Desire thinking as a predictor of craving and binge drinking: A longitudinal study.
Desire thinking is a conscious and voluntary cognitive process orienting to prefigure images, information and memories about positive target-related experience. Desire thinking has been found to be associated with both craving and alcohol use in clinical and non-clinical populations, however its role in predicting craving and problematic drinking patterns has never been investigated using a longitudinal design. The central aim of the present study was to explore the role of desire thinking at Time 2 (3months post-baseline) in predicting craving and binge drinking and Time 3 (6months post-baseline), controlling for levels of both these constructs and Time 1 (baseline). One hundred and thirty three non-hazardous drinkers were assessed on craving and binge drinking at Times 1 and 3, and on desire thinking at Time 2. Findings showed that desire thinking at Time 2 predicted craving and binge drinking at Time 3, controlling for craving and binge drinking at Time 1. Furthermore, the imaginal prefiguration component of desire thinking at Time 2 was found to mediate the relationship between craving at Times 1 and 3; conversely the verbal perseveration component of desire thinking at Time 2 was found to mediate the relationship between binge drinking at Times 1 and 3. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK; Studi Cognitivi, Milano, Italy; Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Francesca
F
Martino
Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK; Studi Cognitivi, Milano, Italy; Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy.
Gabriele
G
Caselli
Studi Cognitivi, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
Federica
F
Felicetti
Studi Cognitivi, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
Margherita
M
Rampioni
Studi Cognitivi, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
Pierluigi
P
Romanelli
Studi Cognitivi, San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy.
Lorena
L
Troiani
Studi Cognitivi, Milano, Italy; Sigmund Freud University, Milan, Italy.
Sandra
S
Sassaroli
Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK.
Ian P
IP
Albery
Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University, London, UK. Electronic address: spadam@lsbu.ac.uk.
Marcantonio M
MM
Spada
D000328:Adult; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D066249:Craving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Alcohol use; Binge drinking; Craving; Desire thinking; Metacognitive model