Emerging adults- youth between the ages of 18-25- experience high rates of alcohol use and drinking-related consequences, yet risky drinking in this group seems to occur in the context of adaptive developmental processes. Such risk-taking behavior is thought to result from neurobehavioral changes impacting personality, cognitive development, and social functioning beginning in early adolescence. Youth seek out stimulation that, while objectively dangerous, may provide opportunity for evolutionary pay-offs. Social environmental cues signaling such pay-offs may facilitate risky behavior. This study aimed to manipulate social context, subsequent drinking-related behavior, and related shifts in risk and reward evaluation. Participants participated in a "focus group" and taste test of placebo beer (ad libitum drinking session) alone (Solo; SF condition) or in groups that either interacted in the focus group session (Social Facilitation; SF condition) or did not (Mere Presence; MP condition). Participants in the MP and SF conditions reported greater desire to drink and poured and drank more during the taste test than those in the S condition. SF participants reported the highest levels of post-manipulation affect valence, arousal, and positive group experience. Expected differences between conditions in risk/reward evaluation were not observed. Results indicate that despite differences in affective and social experiences between the group conditions, the simple presence of others had as strong an impact on drinking behavior as the social facilitation manipulation. Results underscore the complexity of social influences on human behavior.

Thesis (MA. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015. / The present research investigated the relationship between peer friendships and alcohol drinking patterns, amongst second year students at the University of Limpopo (Turfloop campus). The use and abuse of alcohol amongst students in South African and globally is problematic and increases decade after decade. Students consider alcohol consumption a normal part of university life and often overlook the consequences of health and social problems associated with high levels of alcohol use. The study utilised a quantitative approach with a cross sectional survey design. A convenience sample of second year students was used. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results as they give a clear and concise picture of the data. The chi-square test was utilised to see if there were any significant differences between male and female participants in terms of the study propositions and questions. The results suggest that positive psychosocial and psychological needs are intrinsic and are more likely to occur if an individual has ongoing and positive peer friendships, particularly amongst female participants. Generally, significant results indicate that females are more likely to engage in positive peer friendships and behaviours than males. Responses from male participants suggest that they are more likely to engage in maladaptive behaviours and are more likely to be negatively influenced by their peers, in terms of alcohol consumption, than females. However, females may tend to underestimate how much they drink as they are less likely to go out to a bar and are more likely to drink in their rooms or homes with friends than males.

Background: Alcohol consumption has been causally related to the incidence of coronary heart disease, but the role of alcohol before the event has not been explored in depth. This study tested the hypothesis that heavy drinking (binge drinking) increases the risk of subsequent acute myocardial infarctions (AMI), whereas light to moderate drinking occasions decrease the risk. Methods: Case-crossover design of 250 incident AMI cases in Switzerland, with main hypotheses tested by conditional logistic regression. Results: Alcohol consumption 12 h before the event significantly increased the risk of AMI (OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.4–6.9). Separately, the effects of moderate and binge drinking before the event on AMI were of similar size but did not reach significance. In addition, AMI patients showed more binge drinking than comparable control subjects from the Swiss general population. Conclusions: We found no evidence that alcohol consumption before the event had protective effects on AMI. Instead, alcohol consumption increased the risk. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal