title: Motivations to control drinking behavior in abstainers, moderate, and heavy drinkers.
abstract: Motives and motivational concepts to control quantity (Q) and frequency (F) of alcohol consumption were investigated in 192 participants using a questionnaire of motives to control drinking (MCD-Q/F) developed earlier. The daily quantity of consumption was assessed by the "30 day by beverage questionnaire." Participants were grouped into heavy or moderate drinkers (limits: females 40, males 60 gram alcohol/day) and abstainers. Analyses of motives showed the importance of car driving, controlling appetite/desire, and prevention of impaired mental performance. The relative impact of motivational concepts were analyzed by cluster analysis of motives revealing three clusters: 1) emotional concepts/fear of addiction, 2) physiological sensations/interaction with concrete actual plans, 3) cognitive concepts (plans, self-control, no impairment/no desire). MANOVA of MCD-Q/F indicate highest scores for moderate drinkers and significant lower scores in heavy drinkers in controlling frequency of drinking (MCD-F). Group effect for emotional concepts failed significance, higher scores of physiological concepts were found in imbibers compared to abstainers, and scores of cognitive concepts were lower in heavy drinkers. Results indicate that for imbibers a reduced motivation to control frequency of drinking as well as low scores in cognitive concepts and a trend to high scores in emotional concepts are associated with heavy drinking.
authors.affiliation: University of Vienna, Institute of Environmental Health, Department of Experimental Medical Psychology and Environmental Psychology, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1095, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trimmel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Köpke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012737:Sex Factors