The utility of the alcohol use disorders identification test (Audit) for the analysis of binge drinking in university students / Utilidad del Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) en el análisis del binge drinking en estudiantes universitarios

BACKGROUND: The increasingly precise conceptualization of Binge Drinking (BD), along with the rising incidence of this pattern of intake amongst young people, make it necessary to review the usefulness of instruments used to detect it. Little evidence exists regarding effectiveness of the AUDIT, AUDIT-C and AUDIT-3 in the detection of BD. This study evaluates their utility in a sample of university students, revealing the most appropriate cut-off points for each sex. METHODS: All students self-administered the AUDIT and completed a self-report of their alcohol consumption. A Two-step cluster analysis differentiated 5 groups of BD in terms of: the quantity consumed, the frequency of BD over the past six months and gender. A ROC curve adjusted cut-off points for each case. RESULTS: 862 university students (18-19 years-old/59.5% female), 424 (49.2%) from Valencia and 438 (50.8%) from Madrid, had cut-off points of 4 in AUDIT and 3 in AUDIT-C as a better fit. In all cases, the best classifier was AUDIT-C. Neither version properly classifies students with varying degrees of BD. CONCLUSIONS: All versions differentiate BD from non-BD, but none are able to differentiate between types of BD

ANTECEDENTES: la operacionalización cada vez más precisa del Binge Drinking (BD), unido a su elevada prevalencia entre los jóvenes, hace necesario revisar la utilidad de los instrumentos utilizados para detectarlo. Existe poca evidencia de la eficacia del AU-DIT y AUDIT-C en la detección del BD. Este artículo evalúa su utilidad en una muestra de universitarios, identificando los puntos de corte más adecuados, en función del sexo. MÉTODO: se cumplimentó el AUDIT y un autoregistro de consumo de alcohol. Un análisis de conglomerados en dos fases diferenció 5 grupos de BD en función de: cantidad consumida, frecuencia de realización en los últimos seis meses y género. Con curvas ROC se ajustaron los puntos de corte para cada caso. RESULTADOS: 862 universitarios (18-19 años/59,5% mujeres), 424 (49,2%) de Valencia y 438 (50,8%) de Madrid obtuvieron puntos de corte de 4 en AUDIT y 3 en AUDIT-C como mejor ajuste. En todos los casos el mejor clasificador de BD fue el AUDIT-C. Ninguna versión clasifica adecuadamente a estudiantes con diferente intensidad de BD. CONCLUSIONES: ambas versiones diferencian BD de noBD, pero ninguna de ellas permite distinguir entre tipos de BD

The utility of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)for the analysis of binge drinking in university students.

BACKGROUND: The increasingly precise conceptualization of Binge Drinking (BD), along with the rising incidence of this pattern of intake amongst young people, make it necessary to review the usefulness of instruments used to detect it. Little evidence exists regarding effectiveness of the AUDIT, AUDIT-C and AUDIT-3 in the detection of BD. This study evaluates their utility in a sample of university students, revealing the most appropriate cut-off points for each sex. METHODS: All students self-administered the AUDIT and completed a self-report of their alcohol consumption. A Two-step cluster analysis differentiated 5 groups of BD in terms of: the quantity consumed, the frequency of BD over the past six months and gender. A ROC curve adjusted cut-off points for each case. RESULTS: 862 university students (18-19 years-old/59.5% female), 424 (49.2%) from Valencia and 438 (50.8%) from Madrid, had cut-off points of 4 in AUDIT and 3 in AUDIT-C as a better fit. In all cases, the best classifier was AUDIT-C. Neither version properly classifies students with varying degrees of BD. CONCLUSIONS: All versions differentiate BD from non-BD, but none are able to differentiate between types of BD.

Predictors of weekly alcohol drinking and alcohol-related problems in binge-drinking undergraduates.

