The Role of Response Inhibition and Impulsivity in Alcohol Consumption in Young Adults

Open Access
- Author:
- Gonzalez, Lorena Laura
- Area of Honors:
- Biology
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Dr. Rick Owen Gilmore, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Stephen Wade Schaeffer, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- Impulsivity
Response Inhibition
Alcohol
Stop-Signal
College - Abstract:
- Recent studies have investigated the interactions of various genetic and environmental factors that may influence the rate of alcohol consumption in young adults, particularly those entering college. Among other factors, impulsivity is emerging as not only a result of long-term alcohol abuse, but as a behavioral predictor of alcohol use in college. A study was conducted with 32 participants in the months prior to beginning college, and at two more time points continuing into the second collegiate year. A Stop-Signal Reaction Time task was used to measure response inhibition, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) was used as a measure of impulsivity. Participants reported alcohol drinking frequency and consequences at each of the three time points, and were categorized into different trajectories according to changes in drinking frequency from high school to college. No significant effect of drinking was discovered on response inhibition measured by Stop-Signal Reaction Time using an ANOVA analysis [F(2,7) = 2.93, p = 0.12].A significant effect of drinking trajectory was observed on impulsivity measured by the BIS [F(2, 29) = 4.52, p = .02]. Overall, results suggest that participants who were already drinking prior to beginning college were significantly more impulsive than those who began drinking in college or did not drink at all. Response inhibition results showed no significant differences between trajectories. Further studies may focus on identifying risk factors such as impulsivity in participants younger than college-age to better understand individuals predisposed to alcohol use.