Ethan H Mereish1,2, Robert Miranda2. 1. Department of Health Studies, (EHM), American University, Washington, District of Columbia. 2. Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies (CAAS), (EHM, RM), Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Sexual orientation disparities in alcohol use disorder (AUD) are thought to be explained by stigma specific to sexual minorities. Despite the importance of negative affect and craving in addiction, research has yet to test the effects of stigma on affect and alcohol craving among sexual minorities. This laboratory study examined the effects of 3 novel mood inductions (stigma, general unpleasant, and neutral) on affect and alcohol craving among heavy-drinking sexual minority young adults. We also paired these mood inductions with an established alcohol cue reactivity paradigm to explore the effects of stigma on cue-elicited craving. METHODS: Sexual minority participants (N = 20; 55% female), aged 18 to 27 years (M = 21.80, standard deviation = 2.65), were recruited from the community. Participants completed 3 mood induction and cue reactivity trials counterbalanced over 3 visits on different days: stigma, general unpleasant, and neutral mood inductions. A structured interview assessed criteria for DSM-5 AUD, and self-report measures assessed lifetime adverse experiences. RESULTS: Most participants met criteria for past-year AUD (75%). Exposure to stigma produced more negative affect and greater alcohol craving than the neutral and general unpleasant mood induction conditions. The general unpleasant mood induction did not predict greater alcohol craving than the neutral mood induction. Stigma enhanced alcohol cue reactivity effects, as measured with a single-item craving measure, compared to the general unpleasant mood condition, and this effect remained significant while controlling for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Findings are the first to demonstrate how stigma uniquely predicts negative affect and alcohol craving among sexual minorities. This study suggests that being exposed to stigma, specifically heterosexism, elicits negative mood and alcohol craving among sexual minority young adults who are heavy drinkers.
BACKGROUND: Sexual orientation disparities in alcohol use disorder (AUD) are thought to be explained by stigma specific to sexual minorities. Despite the importance of negative affect and craving in addiction, research has yet to test the effects of stigma on affect and alcohol craving among sexual minorities. This laboratory study examined the effects of 3 novel mood inductions (stigma, general unpleasant, and neutral) on affect and alcohol craving among heavy-drinking sexual minority young adults. We also paired these mood inductions with an established alcohol cue reactivity paradigm to explore the effects of stigma on cue-elicited craving. METHODS: Sexual minority participants (N = 20; 55% female), aged 18 to 27 years (M = 21.80, standard deviation = 2.65), were recruited from the community. Participants completed 3 mood induction and cue reactivity trials counterbalanced over 3 visits on different days: stigma, general unpleasant, and neutral mood inductions. A structured interview assessed criteria for DSM-5 AUD, and self-report measures assessed lifetime adverse experiences. RESULTS: Most participants met criteria for past-year AUD (75%). Exposure to stigma produced more negative affect and greater alcohol craving than the neutral and general unpleasant mood induction conditions. The general unpleasant mood induction did not predict greater alcohol craving than the neutral mood induction. Stigma enhanced alcohol cue reactivity effects, as measured with a single-item craving measure, compared to the general unpleasant mood condition, and this effect remained significant while controlling for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Findings are the first to demonstrate how stigma uniquely predicts negative affect and alcohol craving among sexual minorities. This study suggests that being exposed to stigma, specifically heterosexism, elicits negative mood and alcohol craving among sexual minority young adults who are heavy drinkers.
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