was hazardous (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test ≥ 8, n = 85), participants in the MCII condition indicated a decreased number of drinking days, exp(β) = 0.47, CI (confidence interval) [−1.322, −.207], p = .02, and drinks per week, exp(β) = 0.57, CI [0.94, 5.514], p = .007, compared with the control condition. Discussion. These findings demonstrate that a brief, self-guided online intervention ( Mdn = 28 minutes) can reduce drinking in people who worry about their drinking. Our findings show a higher impact in people at risk for hazardous drinking. Conclusion. MCII is scalable as an online intervention. Future studies should test the cost-effectiveness of the intervention in real-world settings.

Download Full-text

Goal Attainment

The Oxford Handbook of Human Motivation ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190666453.013.14 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 245-268

Author(s):

Peter M. Gollwitzer ◽

Gabriele Oettingen

Keyword(s):

Goal Attainment ◽

Intervention Studies ◽

Implementation Intentions ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Goal Pursuit ◽

The Self ◽

Mental Contrasting ◽

History Of ◽

Regulation Strategies ◽

Underlying Processes

This chapter begins with a description of how the goal concept emerged in the history of the psychology of motivation to better understand the important role it plays in current research on motivation. The chapter then turns to the self-regulation of goal pursuit. The effects and underlying processes of two different self-regulation strategies will be discussed in detail: mental contrasting and forming implementation intentions. The chapter concludes with a report of the results of recent intervention studies that combine the self-regulation strategies of mental contrasting and forming implementation intentions to help people enhance goal attainment in the health, academic, and interpersonal domains.

Download Full-text

The Association Between Social Media Use and Hazardous Alcohol Use Among Youths: A Four-Country Study

Alcohol and Alcoholism ◽

10.1093/alcalc/agz088 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 86-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Iina Savolainen ◽

Atte Oksanen ◽

Markus Kaakinen ◽

Anu Sirola ◽

Bryan Lee Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

South Korea ◽

Media Use ◽

Hazardous Drinking ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Hazardous Alcohol Use ◽

Mediation Analyses ◽

Hazardous Alcohol ◽

The Usa

Abstract Aims To examine the continuing role of daily popular social media use in youth hazardous alcohol consumption in four countries across continents. Methods A web-based survey was given to youths aged 15–25 in the USA (n = 1212), South Korea (n = 1192), Finland (n = 1200) and Spain (n = 1212). Hazardous alcohol use (alcohol use disorders identification test-C) was the dependent variable. Main independent variables measured daily use of different social media services. Controls included compulsive Internet use, offline belonging, psychological distress, impulsivity, risk-taking, age and gender. Linear regression models and mediation analyses with bootstrapping were done for each country. Results Daily use of Facebook and Instagram was associated with higher hazardous alcohol use among youths in Finland, South Korea and Spain. Daily instant messaging was related to higher hazardous alcohol use among South Korean and Finnish youths. Daily YouTube use was associated with higher hazardous alcohol use among youths in South Korea, but lower hazardous alcohol use among youths in the USA and Finland. Daily Twitter use was related to lower hazardous drinking among youths in Finland but higher hazardous drinking among youths in Spain. The mediation analyses revealed that uploading pictures to social media is a possible facilitator of social media-related hazardous alcohol use among youths in the USA and Spain. Conclusion Certain social media platforms might inspire and/or attract hazardously drinking youths, contributing to the growing opportunities for social media interventions.

Download Full-text

Abstract 13745: Hazardous Alcohol Use is a Common but Infrequently Addressed Problem Among Hospitalized Cardiovascular Patients

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.142.suppl_3.13745 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽

Author(s):

Kyle Gobeil ◽

Theodore Medling ◽

Paolo Tarvaez ◽

khalid sawalha ◽

Mohammed Abozenah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Use ◽

Binge Drinking ◽

Problem Drinking ◽

Drinking Behavior ◽

Hazardous Drinking ◽

Hazardous Alcohol Use ◽

Hazardous Alcohol ◽

Audit Score ◽

National Estimates ◽

Excessive Alcohol

Introduction: Excessive alcohol intake and binge drinking behavior has known detrimental cardiovascular impacts. National estimates suggest that about 7% of U.S. adults has hazardous drinking behavior, but it is unclear if this is different among the inpatient cardiac population and, furthermore, how often this issue is addressed during hospitalization. Hypothesis: Prevalence of alcohol use is underappreciated in the cardiac population due to purported health benefits, and therefore, likely to be overlooked. Methods: Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), among patients hospitalized for cardiac surgery, heart failure (HF) or myocardial infarction (MI) between June and September 2019. Problem drinking was defined as an AUDIT score of ≥8 with binge drinking defined as 5+ drinks for men or 4+ for women on a single occasion within the past 30 days. Hazardous drinking was defined as a combination of either problem or binge drinking behavior. Results: Of 300 patients approached, a total of 290 (96.7%) completed the survey (33% non-drinkers, age 69 ± 11 years, 70% male, 4% Spanish-speaking, 31% surgical). The rate (95% CI) of problem, binge, and hazardous drinking was 12% (9-16), 16% (12-20), and 18% (14-23), respectively. Irrespective of alcohol use, 58% of patients reported being asked about alcohol use during their admission, mostly by nurses (56%). Patients with hazardous drinking were counseled more frequently about their alcohol use compared to non-hazardous drinkers, (11% vs 3%, p = 0.03), but the large majority (89%) of hazardous drinkers received no advice about their alcohol use while hospitalized and only 34 (12%) patients reported having ever been given a recommendation about alcohol consumption by a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon. Conclusions: In patients hospitalized for acute cardiac illnesses, the prevalence of problem drinking was more than double national estimates. About half of patients with problem drinking behavior were asked about their alcohol, and only a minority of patients received counseling. Our findings suggest that hazardous alcohol use is more common that previously appreciated, and that there are substantial health-system gaps in screening and counseling for this important cardiovascular risk factor.

