Reduced Social Network Drinking is Associated with Improved Response Inhibition in Women During Early Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorders: A Pilot Study

• Published in: Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research clinical and experimental research, 2016-01, Vol.40 (1), p.170-177
• Main Authors: McCutcheon, Vivia V., Luke, Douglas A., Lessov-Schlaggar, Christina N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adult Survivors of Child Abuse - psychology; Alcohol Drinking; Alcohol Use Disorder; Alcoholism - psychology; Alcoholism - rehabilitation; Female; Humans; Impulsive Behavior; Impulsivity; Inhibition (Psychology); Male; Middle Aged; Pilot Projects; Response Inhibition; Social Networks; Social Support; Substance Use; Women - psychology
• ISSN: 0145-6008; 1530-0277
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.12925

Background Social support for recovery from alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is associated with improvements in self‐reported impulsive behavior in individuals treated for AUDs. We build on these findings using a behavioral task‐based measure of response inhibition, a well‐defined component of impulsivity, to examine the association of disinhibition with alcohol‐specific social network characteristics during early recovery. Methods Women (n = 28) were recruited from treatment for AUD within 3 to 4 weeks of their last drink and were assessed at baseline and again 3 months later. Outcome measures were level of disinhibition at baseline and change in disinhibition from baseline to follow‐up, measured using a computer‐based continuous performance test. The primary independent variables were level of drinking in the social network at baseline and change in network drinking from baseline to follow‐up. Results The sample [50% black, age M (SD) = 42.3 (9.5)] reported high rates of physical and sexual abuse before age 13 (43%), psychiatric disorder (71%), drug use disorder (78%), and previous treatment (71%). More drinking in participants' social networks was associated with greater disinhibition at baseline (β = 12.5, 95% CI = 6.3, 18.7). A reduction in network drinking from baseline to follow‐up was associated with reduced disinhibition (β = −6.0, 95% CI = −11.3, −0.78) independent of IQ, recent alcohol consumption, and self‐reported negative urgency. Conclusions This study extends previous findings of an association between social networks and self‐reported impulsivity to a neurobehavioral phenotype, response inhibition, suggesting that abstinence‐supporting social networks may play a role in cognitive change during early recovery from AUDs. Women in treatment for alcohol use disorder who reported decreased drinking among their social network members over 3 months showed larger reductions in behavioral disinhibition than women who reported unchanged or increased drinking among network members, independent of IQ, drinking between assessments, and self‐reported negative urgency. Results extend previous findings that abstinence‐supporting social networks are associated with decreased self‐reported impulsivity, and suggest social networks may play a role in cognitive change during early recovery from alcohol use disorders.