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Task Persistence after Alcohol Consumption Among Children of Alcoholics
Author(s) -
Baer John S.,
Novick Natalie J.,
HummelSchluger Andrew O.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1995.tb00973.x
Subject(s) - impulsivity , persistence (discontinuity) , alcohol , context (archaeology) , offspring , alcohol consumption , psychology , ethanol , young adult , medicine , physiology , developmental psychology , pregnancy , biology , paleontology , biochemistry , genetics , geotechnical engineering , engineering
Two studies examined task persistence after alcohol consumption among young adult offspring of alcoholics [children of alcoholics (COAs)] and young adult offspring of nonalcoholics (NonCOAs). In study I, heavy drinking college seniors ( n = 294) participated in a laboratory alcohol challenge in the context of a baseline assessment for a longitudinal study. Subjects completed a computerized administration of the Matching Familiar Figures Test in two halves: the first half sober, and the second half ∼50 min after consuming a 0.8 ml/kg body weight dose of ethanol. COAs demonstrated significantly greater acceleration of response latencies after consumption of alcohol compared with NonCOAs. In study 1, moderate‐to‐heavy drinking volunteers ( n = 149) were recruited for a one‐time laboratory alcohol challenge, and completed a circle‐tracing task three times ∼50 min after consuming a 0.8 ml/kg body weight dose of ethanol. COAs displayed significantly less persistence on the second and third circle‐tracing trials compared with NonCOAs. Data are discussed in relation to models of impulsivity and differential alcohol sensitivity among COAs.