scholarly journals Identity, influence, and intervention: The roles of social media in alcohol use

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Corwin Westgate ◽  
Jason Holliday

Alcohol-related content is common on social media and may both reflect and influence offline drinking behavior. Posting alcohol-related content has been linked to alcohol outcomes, including higher rates of alcohol consumption, cravings, alcohol-related problems, and clinical alcohol use disorders. Exposure to alcohol-related content on social media has likewise been associated with adverse alcohol outcomes. In this paper, we review research on the relationship between social media and alcohol use, and explore the ways that online identity and social influence can account for this relationship. Finally, we call for further research on the use of social media as a platform for prevention and intervention efforts.

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Corwin Westgate ◽  
Kristen Lindgren

Objective:This study investigated whether self-reports of alcohol-related postings on Facebook by oneself or one’s Facebook friends were related to common motives for drinking and were uniquely predictive of self-reported alcohol outcomes (alcohol consumption, problems, and cravings).Method:Pacific Northwest undergraduates completed a survey of alcohol outcomes, drinking motives, and alcoholrelated Facebook postings. Participants completed the survey online as part of a larger study on alcohol use and cognitive associations. Participants were randomly selected through the university registrar’s office and consisted of 1,106 undergraduates (449 men, 654 women, 2 transgender, 1 declined to answer) between the ages of 18 and 25 years (M = 20.40, SD = 1.60) at a large university in the Pacific Northwest. Seven participants were excluded from analyses because of missing or suspect data.Results:Alcohol-related postings on Facebook were significantly correlated with social, enhancement, conformity, and coping motives for drinking (all ps < .001). After drinking motives were controlled for, self–alcohol-related postings independently and positively predicted the number of drinks per week, alcohol-related problems, risk of alcohol use disorders, and alcohol cravings (all ps < .001). In contrast, friends’ alcohol-related postings only predicted the risk of alcohol use disorders (p < .05) and marginally predicted alcohol-related problems (p = .07).Conclusions:Posting alcohol-related content on social media platforms such as Facebook is associated with common motivations for drinking and is, in itself, a strong predictive indicator of drinking outcomes independent of drinking motives. Moreover, self-related posting activity appears to be more predictive than Facebook friends’ activity. These findings suggest that social media platforms may be a useful target for future preventative and intervention efforts.


Author(s):  
Hai Minh Vu ◽  
Tung Thanh Tran ◽  
Giang Thu Vu ◽  
Cuong Tat Nguyen ◽  
Chau Minh Nguyen ◽  
...  

Traffic collisions have continuously been ranked amongst the top causes of deaths in Vietnam. In particular, drinking has been recognized as a major factor amplifying the likelihood of traffic collisions in various settings. This study aims to examine the relationship between alcohol use and traffic collisions in the current context of Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 413 traffic collisions patients in six health facilities in the Thai Binh Province to investigate the level of alcohol consumption and identify factors influencing alcohol use among these patients. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) scale was used to determine the problematic drinking behavior of the participants. The percentage of patients having problematic drinking was more than 30%. Being male, having a high household income, and working as farmer/worker were risk factors for alcohol abuse. People causing accidents and patients with a traumatic brain injury had a higher likelihood of drinking alcohol before the accidents. This study highlights the necessity of more stringent laws on reducing drink-driving in Vietnam. In addition, more interventions, especially those utilizing mass media like educational campaign of good behavior on social networks, are necessary to reduce alcohol consumption in targeted populations in order to decrease the prevalence and burden of road injuries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscila Dib Gonçalves ◽  
Helena Ferreira Moura ◽  
Ricardo Abrantes do Amaral ◽  
João Maurício Castaldelli-Maia ◽  
André Malbergier

