Comparing Alcohol Expectancies Among High- And Low-Risk Users, and Its Impact on Alcohol Use

Alcohol expectancies are beliefs about the effects of alcohol on one’s behaviour, emotions, and experiences. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among 300 individuals from Goa, India. The Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire (AEQ) measured total expectancy and six subscales. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to measure levels of alcohol consumption and to categorize low- and high-risk drinkers. Results reveal a positive correlation between alcohol expectancies and alcohol consumption levels. Positive expectancies, expectancies regarding womens’ drinking, and expectations of enhancement in health, coping and social functioning, were significantly greater among high-risk drinkers; and were positively associated with alcohol use. Negative expectancies, in contrast were significantly lower among low-risk drinkers; and were inversely correlated with level of alcohol use. Upon assessing the age- and gender-adjusted effects of expectancies on levels of alcohol use, only some expectancies significantly impacted consumption levels. Negative expectancies were the strongest predictor of reduced alcohol use. Followed by positive expectancies and expectations of social enhancement, which were significant predictors of increased alcohol use. Older age and the males gender also significantly predicted levels of alcohol use. After accounting for variance from the aforementioned variables, the effect of other expectancies – enhancement in health and coping and expectancies about women’s drinking – did not significantly impact levels of alcohol consumption. Findings indicate that expectancies have greater predictive utility than age and gender in determining levels of alcohol use.