title: The Influence of Motivations on Alcohol Preloading
Creators: name: Sorbello, Jacob G
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Breathalysers
subject: Alcohol
subject: Measurment
subject: Reliability
subject: Validity
subject: Field trial
subject: Preloading
subject: Motivations
subject: Concordance
subject: Harms

description: Preloading is the use of alcohol and/or other substances in preparation for transitioning to a specific target-event (Hughes &amp; Devilly, 2021). This research project examined the nature of motivations on alcohol preloading with individuals who frequent night-time entertainment districts (NEDs) and other target-events. While there is a developing body of research on preloading, few research efforts have investigated why and how preloading occurs in the field. Several points remain unclear in the literature, namely: how preloading and motivations should be measured; how one’s motivation for preloading is related to their alcohol consuming behaviours before, during and after a night-out; and whether preloading motivations are linked to alcohol related harms (ARHs). To clarify these points, a series of studies tested the methodology for preloading research and examined the influence of motivations on alcohol preloading in the field. Prior to the field studies, two methodological studies evaluated and tested the measurement systems used to measure preloading alcohol intoxication and preloading motivations. In study one, a four-part field study evaluated the use of portable fuel-cell breathalysers for objective measurements of alcohol intoxication (Sorbello, Devilly, Allen, Hughes &amp; Brown, 2018). The technology was found to have excellent psychometric properties in test-retest reliability, inter-instrument reliability and convergent validity with similar instruments. Portable fuel-cell breathalysers were found to function exceptionally well for obtaining objective measurements of preloading alcohol intoxication in field research. The main aim of study two was to test and evaluate efficient measurement systems to record preloading motivations in the field. Specifically, study two examined whether continuous measurement of preloading motivations as used in survey research was concordant with categorical measurements used in field research. The measurement systems were found to be concordant with one another. Further validity testing for the continuous measurement system found mixed concurrent validity between preloading motivations and general drinking motivations, as measured by the Drinking Motivations Questionnaire – Revised – Short Form, DMQ-R-SF (Kuntsche &amp; Kuntsche, 2009). Preloading motivations had a stronger relationship with preloaded standard drinks compared to DMQ-R-SF motivations. However, the opposite was observed for ARHs. This suggested there were nuanced differences between ‘preloading’ and ‘general drinking’ motivations, behaviours and ARHs. Having tested the measurement systems in studies one and two, study three employed a baseline investigation of preloading motivations in the field. The parameters of data collection were constrained to intercept individuals as they concluded a preloading session and entered a target-event (i.e., an NED). Contrary to past research, this field study found preloading motivations to ‘socialise’ were more prevalent than ‘saving money’ preloading motivations in this sample. There were no meaningful differences between preloading motivations in alcohol consumption and intoxication (as measured by a portable fuel-cell breathalyser). However, individuals with emotional preloading motivations (i.e., enhancement-based and coping related motivations) had associations with past experiences of ARHs, including assaults, risky sexual encounters, blackouts and negative appraisals from others. Emotional motivations for one’s preloading at the start of the night-out were related to their past experiences of harm. Study four investigated the influence of preloading on different phases of the targetevent: as individuals entered, were within or leaving a NED. There was a systematic difference observed for self-reported preloading rates and alcohol intoxication between three different cohorts of individuals navigating the three phases. Contrary to study three, ‘saving money’ preloading motivations were more prevalent than ‘socialising’ preloading motivations. However, ‘socialising’ preloading motivation were found to significantly increase in prevalence by the leaving phase. There were differences between the phases for enhancement-based preloading motivations being associated with further intentions to consume alcohol after leaving the target-event (i.e., a backloading session). In effect, the phase at which researchers intercept individuals in the field is relevant for the implications of preloading research. Based on the findings from my research program and the lack of theoretical support from available motivational theories, a new Theory of Preloading (TOP) was proposed in the final chapter. The proposed TOP is a cognitive-behavioural and motivational model that provides a conceptual foundation for preloading behaviours (inclusive of drug preloading). The TOP’s central motivational construct argues that an individual preloads to manage their affective expectations – whether by acquiring a desired experience or avoiding an undesirable experience – through the use of alcohol and/or drugs before a target-event. A behavioural reinforcement component added a novel contribution which explained that preloading and target-event consequences influence the next cycle of situational and cognitive factors related to preloading. Intervention factors are suggested for future researchers and policy makers when intervening on the motivational factors linked to alcohol preloading.