Alcohol misuse among college students remains a major public health concern along with an economic health burden in the United States. Behavioral economics (BE) explains environmental factors and internal processes contributing to substance use relative to other reinforcers. The current study examines BE influences on alcohol-related behaviors.
The study included 393 students who reported at least two heavy drinking episodes in the last month. The first measure of the study was delay discounting to assess how participants discounted larger monetary rewards with delayed receipt relative to smaller rewards that were more immediate ($75 now or $100 in one month). Alcohol demand assessed how many alcoholic drinks a participant would buy and drink at a party based on prices. Proportionate substance-related reinforcement measured how frequently participants engaged in activities along with how much they enjoyed the activity while they are under the influence of a substance and when they aren’t. These activities included things like “going on a date” or “studying.” Other measures included alcohol consumption, heavy episodic drinking, alcohol-related problems and alcohol use disorder symptoms.
Researchers took the results and separated the students into 3 different classes. The first was low reward, high discounting (LRHD, n=53). The second was moderate reward value, low discounting (MRLD, n=214). The final class was high reward value, high discounting (HRHD, n=126). The HRHD group reported the highest typical weekly drinking along with significantly more alcohol related problems and alcohol use disorder symptoms. Past-month HED episodes were highest for the HRHD class followed by the MRLD class. These findings may point to the fact that students who overvalue alcohol-related reward and discount future risks are at the highest risk for alcohol misuse and related problems.
Take Away: The study examines behavioral economics (BE) influences on alcohol-related behaviors. The study included 393 students and measures included delay discounting, alcohol demand, proportionate substance-related, alcohol use, episodic drinking, alcohol-related problems, and alcohol use disorder symptoms. Researchers took results and separated students into 3 classes including low reward, high discounting (LRHD), moderate reward value, low discounting (MRLD) and high reward value, high discounting (HRHD). The HRHD group reported the highest typical weekly drinking along with significantly more alcohol related problems and alcohol use disorder symptoms. Past-month HED episodes were highest for the HRHD class followed by the MRLD class. These findings may point to students who overvalue alcohol-related reward and discount future risks being at high risk for alcohol misuse and related problems.