Reward deprivation is associated with elevated alcohol demand in emerging adults.

Abstract

Policies vary substantially in terms of providing sources of psychosocial enrichment. Behavioral economic models of substance use and addiction emphasize that deficits in access to substance-free sources of reward increase substance reinforcing value and risk for addiction. The current study used an alcohol demand curve approach to test the hypothesis that various indices of reward deprivation would be associated with elevated alcohol reinforcing efficacy. We examined associations between alcohol demand indices and several facets of reward deprivation in a sample of young adults (N = 1,331; ages 19-25 years) recruited from the United States and Canada who reported recent binge drinking. Additionally, we created an index of cumulative reward deprivation that integrated the various reward facets and examined its association with alcohol demand intensity and maximum expenditure on alcohol. Our findings indicate that reward deprivation is associated with elevated alcohol demand and provide support for alcohol prevention and intervention approaches that emphasize environmental enrichment.