Sex Differences in Associations Between Delay Discounting and Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia

Erin Ferguson; Darya Vitus; Michelle Williams; Molly Anderson; Lisa LaRowe; Joseph W. Ditre; Bethany Stennett; Jeff Boissoneault

doi:10.1037/pha0000517

Sex Differences in Associations Between Delay Discounting and Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia

Erin Ferguson
, Darya Vitus
, Michelle Williams
, Molly Anderson
, Lisa LaRowe
, Joseph W. Ditre
, Bethany Stennett
, Jeff Boissoneault

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Self-medication of pain with alcohol is prevalent, and expectancies for alcohol analgesia likely influence pain relief and alcohol consumption. Hazardous alcohol use has been associated with greater delay discounting rates; however, little is known about the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Therefore, the present study examined sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Healthy drinkers without chronic pain (N = 53) completed measures of expectancies for alcohol analgesia, alcohol use, and alcohol outcome expectancies. A five-trial adjusting-delay discounting task (DDT) for monetary outcomes was also administered. Regression analyses revealed that sex moderated the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Steeper delay discounting rates were associated with weaker expectancies for alcohol analgesia among men when adjusting for average alcohol consumption. Among women, nonsignificant associations between delay discounting rates and expectancies for alcohol analgesia were observed. These findings provide initial evidence of sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. The directionality of these associations was unexpected and may have implications for patterns of self-medication with alcohol.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	862-872
Number of pages	11
Journal	Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
Volume	30
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000517
State	Published - Aug 19 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Funding for this study was provided by the University of Florida Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health and College of Public Health and Health Professions. Support for the research team was provided by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grants R21AA026805 (Jeff Boissoneault, Darya Vitus, Michelle Williams; principal investigator of the project; PI: Jeff Boissoneault) and R01AA025337 (Bethany Stennett, Erin Ferguson, Jeff Boissoneault; PI: Jeff Boissoneault). The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Institutes of Health.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Psychological Association

Keywords

Alcohol
Analgesia
Delay discounting
Expectancies
Pain

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10.1037/pha0000517

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title = "Sex Differences in Associations Between Delay Discounting and Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia",

abstract = "Self-medication of pain with alcohol is prevalent, and expectancies for alcohol analgesia likely influence pain relief and alcohol consumption. Hazardous alcohol use has been associated with greater delay discounting rates; however, little is known about the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Therefore, the present study examined sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Healthy drinkers without chronic pain (N = 53) completed measures of expectancies for alcohol analgesia, alcohol use, and alcohol outcome expectancies. A five-trial adjusting-delay discounting task (DDT) for monetary outcomes was also administered. Regression analyses revealed that sex moderated the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Steeper delay discounting rates were associated with weaker expectancies for alcohol analgesia among men when adjusting for average alcohol consumption. Among women, nonsignificant associations between delay discounting rates and expectancies for alcohol analgesia were observed. These findings provide initial evidence of sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. The directionality of these associations was unexpected and may have implications for patterns of self-medication with alcohol.",

keywords = "Alcohol, Analgesia, Delay discounting, Expectancies, Pain",

author = "Erin Ferguson and Darya Vitus and Michelle Williams and Molly Anderson and Lisa LaRowe and Ditre, \{Joseph W.\} and Bethany Stennett and Jeff Boissoneault",

note = "Funding Information: Funding for this study was provided by the University of Florida Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health and College of Public Health and Health Professions. Support for the research team was provided by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grants R21AA026805 (Jeff Boissoneault, Darya Vitus, Michelle Williams; principal investigator of the project; PI: Jeff Boissoneault) and R01AA025337 (Bethany Stennett, Erin Ferguson, Jeff Boissoneault; PI: Jeff Boissoneault). The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 American Psychological Association",

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AU - LaRowe, Lisa

AU - Ditre, Joseph W.

AU - Stennett, Bethany

AU - Boissoneault, Jeff

N1 - Funding Information: Funding for this study was provided by the University of Florida Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health and College of Public Health and Health Professions. Support for the research team was provided by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grants R21AA026805 (Jeff Boissoneault, Darya Vitus, Michelle Williams; principal investigator of the project; PI: Jeff Boissoneault) and R01AA025337 (Bethany Stennett, Erin Ferguson, Jeff Boissoneault; PI: Jeff Boissoneault). The content of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Institutes of Health. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 American Psychological Association

PY - 2021/8/19

Y1 - 2021/8/19

N2 - Self-medication of pain with alcohol is prevalent, and expectancies for alcohol analgesia likely influence pain relief and alcohol consumption. Hazardous alcohol use has been associated with greater delay discounting rates; however, little is known about the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Therefore, the present study examined sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Healthy drinkers without chronic pain (N = 53) completed measures of expectancies for alcohol analgesia, alcohol use, and alcohol outcome expectancies. A five-trial adjusting-delay discounting task (DDT) for monetary outcomes was also administered. Regression analyses revealed that sex moderated the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Steeper delay discounting rates were associated with weaker expectancies for alcohol analgesia among men when adjusting for average alcohol consumption. Among women, nonsignificant associations between delay discounting rates and expectancies for alcohol analgesia were observed. These findings provide initial evidence of sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. The directionality of these associations was unexpected and may have implications for patterns of self-medication with alcohol.

AB - Self-medication of pain with alcohol is prevalent, and expectancies for alcohol analgesia likely influence pain relief and alcohol consumption. Hazardous alcohol use has been associated with greater delay discounting rates; however, little is known about the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Therefore, the present study examined sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Healthy drinkers without chronic pain (N = 53) completed measures of expectancies for alcohol analgesia, alcohol use, and alcohol outcome expectancies. A five-trial adjusting-delay discounting task (DDT) for monetary outcomes was also administered. Regression analyses revealed that sex moderated the relationship between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. Steeper delay discounting rates were associated with weaker expectancies for alcohol analgesia among men when adjusting for average alcohol consumption. Among women, nonsignificant associations between delay discounting rates and expectancies for alcohol analgesia were observed. These findings provide initial evidence of sex differences in associations between delay discounting and expectancies for alcohol analgesia. The directionality of these associations was unexpected and may have implications for patterns of self-medication with alcohol.

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Sex Differences in Associations Between Delay Discounting and Expectancies for Alcohol Analgesia

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