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Alcohol attention bias in adolescent social drinkers: an eye tracking study

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Abstract

Rationale

Previous research on attention bias in nondependent social drinkers has focused on adult samples with limited focus on the presence of attention bias for alcohol cues in adolescent social drinkers.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to examine the presence of alcohol attention bias in adolescents and the relationship of this cognitive bias to alcohol use and alcohol-related expectancies.

Methods

Attention bias in adolescent social drinkers and abstainers was measured using an eye tracker during exposure to alcohol and neutral cues. Questionnaires measured alcohol use and explicit alcohol expectancies.

Results

Adolescent social drinkers spent significantly more time fixating to alcohol stimuli compared to controls. Total fixation time to alcohol stimuli varied in accordance with level of alcohol consumption and was significantly associated with more positive alcohol expectancies. No evidence for automatic orienting to alcohol stimuli was found in adolescent social drinkers.

Conclusion

Attention bias in adolescent social drinkers appears to be underpinned by controlled attention suggesting that whilst participants in this study displayed alcohol attention bias comparable to that reported in adult studies, the bias has not developed to the point of automaticity. Initial fixations appeared to be driven by alternative attentional processes which are discussed further.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK

    Annie Melaugh McAteer, David Curran & Donncha Hanna

  2. School of Psychology QUB, David Keir Building, 18-30 Malone Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT9 5BN, UK

    Annie Melaugh McAteer

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  1. Annie Melaugh McAteer
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  2. David Curran
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  3. Donncha Hanna
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Correspondence to Annie Melaugh McAteer.

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Melaugh McAteer, A., Curran, D. & Hanna, D. Alcohol attention bias in adolescent social drinkers: an eye tracking study. Psychopharmacology 232, 3183–3191 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3969-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-015-3969-z

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