Dose-response expectancies for alcohol: Validation and implications for brief interventions

Abstract

Introduction and aims: Brief interventions for alcohol problems are informed by elements of behavioural motivation theories and behaviour change models. However, motivations across drinking occasions have yet to be explored. This paper addresses this need and presents initial validity statistics for a new construct, Dose Response Expectancies for Alcohol Metrics (DREAM) that can be used to investigate expectancies across the drinking session and thus inform novel interventions.

Design and methods: Twenty-seven participants completed a test-retest reliability assessment. Hypothesised systematic relationships between the hypothetical number of drinks consumed across a drinking session and anticipated affective responses were assessed.

Results: The DREAM questionnaire yielded good test-retest statistics for anticipated happiness and nausea in the hours following drinking. Consistent with hypotheses, DREAM yielded a systematic relationship between anticipated alcohol dose and affective response.

Discussion and conclusions: DREAM offers a novel means to investigate alcohol dose-response expectancies across drinking sessions and to therefore provide a theoretical platform that can be used to inform effective brief interventions for young people.[Adey GE, Moore SC, Chestnutt IG. Dose-response expectancies for alcohol: Validation and implications for brief interventions.