Citation

Dibello AM, Miller MB, Mastroleo NR, Carey KB. J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc., Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)

DOI

10.15288/jsad.22-00060

PMID

36971720

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol-induced blackouts are a marker of risk such that they are strong independent predictors of experiencing other adverse alcohol-related social and health effects.. Existing work informed by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) suggests several of the constructs contained within it, such as perceived norms, personal attitudes toward consumption, and drinking intentions, are reliable predictors of alcohol use, related problems, and blackout experiences. However, research to date has not examined these theoretical antecedents as predictors of change in the occurrence of alcohol-induced blackout. The current worked aimed to evaluate descriptive (the rate a behavior occurs) and injunctive (the approval of a behavior) norms, attitude toward heavy drinking, and drinking intentions as predictors of the prospective change in experiencing a blackout.

METHOD: Using existing data from two samples (Sample 1 N=431, 68% Male; Sample 2 N =479, 52% Male), students mandated to complete an alcohol intervention completed surveys at baseline, 1-, and 3-month follow-ups. Latent growth curve models evaluated perceived norms, positive attitude toward heavy drinking, and drinking intention as prospective predictors of the change in blackout over 3 months.

RESULTS: Across both samples, descriptive and injunctive norms and drinking intentions were not significantly predictive of the change in blackout. Only attitude toward heavy drinking significantly predicted prospective change (the slope factor) in blackout in both samples.

CONCLUSIONS: Given the strong association between heavy drinking attitudes and change in blackout, attitudes may represent an important and novel target for prevention and intervention efforts.

Language: en

Keywords

alcohol; attitudes; social norms; college students; drinking