Attention bias for alcohol-related information in adolescent with alcohol-dependent parents

Jessica I. Zetteler, Brian T. Stollery, Aviv M. Weinstein, Anne R. Lingford-Hughes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Aims: To assess the attentional bias for alcohol-related information in adolescents with (n = 15), and without (n = 15), a parental history of alcohol dependence. Methods: Participants completed questionnaires assessing depression, weekly alcohol consumption, anxiety, and concerns about alcohol consumption and undertook subliminal and supraliminal computerized Stroop tasks using colour-words, alcohol-related words, and control words. Results: Adolescents with alcohol-dependent parents showed supra liminal interference for alcohol-related words. The magnitude of this interference was correlated with higher trait and state anxiety, and lower levels of weekly alcohol consumption. No interference was found on the subliminal alcohol Stroop task. Conclusions: While it is likely that this attentional bias for alcohol-related cues reflects the concerns regarding parental drinking, it is also possible that this might underlie the increased risk of future alcohol dependence in the children of alcohol-dependent parents.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)426-430
Number of pages5
JournalAlcohol and Alcoholism
Volume41
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2006
Externally publishedYes

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