Psychophysiological reactivity to emotional picture cues two years after college students were mandated for alcohol interventions.
This study examined alcohol use behaviors as well as physiological, personality, and motivational measures of arousal in students approximately 2 years after they were mandated to a brief intervention program for violating university policies about on-campus substance use. Students were categorized into serious (medical referrals, n=13) or minor (residence advisor referrals, n=30) infraction groups based on the nature of the incident that led to their being mandated. Self-report measures of arousal, sensation seeking, reasons for drinking, and past 30-day alcohol use were completed. Physiological arousal during exposure to emotional picture cues was assessed by indices of heart rate variability. The minor infraction group reported significantly escalating alcohol use patterns over time and a pattern of less regulated psychophysiological reactivity to external stimuli compared to the serious infraction group. The serious infraction group was higher in sensation seeking and there was some evidence of greater disparity between their physiological and self-reported experiences of emotional arousal in response to picture cues than in the minor group. Thus, the two infraction groups represent different subsets of mandated students, both of whom may be at some risk for using alcohol maladaptively. The findings suggest that intervention strategies that address self-regulation may be beneficial for mandated college students.
Buckman
Jennifer F
JF
Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers University, 607 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
White
Helene R
HR
Bates
Marsha E
ME
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D003463:Cues; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D037141:Mandatory Programs; D009042:Motivation; D011603:Psychophysiology; D057566:Self Report; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
J Am Coll Health. 2008 Nov-Dec;57(3):281-90
18980883
Biol Psychol. 2007 Feb;74(2):116-43
17049418
Circulation. 1998 Aug 11;98(6):547-55
9714112
Circulation. 1996 Mar 1;93(5):1043-65
8598068
J Stud Alcohol. 2002 Mar;63(2):145-55
12033691
J Subst Abuse Treat. 2005 Sep;29(2):147-58
16135343
Accid Anal Prev. 2009 May;41(3):380-6
19393782
J Stud Alcohol. 2006 Mar;67(2):309-17
16562414
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2005 Nov;30(10):1050-8
16005156
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1995 Nov;69(5):990-1005
7473043
Psychol Addict Behav. 2004 Jun;18(2):148-59
15238057
Dev Psychol. 2008 Mar;44(2):481-95
18331138
Psychophysiology. 2008 Sep;45(5):847-58
18513359
Psychol Addict Behav. 2005 Sep;19(3):296-302
16187809
J Stud Alcohol Suppl. 2002 Mar;(14):23-39
12022728
Addict Behav. 2007 Mar;32(3):608-16
16879927
J Physiol. 1999 Jun 1;517 ( Pt 2):617-28
10332107
Addict Behav. 2007 Nov;32(11):2529-48
17707594
J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2008 Mar;69(2):286-90
18299770
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007 Aug;31(8):1380-91
17550361
J Stud Alcohol. 1989 Jul;50(4):320-30
2787875
Psychol Addict Behav. 2008 Mar;22(1):107-16
18298236
Addiction. 2003 Feb;98(2):225-34
12534428
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003 Jul;60(7):727-35
12860777
J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2008 Sep;69(5):684-94
18781243
J Consult Clin Psychol. 2004 Dec;72(6):1038-49
15612850
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2006 Jan;30(1):57-69
16433732
Psychophysiology. 1992 Nov;29(6):742-50
1461961
Psychosom Med. 2003 Sep-Oct;65(5):796-805
14508023
Neuropsychopharmacology. 2001 Feb;24(2):97-129
11120394