The important implications generated by binge drinking among university students justify the interest to determine which factors predict its occurrence. Specifically, this study aims to assess the role of personality and drinking onset in predicting weekly alcohol consumption, and the impact of the whole set of variables in predicting the number of consequences associated with consumption in undergraduates. Two hundred and thirteen freshmen who were intensive consumers (binge drinkers) from the University Complutense of Madrid were evaluated. All of them filled in a self-registration of consumption, the BIS-11, the NEO-FFI and the IECI consequences associated with intake. The hierarchical regression analysis shows that the drinking onset appears to be a relevant predictor variable in explaining weekly consumption and the number of consequences. The same can be said of the weekly consumption variable with regard to the number of consequences. In general, the influence of personality is quite limited. It is interesting to point out that responsibility and impulsivity, along with age, explain most of the weekly consumption behavior among males. With respect to the consequences of consumption, only impulsivity and neuroticism contribute to explain them, but with less strength than age and weekly consumption. Our results justify the need to plan tighter interventions and consider new predictors that help to explain further weekly consumption in women.

Las importantes implicaciones que genera el consumo intensivo de alcohol entre los jóvenes justifican el interés por determinar qué factores predicen su aparición. Concretamente, en este estudio se analiza el papel de la personalidad y edad de inicio en el consumo de alcohol en la predicción del consumo semanal de alcohol, y de todas estas variables en la predicción del número de consecuencias asociadas al consumo en jóvenes universitarios.Se evalúan 213 consumidores intensivos de primer curso de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Todos ellos cumplimentaron un autoregistro de consumo, el BIS-11, el NEO-FFI y el IECI de consecuencias asociadas a la ingesta.Los análisis de regresión de orden jerárquico muestran que la edad de inicio resulta ser una variable predictora relevante tanto en la explicación del consumo semanal como del número de consecuencias. Lo mismo puede decirse de la variable consumo semanal respecto a la del número de consecuencias.En líneas generales, el influjo de las variables de personalidad es bastante limitado. Tan sólo mencionar la responsabilidad e impulsividad, que junto con la edad, llegan a explicar gran parte de la conducta de consumo semanal entre varones. En lo que respecta a las consecuencias derivadas del consumo, sólo resultan explicativas, aunque en menor medida que la edad y el consumo semanal, la impulsividad y el neuroticismo.Esto justifica la necesidad de planificar intervenciones más ajustadas y de analizar nuevos predictores en el caso de las mujeres que permitan explicar en mayor medida su conducta de consumo semanal.

Predictores del consumo semanal de alcohol y sus consecuencias asociadas en universitarios consumidores intensivos de alcohol / Predictors of weekly alcohol drinking and alcohol-related problems in binge-drinking undergraduates

Las importantes implicaciones que genera el consumo intensivo de alcohol entre los jóvenes justifican el interés por determinar qué factores predicen su aparición. Concretamente, en este estudio se analiza el papel de la personalidad y edad de inicio en el consumo de alcohol en la predicción del consumo semanal de alcohol, y de todas estas variables en la predicción del número de consecuencias asociadas al consumo en jóvenes universitarios.Se evalúan 213 consumidores intensivos de primer curso de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Todos ellos cumplimentaron un autoregistro de consumo, el BIS-11, el NEO-FFI y el IECI de consecuencias asociadas a la ingesta. Los análisis de regresión de orden jerárquico muestran que la edad de inicio resulta ser una variable predictora relevante tanto en la explicación del consumo semanal como del número de consecuencias. Lo mismo puede decirse de la variable consumo semanal respecto a la del número de consecuencias.En líneas generales, el influjo de las variables de personalidad es bastante limitado. Tan sólo mencionar la responsabilidad e impulsividad, que junto con la edad, llegan a explicar gran parte de la conducta de consumo semanal entre varones. En lo que respecta a las consecuencias derivadas del consumo, sólo resultan explicativas, aunque en menor medida que la edad y el consumo semanal, la impulsividad y el neuroticismo. Esto justifica la necesidad de planificar intervenciones más ajustadas y de analizar nuevos predictores en el caso de las mujeres que permitan explicar en mayor medida su conducta de consumo semanal

