title: A cognitive model of binge drinking: the influence of alcohol expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy.
abstract: While binge drinking-episodic or irregular consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol-is recognised as a serious problem affecting our youth, to date there has been a lack of psychological theory and thus theoretically driven research into this problem. The current paper develops a cognitive model using the key constructs of alcohol expectancies (AEs) and drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) to explain the acquisition and maintenance of binge drinking. It is suggested that the four combinations of the AE and DRSE can explain the four drinking styles. These are normal/social drinkers, binge drinkers, regular heavy drinkers, and problem drinkers or alcoholics. Since AE and DRSE are cognitive constructs and therefore modifiable, the cognitive model can thus facilitate the design of intervention and prevention strategies for binge drinking.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia. oei@psy.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Tian P S
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Oei
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morawska
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000506:poisoning*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D000431:Ethanol / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol