Positive Expectancies at High vs. Low Doses Among Heavy and Light Drinking Female College Students (powerpoint)

Alcohol outcome expectancies have been shown to be strong predictors of drinking behavior, particularly among college students. Recent research has focused on expectancies regarding the positive effects of alcohol, and suggests that level of endorsement of positive expectancies may vary based on a number of individual level factors. Though some studies suggest that beliefs about alcohol may vary according to perceived alcohol dose the bulk of literature has not distinguished between heavy and light doses of alcohol in examining expectancy endorsement. Further, as drinking behaviors have been shown to influence alcohol expectancies, it is likely that endorsement of expectancies at different doses might vary by drinker status (i.e., heavy versus light drinkers). Identifying those expectancies most held by different types of drinkers could point to specific areas to be targeted in tailored expectancy-based interventions. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to compare heavy and light drinkers on alcohol outcome expectancies across two different imagined doses of alcohol (two drinks and four or more drinks).

Thapa, B.S., Karecha, P.V., Saturn, S.B., Schor, A.C., & Read, J.P. (2004 November). Positive Expectancies at High vs. Low Doses Among Heavy and Light Drinking Female College Students. Presented at the 38th annual conference for the Association for the Advancement of Behavioral Therapy in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Using a Modified Computer Version of the PASAT to Induce Negative Affect in College Students (powerpoint)

Analogue tasks that effectively elicit negative affect will facilitate laboratory examination of negative mood and related factors. Recent research suggests that the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) may be used to induce negative mood in laboratory paradigms (Lejuez et al., 2003). The purpose of the present study was to assess the efficacy of a modified PASAT (PASAT-C) to induce negative mood in a sample of college students. Additionally, the present study examined whether reactivity to this mood induction varied by levels of baseline depressive symptomatology.

Beattie, M.C., Leffler, S.L., Lejuez, C.W., & Read, J.P. (2004 November) Using a Modified Computer Version of the PASAT to Induce Negative Affect in College Students. Presented at the 38th annual conference for the Association for the Advancement of Behavioral Therapy in New Orleans, Louisiana.