Research & Resources

Emotion-based decision-making (EBDM), or the use of emotional information to influence future plans and behavior, may lead to increased harmful consequences of alcohol. This study examined both the number of types, and total frequency of, alcohol consequences as a function of EBDM. Undergraduate students from three large universities were assessed on EBDM and typical weekly drinking during their second year of college, as well as alcohol-related consequences during their second, third, and fourth years. Students who endorsed higher levels of EBDM experienced a significantly increased total frequency of consequences over the three years and a significantly greater number of unique consequences at all time points. Findings of this study indicate that EBDM may be a useful predictor of harmful consequences of student drinking over time.

This paper, “Emotion-based decision-making as a predictor of alcohol-related consequences in college students,” was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.