Download Full-text

UK veterans’ mental health and well-being before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal cohort study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049815 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. e049815

Author(s):

Marie-Louise Sharp ◽

Danai Serfioti ◽

Margaret Jones ◽

Howard Burdett ◽

David Pernet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Armed Forces ◽

Well Being ◽

Hazardous Drinking ◽

Hazardous Alcohol Use ◽

Hazardous Alcohol ◽

The Uk ◽

Health And Well Being

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of UK ex-service personnel (veterans) before and during the pandemic, and to assess associations of COVID-19 experiences and stressors with mental health, alcohol use and loneliness.DesignAn additional wave of data was collected from a longitudinal cohort study of the UK Armed Forces.SettingOnline survey June–September 2020.ParticipantsCohort members were included if they had completed a questionnaire at phase 3 of the King’s Centre for Military Health Research health and well-being study (2014–2016), had left the Armed Forces after regular service, were living in the UK, had consented to follow-up and provided a valid email address. Invitation emails were sent to N=3547 with a 44% response rate (n=1562).Primary outcome measuresCommon mental health disorders (CMDs) (measured using the General Health Questionnaire, 12 items—cut-off ≥4), hazardous alcohol use (measured using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, 10 items—cut off ≥8) and loneliness (University of California, Los Angeles, Loneliness Scale— 3 items-cut-off ≥6).ResultsVeterans reported a statistically significant decrease in hazardous drinking of 48.5% to 27.6%, while CMD remained stable (non-statistically significant increase of 24.5% to 26.1%). 27.4% of veterans reported feelings of loneliness. The COVID-19 stressors of reporting difficulties with family/social relationships, boredom and difficulties with health were statistically significantly associated with CMD, hazardous drinking and loneliness, even after adjustment for previous mental health/hazardous alcohol use.ConclusionsOur study suggests a COVID-19 impact on veterans’ mental health, alcohol use and loneliness, particularly for those experiencing difficulties with family relationships. Veterans experienced the pandemic in similar ways to the general population and in some cases may have responded in resilient ways. While stable levels of CMD and reduction in alcohol use are positive, there remains a group of veterans who may need mental health and alcohol treatment services.

Download Full-text

Goal Pursuit

The Oxford Handbook of Human Motivation ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399820.013.0013 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 207-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Peter M. Gollwitzer ◽

Gabriele Oettingen

Keyword(s):

Goal Setting ◽

Goal Attainment ◽

Implementation Intentions ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Empirical Work ◽

The Self ◽

Learning Goals ◽

Theories Of Intelligence ◽

Mental Contrasting ◽

Goal Implementation

We start out with describing how the goal concept emerged in the history of the psychology of motivation to better understand the important role it plays in current research on motivation. We then suggest a differentiation between studies targeting the setting of goals versus the implementation of goals to get a grip on the host of empirical work the goal concept has triggered. With respect to goal setting, we first discuss studies that explore determinants affecting the content and structure of set goals (e.g., entity vs. incremental theories of intelligence influence the setting of performance vs. learning goals). We then turn to studies on the self-regulation of goal setting and discuss in detail how a self-regulation strategy called mental contrasting of future and reality facilitates strong commitment to feasible goals but dissolves commitment to unfeasible ones. With respect to goal implementation we first refer to studies on the determinants of effective goal striving (e.g., the framing of the set goal in terms of approach vs. avoidance) and then turn to analyzing the effective self-regulation of goal implementation. Here we focus on the strategy of forming implementation intentions (i.e., if-then plans) and explicate in detail how such planning helps in overcoming classic hurdles to goal attainment (e.g., distractions). We will end the chapter by reporting the results of recent intervention studies that successfully enhanced goal attainment in the health, academic, and interpersonal domains by combining the self-regulation strategy of mental contrasting with that of forming implementation intentions.