The important implications generated by binge drinking among university students justify the interest to determine which factors predict its occurrence. Specifically, this study aims to assess the role of personality and drinking onset in predicting weekly alcohol consumption, and the impact of the whole set of variables in predicting the number of consequences associated with consumption in undergraduates. Two hundred and thirteen freshmen who were intensive consumers (binge drinkers) from the University Complutense of Madrid were evaluated. All of them filled in a self-registration of consumption, the BIS-11, the NEO-FFI and the IECI consequences associated with intake. The hierarchical regression analysis shows that the drinking onset appears to be a relevant predictor variable in explaining weekly consumption and the number of consequences. The same can be said of the weekly consumption variable with regard to the number of consequences. In general, the influence of personality is quite limited. It is interesting to point out that responsibility and impulsivity, along with age, explain most of the weekly consumption behavior among males. With respect to the consequences of consumption, only impulsivity and neuroticism contribute to explain them, but with less strength than age and weekly consumption. Our results justify the need to plan tighter interventions and consider new predictors that help to explain further weekly consumption in women

Importancia de las expectativas en la relación entre impulsividad y consumo intensivo de alcohol en universitarios / The importance of expectations in the relationship between impulsivity and binge drinking among university students

El consumo intensivo de alcohol (CIA) en universitarios tiene importantes implicaciones clínicas y sociales que motivan la necesidad de indagar sobre los factores que favorecen su aparición y consolidación. Concretamente, este estudio evalúa el papel de la impulsividad y las expectativas asociadas al consumo, así como la posible mediación de las expectativas en la relación entre impulsividad y CIA. 303 estudiantes de primer curso de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid que realizan CIA cumplimentaron un autoregistro de consumo, una escala de expectativas asociadas a esta ingesta (IECI, 2012) y la escala BIS-11 de impulsividad. En todos los casos, tanto varones como mujeres, duplican los gramos de alcohol que definen un CIA, así como la frecuencia de realización de esta conducta a partir de la cual se incrementa la probabilidad de aparición de consecuencias negativas. No se encuentran diferencias entre varones y mujeres en las expectativas asociadas al CIA, ni en la impulsividad total. Los análisis de regresión de orden jerárquico muestran que las expectativas no moderan la relación entre impulsividad y consumo. Las dos variables influyen de manera independiente en el consumo (gramos de alcohol ingeridos y frecuencia de realización de la ingesta), siendo mayor el peso de las expectativas en ambos sexos, pero resultando significativo el aporte de la impulsividad sólo entre los varones. Esto justifica la necesidad de planificar intervenciones que contemplen la modificación de estas expectativas, incluyendo en el caso de los varones aspectos relacionados con la impulsividad

Alcohol intensive consumption (AIC) in university students has important clinical and social implications that motivate the need to look into the factors that favor its apparition and consolidation. More concretely, this study assesses the role of impulsivity and the associated expectations about consumption, as well as the possible mediation of expectations in the relationship between impulsivity and AIC. Three hundred and three students in the first year at the University Complutense of Madrid that carry out AIC kept a self-record of their consumption, a scale of expectations associated to the ingestion (IECI, 2012), and the BIS-11 scale of impulsiveness. In all cases, both men and women, doubles the grams of alcohol that define an AIC, as well as the frequency in the execution of this behaviour, which increases the probability that these negative consequences come about. No differences were found between men’s and women’s expectations associated to AIC, nor in their total impulsivity scores. The hierarchy regression analysis shows that expectations do not moderate the relationship between impulsivity and consumption. Both variables influence the independent mode of consumption (grams of ingested alcohol and frequency of ingestion), with a higher weight on expectations from both, men and women, but being significant the input of impulsivity only among males. This justifies the need to plan interventions that address the modification of these expectations, including, in the case of males, the aspects related to impulsivity

[Alcohol and adolescent brain]. / Alcohol y cerebro adolescente.