The enormous health and economic challenges precipitated by the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic are comparable or even greater than those associated with previous historical world crises. Alcohol use, especially drinking to cope with stress, is a concern, as an increase in its sales has been reported in some countries during the quarantine. This study aims to provide a better understanding of what to expect in terms of alcohol consumption, risk factors for excessive use, and its potential consequences during this pandemic based on previous experiences. We investigated how traumatic events related to alcohol consumption. Studies on mass traumatic events (i.e., terrorism as 9/11), epidemic outbreaks (i.e., severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] in 2003), economic crises (such as 2008's Great Recession), and COVID-19 were selected. The main keywords used to select the studies were alcohol use, drinking patterns, alcohol use disorders, and alcohol-related consequences. Previous studies reported increases in alcohol use associated with those events mediated, at least partially, by anxiety and depressive symptoms, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Being male, young, and single also seems to be associated with a higher vulnerability to develop risky drinking behavior after those tragic events. The discussion of previous risk and protective factors can contribute to elaborate more specific public health policies to mitigate the impact of the current pandemic on people's mental health, especially alcohol-related problems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (S1) ◽  
pp. 33-34
Author(s):  
Alyssa Schneider ◽  
Bethany L. Stangl ◽  
Elgin R. Yalin ◽  
Jodi M. Gilman ◽  
Vijay Ramchandani

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Impulsivity is a significant predictor of alcohol use and drinking behavior, and has been shown to be a critical trait in those with alcohol use disorder. Suggestibility, or susceptibility to social influence, has been shown to correlate with impulsivity, with highly suggestible individuals being more likely to make impulsive decisions influenced by peer groups. However, the relationship between social influence and drinking behavior is unclear. Our objective was to describe the relationship between social influence and impulsivity traits using the social delayed discounting task and potential differences in intravenous alcohol self-administration (IV-ASA) behavior. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Healthy, non-dependent drinkers (n=20) completed a CAIS session, which consisted of an initial 25-minute priming phase, where subjects were prompted to push a button to receive individually standardized IV alcohol infusions, followed by a 125-minute phase during which they could push the button for additional infusions. IV-ASA measures included the peak (PEAK) and average (AVG) BrAC and Number of Button Presses (NBP). Participants completed a social delayed discounting task (SDDT), where participants were presented with the choice of a small, sooner (SS) reward or a large, later (LL) reward. Before starting the task, participants chose peers who selected either the impulsive (SI) or non-impulsive choice (S). Intermittently, the peers’ choice was not shown (X) or different choices (D) were selected. Participants also completed the MISS, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, and the NEO personality inventory. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Participants with higher suggestibility scores had greater NBP, AVG, and PEAK BrAC in the early phase of the IV-ASA session. Higher scores on the MISS were also correlated with higher impulsivity scores including the NEO Neuroticism (N-factor) measure, BIS-11, and UPPS-P. Results also showed that the MISS score was inversely correlated with the percent of impulsive choices in the SDDT, but that this was independent of peers’ impulsive or nonimpulsive choices. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These results indicate that non-dependent drinkers that were more susceptible to social influence had heavier drinking patterns, higher IV-ASA, and higher scores on impulsivity measures. In addition, individuals that were more susceptible to social influence made more impulsive choices in general, but those choices were not affected by peer decisions during the task. As such, susceptibility to social influence may be an important determinant of impulsive choices, particularly in relation to alcohol consumption.


Author(s):  
O. Merve Mollaahmetoglu ◽  
Edward Palmer ◽  
Emily Maschauer ◽  
Melissa C. Nolan ◽  
Tobias Stevens ◽  
...  

Abstract Rationale Rumination is a repetitive, negative, self-focused thinking style associated with various forms of psychopathology. Recent studies suggest that rumination increases craving for alcohol and predicts harmful drinking and alcohol-related problems. However, the acute effects of alcohol on rumination have not been previously studied. It is proposed that alcohol may reduce ruminative thinking through decreasing negative mood. Objectives In the present study, we aimed to test the previously unexplored effects of acute alcohol consumption on rumination in a hazardous drinking population. Methods We conducted a randomised placebo-controlled laboratory study to examine the effect of low (0.4 g kg−1) and high doses (0.8 g kg−1) of alcohol on state rumination compared to placebo. Participants completed a rumination induction task prior to receiving drinks. We then measured state rumination and mood at repeated time points; 30 min, 60 min and 90 min post-drinks consumption. Results We found a significant decrease in state rumination in the low-dose alcohol group compared to placebo at 30 min post-alcohol consumption, but no difference was observed between the high-dose alcohol and placebo groups. Mediation analysis provided evidence for an indirect effect of alcohol on state rumination through concurrent changes in negative mood. Conclusions These findings suggest that acute alcohol consumption can regulate negative mood and concurrently rumination, providing preliminary evidence for the role of rumination in alcohol use disorders. Rumination may be a treatment target in alcohol use disorders.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen G Chartier ◽  
Jeanine P.D. Guidry ◽  
Catherine A. Lee

