Behavioral Alcohol Responses (BAR) Study

Predicting Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorder Symptoms From Subjective Responses to Alcohol in a Laboratory Social Setting

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), University of Pittsburgh, Penn State University

This study aims to identify risk factors that prospectively predict alcohol problems in young adults.

The vast majority of alcohol use takes place in social settings, yet nearly all human experimental work has administered alcohol to individuals in isolation. This study will examine the effects of alcohol in social groups and test whether these responses predict the escalation of alcohol use and development of alcohol use disorder symptoms. Participants will also complete smartphone surveys querying subjective responses to alcohol in their daily lives. N=400 male and female young adults will participate in a laboratory session with two other participants and will consume either a moderate dose of alcohol or placebo beverage. Subjective and objective responses to alcohol will be assessed. Participants will also complete surveys on their smartphones; these will occur during drinking episodes and at random times throughout the day. Follow-up sessions will occur at 6-months and 12-months, to collect information about drinking habits and potential alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol Drinking, Alcohol Use Disorder, Alcohol Intoxication, Alcohol; Harmful Use, Alcoholism, Binge Drinking

Participants will indicate how they feel after drinking alcohol using the Brief-Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale, which is a 6-item scale assessing alcohol's acute stimulant and sedative effects (0-10 scale, with higher scores indicating higher values).

Facial expressions of emotions using Paul Ekman's Facial Action Coding System (FACS). The duration of AUs associated with positive and negative affect will be coded.

Perceived Group Reinforcement Scale, which is a 12-item scale assessing self-reported bonding (1-9 scale, with higher scores indicating more bonding).

8-item Mood Measure, which is an 8-item scale assessing mood items from each of the four quadrants of the affective circumplex (with higher scores indicating more felt emotion).

Inclusion Criteria: 21 to 29 years of age currently drinks alcohol owns a smartphone Exclusion Criteria: [Exclusion criteria are masked from public viewing until data collection is complete. Please contact project managers.]