Download Full-text

The Role of Psychological Distress in the Relationship between Drinking Motives and Hazardous Drinking in Older Adults

European Addiction Research ◽

10.1159/000507664 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 33-41

Author(s):

Yannic van Gils ◽

Erik Franck ◽

Eva Dierckx ◽

Sebastiaan P.J. van Alphen ◽

Geert Dom

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Hazardous Drinking ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Drinking Motives ◽

Drinking Behaviour ◽

Hazardous Alcohol Use ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Hazardous Alcohol

Introduction: Drinking motives seem to be the most proximal predictors of alcohol outcomes. Consequently, these are an essential factor to consider as they may influence the extent to which alcohol is used in a risky way, even in older adults. Objective: We studied the moderating effect of distress on the relationship between drinking motives and drinking behaviour in a community-dwelling older adult sample. Method: In a retrospective cross-sectional research study, participants were community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older. All respondents completed a questionnaire covering the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the General Severity Index (GSI) of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Results: In this sample of 1,148 older adults, drinking motives and hazardous alcohol use were associated (enhancement motives r = 0.478, p < 0.001; coping motives r = 0.367, p < 0.001; and social motives r = 0.235, p < 0.001). Furthermore, moderation analysis showed that older adults drinking predominantly for enhancement or coping motives (respectively, β = 0.433, CI [95%] = 2.557–3.222 and β = 0.327, CI [95%] = 1.077–1.491, p < 0.001), and older adults who had higher levels of psychological distress (β = 2.518, CI [95%] = 2.017–3.019, p < 0.001) were more likely to report higher degree of hazardous alcohol use. Conclusion: The relations between coping drinking motives and enhancement drinking motives on hazardous drinking depended on the level of distress. The associations between drinking for coping and drinking for enhancement were stronger in high levels of distress. Although causality cannot be interpreted from cross-sectional data, tackling psychological distress and drinking to cope with negative affect or to enhance positive affect might have strong effects on reducing hazardous drinking behaviour among older adults.

Download Full-text

Mental contrasting with implementation intentions enhances self-regulation of goal pursuit in schoolchildren at risk for ADHD

Motivation and Emotion ◽

10.1007/s11031-012-9288-3 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 37 (1) ◽

pp. 134-145 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Caterina Gawrilow ◽

Katrin Morgenroth ◽

Regina Schultz ◽

Gabriele Oettingen ◽

Peter M. Gollwitzer

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Implementation Intentions ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Goal Pursuit ◽

Mental Contrasting

Download Full-text

The Self-Regulation of Conformity: Mental Contrasting With Implementation Intentions (MCII)

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.546178 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Vivica von Weichs ◽

Nora Rebekka Krott ◽

Gabriele Oettingen

Keyword(s):

Implementation Intentions ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Goal Pursuit ◽

Logical Reasoning ◽

The Self ◽

Control Group ◽

Reasoning Task ◽

Mental Contrasting ◽

Computer Based ◽

Majority Influence

The self-regulation of conformity has received little attention in previous research. This is surprising because group majorities can exert social strong pressure on people, leading them to overlook the pursuit of their own goals. We investigated if self-regulation by mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) can reduce people’s tendency to conform and facilitate their own goal-pursuit despite deviant majority influence. In a computer-based logical reasoning task, we exposed participants to a conformity manipulation, where we presented bogus diagrams showing the supposedly correct answers of a majority ingroup. Compared to participants who were not given a self-regulation strategy (Studies 1, 2, and 4) or who were in an active control group (Study 3), MCII helped participants to self-regulate conforming behavior in trying to solve the task and to independently solve the logical reasoning task, as indicated by increases in correct answers in the task. The findings suggest that MCII is an effective strategy to regulate people’s tendency to conform and supports them to attain their goal despite deviant majority influence.

Download Full-text

Putting Thoughts Into Context: Alcohol Expectancies, Social Anxiety, and Hazardous Drinking

Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy ◽

10.1891/0889-8391.25.1.47 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 47-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Lindsay S. Ham ◽

Byron L. Zamboanga ◽

Amy K. Bacon

Keyword(s):

Social Anxiety ◽

Alcohol Expectancies ◽

Elevated Risk ◽

Outcome Expectancies ◽

Hazardous Drinking ◽

Hazardous Alcohol Use ◽

Socially Anxious ◽

Hazardous Alcohol ◽

Alcohol Related Problems ◽

Hazardous Use

Alcohol outcome expectancies (AOE), or beliefs about the effects of drinking, are believed to moderate the association between social anxiety and hazardous alcohol use. AOE can also vary depending on the drinking context. The current study tested whether AOE specific to three drinking contexts would moderate the association between social anxiety and hazardous use among undergraduates (N = 377; 70% women; Mage = 21.0). Results showed that AOE about convivial contexts (e.g., at a party), but not AOE about coping (e.g., when sad) or intimate (e.g., on a date) contexts, moderated the association between social anxiety and hazardous drinking. Specifically, social anxiety and hazardous drinking were related positively for those endorsing higher positive or lower negative AOE about convivial settings, and associated negatively for those reporting low positive or high negative AOE in these contexts. Thus, socially anxious young adults who endorse high positive or low negative AOE about convivial drinking contexts could be at elevated risk for alcohol-related problems.

Download Full-text