The relationship between dimensions of impulsivity and alcohol consumption in heavy drinkers

Abstract

Introduction Impulsivity has been studied as underlying mechanism among addictive disorders such as alcohol use disorder. Several authors have suggested that impulsivity is not a unitary construct and consist of several subconstructs such as response inhibition, risk taking. Objectives This study conceptualized impulsivity as a multidimensional construct and those subconstucts of impulsivity can predict alcohol use differentially. Aims Our aim was to identify the specific component of impulsivity that explained the greatest variance in heavy and problem drinking among a sample of alcohol use disorder. Methods Participants with alcohol use disorder ( n =170) completed a behavioral test battery comprising response inhibition tasks (Stop signal task), the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) as measures of subconstruct of impulsivity. Participants also completed the UPPSP as a measure of general impulsivity. Results In a multiple regression model, impulsivity measured by UPPSP and risk-taking was identified as the measures that predicted alcohol use and problems. Conclusions Results suggest that among patients with alcohol use disorder, a behavioral measure of risk-taking predicts alcohol consumption and alcohol problems, even when individual differences in trait impulsivity are statistically controlled. However, behavioral measures of response inhibition do not predict unique variance in alcohol use in patients with alcohol use disorders.