Department of Psychiatry , University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri.
Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences , Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2018 Oct;42(10):2000-2010. doi: 10.1111/acer.13850. Epub 2018 Aug 28.
Blackouts-or memory loss for all or part of a drinking event-are reliable predictors of alcohol-related consequences. Studies suggest a distinction between en bloc (complete memory loss) and fragmentary (off-and-on memory loss) blackouts; however, research has not consistently differentiated between these 2 forms of blackout. This study aimed to validate the distinction between en bloc and fragmentary blackouts among young adults.
Data were collected using qualitative (Study 1) and quantitative (Study 2) research methods. Participants in both studies were college students with a history of alcohol-induced memory impairment. They were recruited using community advertisement (Study 1, N = 50, 56% female) and Qualtrics survey panels (Study 2, N = 350, 56% female). Study 1 participants engaged in 8 focus groups. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded using applied thematic analysis. Findings guided assessment of en bloc and fragmentary blackout in Study 2. In Study 2, a separate sample of participants completed an online survey assessing drinking behavior, alcohol-induced memory impairment, and theoretical correlates of en bloc and fragmentary blackouts.
Study 1 participants differentiated between en bloc and fragmentary blackouts (which they referred to as "blackouts" and "brownouts," respectively) based on duration and extent of memory loss. They indicated that blackouts occur along a continuum, with en bloc "blackouts" at the extreme. They also stated that the term "blackout drinking" does not always imply memory loss. Study 2 participants reported higher rates of "brownouts" (81%) than "blackouts" (54%). They reported less negative outcome expectancies and attitudes, greater personal approval, higher prevalence estimates, lower self-efficacy, and stronger intentions for "brownouts" than "blackouts" (p < 0.001). Women perceived "blackouts/brownouts" as more prevalent than men and reported lower intentions to experience "blackouts" (p < 0.005).
Young adults are more permissive of fragmentary than en bloc blackout. En bloc blackouts may be a target for future interventions.
断片——即对某次饮酒事件的全部或部分失去记忆——是与酒精相关后果的可靠预测指标。研究表明，断片可分为整块性（完全失忆）和片段性（断断续续失忆）；然而，研究并未始终区分这两种断片形式。本研究旨在验证年轻人中整块性和片段性断片之间的区别。
使用定性（研究 1）和定量（研究 2）研究方法收集数据。两项研究的参与者均为有酒精引起的记忆损伤史的大学生。他们通过社区广告（研究 1，N=50，女性占 56%）和 Qualtrics 调查小组（研究 2，N=350，女性占 56%）招募。研究 1 的参与者参加了 8 个焦点小组。讨论内容被录音、逐字转录，并使用应用主题分析进行编码。研究结果为研究 2 中评估整块性和片段性断片提供了指导。在研究 2 中，一组独立的参与者完成了一项在线调查，评估饮酒行为、酒精引起的记忆损伤以及整块性和片段性断片的理论相关性。
研究 1 的参与者根据记忆丧失的持续时间和程度来区分整块性和片段性断片（他们分别称之为“断片”和“棕片”）。他们表示，断片沿着一个连续体发生，整块性“断片”处于极端状态。他们还指出，“断片饮酒”一词并不总是意味着记忆丧失。研究 2 的参与者报告称“棕片”（81%）的发生率高于“断片”（54%）。他们报告称，对“棕片”的负面结果预期和态度较小，个人认可程度更高，患病率估计值更高，自我效能感更低，对“棕片”的意图比“断片”更强（p<0.001）。女性认为“断片/棕片”更为普遍，并且报告说体验“断片”的意图较低（p<0.005）。
年轻人对片段性断片的容忍度高于整块性断片。整块性断片可能是未来干预的目标。
