Despite extensive efforts, adolescent alcohol abuse remains a major problem. The teenage years are seen as a """"""""window of vulnerability"""""""" during which alcohol is first used and the ground work for later abuse is laid. Since we have not been notably successful in reducing adolescent drinking and decreasing risk for adult alcoholism, novel perspectives for the collection of data and the development of new prevention and treatment efforts are warranted. The intent of the present proposal is to provide this novel perspective. The proposed study is based on recent findings which have shown that cognitive expectancies determine drinking consequences. Such alcohol expectancies have been shown to be related to adolescent drinking behavior. Specifically, the proposed studies will: 1. Collect longitudinal data regarding adolescent drinking expectancies and actual alcohol consumption and related behaviors in order to identify the covariance of these variables through time. This data will isolate the particular alcohol expectancies in young adolescents as well as other background/demographic variables that predict problematic drinking in later adolescence. Thus, it will help identify children at risk for alcohol abuse even before substantial drinking experience has been obtained. 2. Demonstrate that an intervention strategy based on recent research concerning the domain of adolescents' alcohol expectancies will a) increase adolescents' fund of knowledge concerning alcohol, b) modify adolescents' attitudes toward alcohol, c) alter adolescent expectations concerning the consequences of drinking, and d) affect adolescent drinking behavior and styles throughout a reasonable follow-up period. The effects of this new intervention will be compared to those produced by a standard alcohol education program and a baseline established by a no-treatment control group. 3. Establish the parameters of effectiveness of this expectancy-based intervention. Specifically, the present study will investigate whether adolescents with prior drinking experience, or those who have been alcohol-free, receive greater benefits from the program.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA006123-03
Application #
3109341
Study Section
(SRC)
Project Start
1984-01-01
Project End
1987-08-30
Budget Start
1986-01-01
Budget End
1987-08-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Wayne State University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
City
Detroit
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48202
Smith, G T; Goldman, M S; Greenbaum, P E et al. (1995) Expectancy for social facilitation from drinking: the divergent paths of high-expectancy and low-expectancy adolescents. J Abnorm Psychol 104:32-40
Smith, G T; McCarthy, D M; Goldman, M S (1995) Self-reported drinking and alcohol-related problems among early adolescents: dimensionality and validity over 24 months. J Stud Alcohol 56:383-94
Kraus, D; Smith, G T; Ratner, H H (1994) Modifying alcohol-related expectancies in grade-school children. J Stud Alcohol 55:535-42
Rather, B C; Goldman, M S; Roehrich, L et al. (1992) Empirical modeling of an alcohol expectancy memory network using multidimensional scaling. J Abnorm Psychol 101:174-83
Smith, G T; Hohlstein, L A; Atlas, J G (1992) Accuracy of self-reported weight: covariation with binger or restrainer status and eating disorder symptomatology. Addict Behav 17:1-8
Goldman, M S; Brown, S A; Christiansen, B A et al. (1991) Alcoholism and memory: broadening the scope of alcohol-expectancy research. Psychol Bull 110:137-46
Miller, P M; Smith, G T; Goldman, M S (1990) Emergence of alcohol expectancies in childhood: a possible critical period. J Stud Alcohol 51:343-9
Christiansen, B A; Smith, G T; Roehling, P V et al. (1989) Using alcohol expectancies to predict adolescent drinking behavior after one year. J Consult Clin Psychol 57:93-9
Sheppard, D; Smith, G T; Rosenbaum, G (1988) Use of MMPI subtypes in predicting completion of residential alcoholism treatment program. J Consult Clin Psychol 56:590-6
Stringer, A Y; Goldman, M S (1988) Experience-dependent recovery of block design performance in male alcoholics: strategy training versus unstructured practice. J Stud Alcohol 49:406-11

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