Attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli among belief based and non-belief based non-drinkers

Abstract

Background/aims: Research has provided evidence for an association between attentional biases for substance-related stimuli and the development and maintenance of a variety of addictive behaviours. Attempts at reducing attentional bias amongst harmful and dependent drinkers have provided evidence to suggest that reduced attentional bias in heavy drinkers would lead to necessary reductions in alcohol intake. We tested one aspect of this assumption by measuring attentional bias amongst non-drinkers who, if the link between attentional bias and actual drug use is causal, should demonstrate no attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli.

Methods: An alcohol Stroop task was administered to belief-based abstainers, non-belief based abstainers and light social drinkers to measure attentional biases for alcohol-related words compared to neutral words.

Results: Belief-based abstainers demonstrated significant attentional bias for alcohol-related stimuli, whilst non-belief based abstainers and light social drinkers did not.

Conclusion: Attentional biases towards alcohol-related stimuli are not specific to harmful and problem drinkers, which has implications for interventions based on attentional bias change.