Wave-Ananda Baskerville1, Steven J Nieto1, Diana Ho1, Brandon Towns1, Erica N Grodin1, Caesar Li2, Elizabeth Burnette1,3, Suzanna Donato1, Lara A Ray1,3,4. 1. Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 2. Department of Biostatistics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 3. Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
AIMS: Natural processes of change have been documented in treatment-seekers who begin to reduce their drinking in anticipation of treatment. The study examined whether non-treatment-seeking problem drinkers would engage in drinking reduction in anticipation of participating in a research study. METHODS: Non-treatment-seeking problem drinkers (n = 935) were culled from five behavioral pharmacology studies. Participants reported on their alcohol use during the past 30 days using the Timeline Followback. Cluster analysis identified distinct groups/clusters based on drinking patterns over the 30-day pre-visit period. The identified clusters were compared on demographic and clinical measures. RESULTS: Three distinct clusters were identified (a) heavy-decreasing drinking group (n = 255, 27.27%); (b) a moderate-stable drinking group (n = 353, 37.75%) and (c) low-stable drinking group (n = 327, 34.97%). The three clusters differed significantly on a host of measures including pre-visit drinking (age at first drink, drinking days, drinks per week, drinks per drinking day), alcohol use severity, alcohol craving, readiness for change, depression and anxiety levels. These differences were alcohol dose-dependent such that the heavier drinking group reported the highest levels on all constructs, followed by the moderate group, and the low drinking group last. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline drinking patterns of non-treatment-seekers were generally stable and pre-visit reductions were only observed among the heavy drinking group. This generally stable pattern stands in contrast to previous reports for treatment-seeking samples. Nevertheless, the heavier drinking group, which is most similar to treatment-seekers, displayed pre-study drinking reduction. Overall, naturalistic processes of change may pose less of a threat to randomization and testing in this population.
AIMS: Natural processes of change have been documented in treatment-seekers who begin to reduce their drinking in anticipation of treatment. The study examined whether non-treatment-seeking problem drinkers would engage in drinking reduction in anticipation of participating in a research study. METHODS: Non-treatment-seeking problem drinkers (n = 935) were culled from five behavioral pharmacology studies. Participants reported on their alcohol use during the past 30 days using the Timeline Followback. Cluster analysis identified distinct groups/clusters based on drinking patterns over the 30-day pre-visit period. The identified clusters were compared on demographic and clinical measures. RESULTS: Three distinct clusters were identified (a) heavy-decreasing drinking group (n = 255, 27.27%); (b) a moderate-stable drinking group (n = 353, 37.75%) and (c) low-stable drinking group (n = 327, 34.97%). The three clusters differed significantly on a host of measures including pre-visit drinking (age at first drink, drinking days, drinks per week, drinks per drinking day), alcohol use severity, alcohol craving, readiness for change, depression and anxiety levels. These differences were alcohol dose-dependent such that the heavier drinking group reported the highest levels on all constructs, followed by the moderate group, and the low drinking group last. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline drinking patterns of non-treatment-seekers were generally stable and pre-visit reductions were only observed among the heavy drinking group. This generally stable pattern stands in contrast to previous reports for treatment-seeking samples. Nevertheless, the heavier drinking group, which is most similar to treatment-seekers, displayed pre-study drinking reduction. Overall, naturalistic processes of change may pose less of a threat to randomization and testing in this population.
Authors: Erica N Grodin; Suzanna Donato; Han Du; ReJoyce Green; Spencer Bujarski; Lara A Ray Journal: Alcohol Alcohol Date: 2022-09-10 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Kimberly Goodyear; Talia R Vasaturo-Kolodner; George A Kenna; Robert M Swift; Lorenzo Leggio; Carolina L Haass-Koffler Journal: Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse Date: 2021-09-28 Impact factor: 3.829
Authors: Damian Czarnecki; Marcin Ziółkowski; Jan Chodkiewicz; Anna Długosz; Joanna Feldheim; Napoleon Waszkiewicz; Agnieszka Kułak-Bejda; Marta Gorzkiewicz; Jacek Budzyński; Anna Junkiert-Czarnecka; Agnieszka Siomek-Górecka; Krzysztof Nicpoń; Aleksandra Kawala-Sterniuk; Raffaele Ferri; Mariusz Pelc; Piotr Walecki; Ewa Laskowska; Edward Jacek Gorzelańczyk Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-12-15 Impact factor: 4.241