Department of Psychology, The State University of New York University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken). 2023 Mar;47(3):512-526. doi: 10.1111/acer.15016. Epub 2023 Feb 21.
Identifying factors that protect against alcohol-related negative consequences associated with emerging adult drinking is a critical public health issue. It has been proposed that high levels of self-regulation moderate risks associated with drinking, decreasing alcohol-related negative consequences. Past research testing this possibility is limited by a lack of advanced methodology for testing moderation and failure to consider facets of self-regulation. This study addressed these limitations.
Three hundred fifty-four community emerging adults (56% female; predominantly non-Hispanic Caucasian (83%) or African American (9%)) were assessed annually for 3 years. Moderational hypotheses were tested using multilevel models and the Johnson-Neyman technique was used to examine simple slopes. Data were organized such that repeated measures (level 1) were nested within participants (level 2) to test cross-sectional associations. Self-regulation was operationalized as effortful control and its facets (attentional, inhibitory, and activation control).
We found evidence of moderation. The association between alcohol use during a heavy drinking week and consequences weakened as effortful control increased. This pattern was supported for two facets (attentional and activation control), but not for inhibitory control. Regions of significance results revealed that this protective effect was only evident at very high levels of self-regulation.
The results provide some evidence that very high levels of attentional and activation control protect against alcohol-related negative consequences associated with drinking. Emerging adults who are very high in attentional and activation control are likely better able to control their attention and engage in goal-directed behavior, like leaving a party at a reasonable hour, or attending school and/or work when experiencing the punishing effects of a hangover. Results emphasize the importance of distinguishing facets of self-regulation when testing self-regulation models.
识别出可预防与成年早期饮酒相关的酒精负面后果的因素是一个至关重要的公共卫生问题。有观点认为，高水平的自我调节可以减轻与饮酒相关的风险，从而降低酒精相关的负面后果。过去的研究在检验这一可能性时受到限制，缺乏用于检验调节作用的先进方法，也没有考虑自我调节的各个方面。本研究解决了这些局限性。
354 名社区成年早期参与者（56%为女性；主要是非西班牙裔白种人（83%）或非裔美国人（9%））在 3 年内每年接受评估。使用多层次模型检验了调节假设，并使用 Johnson-Neyman 技术检验了简单斜率。数据组织方式使重复测量（一级）嵌套在参与者（二级）中，以检验横断面关联。自我调节被定义为努力控制及其方面（注意力、抑制和激活控制）。
我们发现了调节作用的证据。在重度饮酒周期间的饮酒量与后果之间的关联随着努力控制的增加而减弱。这种模式得到了两个方面（注意力和激活控制）的支持，但对抑制控制没有支持。显著区域结果表明，这种保护作用仅在自我调节水平非常高时才明显。
结果提供了一些证据表明，高度的注意力和激活控制可以预防与饮酒相关的酒精负面后果。高度注意和激活控制的成年早期参与者更有可能控制自己的注意力，并采取目标导向的行为，例如在合理的时间离开派对，或者在宿醉后参加学校和/或工作。结果强调了在检验自我调节模型时区分自我调节方面的重要性。
