Trait impulsivity moderates rate of alcohol consumption in daily life

Rate of alcohol consumption, the speed with which people drink, has been linked to a range of outcomes, including alcohol use disorder symptoms and increased positive affect. However, there has been minimal research investigating who is most likely to drink at elevated rates. Impulsivity is associated with increased attention to positive reinforcers specifically (e.g., positive affect). Researchers therefore examined whether people higher in trait impulsivity engage in faster consumption during drinking episodes.
The study included 113 current drinkers, of whom 54 people had borderline personality disorder [BPD], a disorder that involves elevated impulsivity, who completed a 21-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. Multilevel models examined whether self-reported trait impulsivity, measured at baseline, was associated with faster rise in estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) at each follow-up period.
All UPPS sub-scales (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseveration, sensation seeking, and positive urgency) were associated with faster rise in eBAC across a drinking episode. In a multivariate model including all sub-scales as simultaneous predictors, sensation seeking and (lack of) perseverance were independently positively associated with rate of consumption. Additional analyses indicated that greater negative urgency and sensation seeking were associated with faster rises in eBAC in participants with BPD, relative to community comparisons.
In a sample that captured a wide spectrum of impulsivity, greater impulsivity was associated with drinking alcohol at a faster rate. People higher in sensation seeking and (lack of) perseverance may be prone to drink at faster rates out of a desire to maximize the hedonic effects of alcohol.
This study finds that people who are more impulsive tend to drink alcohol faster, putting them at greater risk for negative consequences. This may explain, in part, why impulsivity is linked to experiencing alcohol-related problems.
Source: McNamara IA, Nance M, Lane SP, Trela CJ, Wood PK, Piasecki TM, Trull TJ, Carpenter RW. Trait impulsivity moderates rate of alcohol consumption in daily life. Addict Behav. 2024 Jan 28;152:107976.