Objective: The current study seeks to understand the links between social media use and alcohol consumption during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Data were from the national Understanding American Study, a probability-based Internet panel weighted to represent the U.S. population. Subjects (N=5874; 51% female) were adults, 18 years and older, who completed a March survey (wave 1) and a follow-up survey one month later (wave 3). Analyses assessed the relationship of social media use at wave 1 with wave 3 alcohol use, accounting for wave 1 alcohol use and the socio-demographic characteristics of the sample. We examined the effect of working or studying from home as a moderator. Results: Twitter and Instagram users, but not Facebook users, drank more frequently at wave 3 than non-users. For Instagram users, more frequent alcohol use at wave 3 was at least partially attributed to the frequency of drinking at wave 1. The interaction between Twitter use and working or studying from home was statistically significant. The combination of being on Twitter and working or studying from home was associated with drinking more days a week. Conclusions: Exposure to content about COVID-19 and increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic may contribute to more frequent alcohol use for some social media users, especially those sheltering at home. The study of public health messaging via social media to change alcohol use behaviors during traumatic events is warranted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Deluca ◽  
Simon Coulton ◽  
Mohammed Fasihul Alam ◽  
Sadie Boniface ◽  
Kim Donoghue ◽  
...  

Background Alcohol consumption and related harm increase steeply from the ages of 12–20 years. Adolescents in the UK are among the heaviest drinkers in Europe. Excessive drinking in adolescents is associated with increased risk of accidents, injuries, self-harm, unprotected or regretted sex, violence and disorder, poisoning and accidental death. However, there is lack of clear evidence for the most clinically effective and cost-effective screening and brief interventions for reducing or preventing alcohol consumption in adolescents attending emergency departments (EDs). Objectives To estimate the distribution of alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems and alcohol use disorders in adolescents attending EDs; to develop age-appropriate alcohol screening and brief intervention tools; and to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of these interventions. Design The research has been conducted in three linked stages: (1) a prevalence study, (2) intervention development and (3) two linked randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Setting Twelve EDs in England (London, North East, and Yorkshire and The Humber). Participants A total of 5376 participants in the prevalence study [mean age 13.0 years, standard deviation (SD) 2.0 years; 46.2% female] and 1640 participants in the two linked RCTs (mean age 15.6 years, SD 1.0 years; 50.7% female). Interventions Personalised feedback and brief advice (PFBA) and personalised feedback plus electronic brief intervention (eBI), compared with alcohol screening alone. These age-appropriate alcohol interventions were developed in collaboration with the target audience through a series of focus groups and evaluations during stage 2 of the research programme and following two literature reviews. Main outcome measures Total alcohol consumed in standard UK units (1 unit = 8 g of ethanol) over the previous 3 months at 12-month follow-up, assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Consumption (3 items) (AUDIT-C). Results In the prevalence study, 2112 participants (39.5%) reported having had a drink of alcohol that was more than a sip in their lifetime, with prevalence increasing steadily with age and reaching 89.5% at the age of 17 years. The prevalence of at-risk alcohol consumption was 15% [95% confidence interval (CI) 14% to 16%] and the optimum cut-off point of the AUDIT-C in identifying at-risk drinking was ≥ 3. Associations of alcohol consumption and early onset of drinking with poorer health and social functioning were also found. In the RCT, the analysis of the primary outcome (average weekly alcohol consumption at month 12) identified no significant differences in effect between the three groups in both trials. In the high-risk drinking trial, the mean difference compared with control was 0.57 (95% CI –0.36 to 1.70) for PFBA and 0.19 (95% CI –0.71 to 1.30) for eBI. In the low-risk drinking trial, the mean difference compared with control was 0.03 (95% CI –0.07 to 0.13) for PFBA and 0.01 (95% CI –0.10 to 0.11) for eBI. The health economic analysis showed that eBI and PFBA were not more cost-effective than screening alone. Conclusions The ED can offer an opportunity for the identification of at-risk alcohol use in adolescents. A simple, short, self-completed screening instrument, the AUDIT-C, is an effective tool for identifying adolescents who are at risk of alcohol-related problems. Associations of alcohol consumption and earlier onset of drinking with poorer health and social functioning were observed in the prevalence study. The trials were feasible to implement and exceeded the recruitment target and minimum follow-up rates. However, PFBA and eBI were not found to be more effective than screening alone in reducing or preventing alcohol consumption in 14- to 17-year-olds attending EDs. Limitations and future work Only one-third of participants engaged with the application program; this is likely to have limited the effect of the intervention. We recommend that future research should focus on methods to maximise engagement with digital interventions and evaluate the effect of such engagement on clinical outcomes. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN45300218. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full in Programme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 8, No. 2. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.


