@article{ref1,
title="Differential momentary reports of stress and affect associated with alcohol consumption in middle-aged versus younger adults",
journal="Substance use and misuse",
year="2023",
author="Peterson-Sockwell, Hope and Rejeski, W. Jack and Fanning, Jason and Porges, Stephen W. and Heilman, Keri J. and Laurienti, Paul J. and Gauvin, Lise",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Stress is a motivator to consume alcohol, a well-documented relapse risk, and is known to differentially affect biological and psychological processes as people age.<br><br>OBJECTIVES: Because alcohol consumption is known to acutely decrease stress and increase affect, this study examined differences in ratings of stress and affect in middle-aged versus younger adults who regularly consume alcohol.<br><br>METHODS: A sample of younger (n = 17) and middle-aged (n = 18) drinkers was studied during a 3-day period of typical alcohol consumption. Resting levels of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were measured during a baseline study visit since RSA is a well-documented biomarker of stress and is known to decrease with age. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) survey ratings (n = 1,598) were modeled using hierarchical regression to assess differences in stress and affect throughout the day between the two age groups.<br><br>RESULTS: As anticipated, middle-aged participants had lower RSA than those who were younger. Although the middle-aged adults showed overall lower stress, generally they also experienced higher affect than the younger adults. Middle-aged adults experienced a significant reduction in stress following drinking while no such effect was observed in the younger adults.<br><br>CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first investigation using EMA methodology to examine stress and affect between younger and middle-aged adults who habitually consume alcohol. These cross-sectional data suggest potential momentary stress relief to engaging with moderate alcohol consumption in a middle-aged population. Future work must address this important motivational process in curtailing maintenance of alcohol consumption and preventing escalation of consumption.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1082-6084",
doi="10.1080/10826084.2023.2177967",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2023.2177967"
}