Binge Drinking (BD) pattern is firmly established among adolescents and young people. This pattern has raised a strong concern within the neuroscience community due to its possible impact on specific brain regions still maturing. Research with animal models demonstrates that BD may have serious structural and functional effects during these ages. Some regions like the prefrontal cortex or the hippocampus and the cognitive processes in which these structures play a role seem to be specific targets of alcohol. Results provided by the scarce studies carried out in humans support the evidence from previous animal experiments. However, we are far from being able to answer if this pattern of consumption has a special effect in the adolescent brain and what the short and long-term consequences are. Common limitations in human studies include the insufficient control of powerful confounding factors, the use of designs that does not allow differentiation between markers and effects, the use of reduced samples and the lack of replication studies. Although the innocuousness hypothesis is no longer sustained and experimental evidence has accumulated showing the risk associated with BD, results have been somewhat overinterpretated. The valuable contributions of cross-sectional designs should be complemented by the contributions of prospective longitudinal studies with appropriated sample sizes and a higher control of critical variables in order to identify short and long-term structural and neurocognitive consequences.

Alcohol y cerebro adolescente / Alcohol and adolescent brain

El patrón de consumo intensivo intermitente de alcohol (Binge Drinking) se ha consolidado entre adolescentes y jóvenes. Este patrón (BD) ha despertado una fuerte preocupación en la comunidad neurocientífica por su posible impacto en un cerebro aún en maduración. La investigación con modelos animales demuestra los graves efectos estructurales y funcionales que un patrón BD puede tener a estas edades. Algunas regiones como el cortex prefrontal y el hipocampo, de maduración más tardía, y los importantes procesos que éstas organizan, parecen diana especial de la acción del alcohol. Los escasos estudios realizados en humanos van en la dirección de lo adelantado por la investigación animal. Sin embargo, estamos lejos de poder responder si este patrón BD afecta de forma especial al cerebro adolescente y de precisar cuáles son sus consecuencias a corto y largo plazo. Son limitaciones habituales en los estudios el insuficiente control de poderosos factores de confusión, la utilización de diseños que no permiten diferenciar entre marcadores y efectos, el uso de muestras reducidas o la ausencia de réplicas. Aunque se hace insostenible una hipótesis de inocuidad y se acumula evidencia que nos advierte sobre los peligros de esta forma de consumo, se ha producido en general una cierta sobre interpretación de los resultados. A la valiosa contribución realizada por estudios transversales debe seguir la de estudios longitudinales, en muestras de tamaño apropiado, con mayor control de variables críticas, que ayuden a identificar qué estructuras están más afectadas y cuáles son las consecuencias neurocognitivas a corto y largo plazo (AU)

Binge Drinking (BD) pattern is firmly established among adolescents and young people. This pattern has raised a strong concern within the neuroscience community due to its possible impact on specific brain regions still maturing. Research with animal models demonstrates that BD may have serious structural and functional effects during these ages. Some regions like the prefrontal cortex or the hippocampus and the cognitive processes in which these structures play a role seem to be specific targets of alcohol. Results provided by the scarce studies carried out in humans support the evidence from previous animal experiments. However, we are far from being able to answer if this pattern of consumption has a special effect in the adolescent brain and what the short and long-term consequences are. Common limitations in human studies include the insufficient control of powerful confounding factors, the use of designs that does not allow differentiation between markers and effects, the use of reduced samples and the lack of replication studies. Although the innocuousness hypothesis is no longer sustained and experimental evidence has accumulated showing the risk associated with BD, results have been somewhat over interpretated. The valuable contributions of cross-sectional designs should be complemented by the contributions of prospective longitudinal studies with appropriated sample sizes and a higher control of critical variables in order to identify short and long-term structural and neurocognitive consequences (AU)