2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marlous Tuithof ◽  
Margreet ten Have ◽  
Wim van den Brink ◽  
Wilma Vollebergh ◽  
Ron de Graaf

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (S1) ◽  
pp. 47-48
Author(s):  
Alyssa Schneider ◽  
Bethany Stangl ◽  
Elgin R. Yalin ◽  
Jodi M. Gilman ◽  
Vijay Ramchandani

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Peer groups are one of the strongest determinants of alcohol use and misuse. Furthermore, social influence plays a significant role in alcohol use across the lifespan. One of the factors that most consistently predicts successful treatment outcomes for alcohol use disorders is one’s ability to change their social network. However, the concept of social influence as defined by suggestibility or susceptibility to social influence has not yet been studied as it relates to drinking behavior and acute subjective response to alcohol. Our objective was to examine the relationship between suggestibility and alcohol consumption and responses, using an intravenous alcohol self-administration (IV-ASA) paradigm in social drinkers. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Healthy, social drinkers (n=20) completed a human laboratory session in which they underwent the IV-ASA paradigm. This consisted of an initial 25-minute priming phase, where participants were prompted to push a button to receive individually standardized IV alcohol infusions, followed by a 125-minute phase during which they could push the button for additional infusions. IV-ASA measures included the peak and average breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) and number of button presses. Subjective responses were assessed using the Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ) and Alcohol Urge Questionnaire (AUQ) collected serially during the session. Participants completed the Multidimensional Iowa Suggestibility Scale (MISS) to assess suggestibility. The Alcohol Effects Questionnaire (AEFQ) was used to assess alcohol expectancies and the Timeline Followback questionnaire measured recent drinking history. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: After controlling for drinking history, greater suggestibility significantly predicted greater average BrAC, greater peak BrAC, and a greater number of button presses (p=0.03, p=0.02, p=0.04, respectively) during the early open bar phase. Suggestibility significantly predicted subjective alcohol effects following the priming phase which included “Feel,” “Want,” “High,” and “Intoxicated” and was trending for “Like” (p=0.02, p=0.03, p=0.01, p=0.03, p=0.054, respectively) as well as AUQ (p=0.03). After controlling for drinking history, suggestibility significantly predicted “Feel,” “Like,” “High,” and “Intoxicated” peak scores during the open bar phase (p=0.03, p=0.009, p=0.03, p=0.03, respectively). There was no association between suggestibility and “Want More” alcohol. Suggestibility was positively associated with three positive expectancies (global positive; p=0.04, social expressiveness; p=0.005, relaxation; p=0.03), and one negative expectancy (cognitive and physical impairment; p=0.02). DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These results indicate that social drinkers that were more suggestible had higher alcohol consumption, greater acute subjective response to alcohol, and more positive alcohol expectancies. As such, susceptibility to social influence may be an important determinant of alcohol consumption, and may provide insight into harmful drinking behavior such as binge drinking. Future analyses should examine the impact of suggestibility on alcohol-related phenotypes across the spectrum of drinking from social to binge and heavy drinking patterns.


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