# Proximal and Distal Associations between Alcohol Demand, Subjective Craving, and Alcohol-Related Outcomes using an Ad-Lib Paradigm

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $69,054

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Heavy alcohol use among young adults (YA) is a major public health concern and is associated with well-
documented short- and long-term consequences. Recent data suggest that a third of YA engage in heavy
alcohol use, and that moderate and severe alcohol use disorders (AUD) have an earlier age of onset
compared to mild AUD. These data highlight the importance of understanding risk factors for heavy alcohol use
and the development of AUD among YA. Behavioral economic theory combines operant and economic
principles to posit that alcohol’s reinforcing value (RV) is the final pathway to alcohol consumption and explains
the persistence of alcohol use despite the associated negative consequences. Alcohol demand is a
quantitative measure of alcohol’s RV and can provide useful information about patterns of heavy alcohol use
and associated risk for development of AUD among YA. Alcohol demand has been cross-sectionally
associated with greater quantity and frequency of alcohol use, alcohol dependence, and poor treatment
outcomes among YA. Further, alcohol demand may help explain the inconsistent relationship between
subjective craving and alcohol-related outcomes, as subjective craving and alcohol demand appear to
represent unique facets of motivation. It is theorized that increased alcohol demand may be more proximal to
alcohol consumption than subjective craving, but more research is necessary to elucidate this relationship.
While demand has been associated with alcohol-related outcomes, alcohol demand is known to fluctuate over
time, and few studies have assessed the proximal and distal associations between alcohol demand, subjective
craving, and alcohol-related outcomes as a function of acute intoxication. These data would fill an important
gap in the literature by demonstrating the relationship between alcohol demand, subjective craving, and
alcohol consumption within a drinking episode and longitudinally, which has implications for understanding the
unique roles of these variables in YA alcohol use, as well as who might be at greatest risk for the development
of AUD. Relatedly, these data have important implications for prevention and intervention efforts aimed at YA.
Specifically, findings from the proposed study could inform brief interventions aimed at reducing within drinking
session demand with the goal of reducing risk of the development of AUD over time. Using a multimethod
research design, the proposed study will fill an important gap in the behavioral economic and subjective
craving literature with the following aims: 1) to assess the proximal temporal relationship between demand for
alcohol, subjective craving, and subsequent alcohol consumption in an ad-lib drinking paradigm; 2) To examine
the distal temporal relationship between alcohol demand, subjective craving, and drinking outcomes following a
period of acute intoxication. In addition to addressing these specific aims, the applicant will also receive
training in: 1) th...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10064923
- **Project number:** 1F32AA028667-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Nicole Schultz
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $69,054
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-16 → 2023-09-15

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10064923

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10064923, Proximal and Distal Associations between Alcohol Demand, Subjective Craving, and Alcohol-Related Outcomes using an Ad-Lib Paradigm (1F32AA028667-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10064923. Licensed CC0.

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