FREE ESSAY ON ALCOHOL AND THE EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR

ALCOHOL AND THE EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOR

Alcohol and The Effects on Behavior
The articles in which I reviewed dealt with alcoholism and the many different effects it
has on behavior. The purpose for each experiment differs, but they all deal whit alcohol
and the effects of its behavior. In each of the articles used to complete this research a
comparison was mead between people who had been affected by alcoholism to people who had
not. The reason for this was to see if alcohol had any effect on an individual's
behavior.
In the first study which was done by Wright et. Al, they tested to see if non-adult
children of alcoholics (ACAs) who were college students differ from nonclinical ACA
college students on problem solving appraisal, perceived social support, suicidal
indeation, or substance abuse. They hypothesized that there was no difference between the
two (Wright et. al, 1992). Another testby Cooper et. al was given to see if individual
therapy in short-term groups would help to improve test scores (Cooper et. al, 1992).
Members of ACA support group and ACA college students were compared by Lashubeck et. al,
to see if there were a difference in psychological distress, social support, and hardness
among ACA's.
From the comparison it was predicted that there would be some difference. Also there was
a research conducted by hall et. al, ACA's and traumatic experience (TE) groups. They
compared the ACA and traumatic experience (TE) groups. They compared the ACA and the TE
groups with a control group ( the control group were people who have been helped with
their problem.) The test also concentrated on the differences in grade point averages
(GPAs) and adults who had been exposed to traumatic events during childhood. It was
hypothesized that adults with childhood traumatic experience were more likely to
encounter difficulties during childhood as well as later in life. There was no difference
between the GPAs and the hypothesis tested was true (Hall et.al, 1994)
In order to compare the parental drinking among adolescents and adults, a test was given
by Cornelius et.al, to show who of the two had the highest drinking rate. Rates of binge
drinking and heavy drinking were highest among the teenage group. When tested, adults had
a significantly higher average daily volume of alcohol prior to pregnancy that
adolescents, but the teenagers held the highest rate once they become pregnant (
Cornelius et.al, 1994). Chassin et.al conducted a study that examined the role of alcohol
expectancies and parental alcoholism in prospectively predicting alcohol consumption and
consequences among early adolescents. They examined whether personal effects expectancies
would predict problems. However, there was no consistent support for the hypothesis that
personal and social effect expectancies predicted different types of drinking outcomes (
Chassin et. al, 1992). Winokur et.al conducted a survey, of college students during their
first and second year of college in order to examine the development of alcohol use
behavior in college. When the survey was completed it suggest that every student who used
alcohol during the first year continued to do so during the second year. Wschsler et al.,
( 1991) also hypothesized that students who drink more heavily in high school were more
likely to be binge drinkers in college. This hypothesis was proven to be true. The result
suggest that heavy alcohol use is not a predominant behavior that is learned in college
and that programs that address alcohol use among college students need to focus on early
detection and intervention rather that primary intervention. 
In each one of these articles presented in this analysis the researchers used a different
variety of tests and surveys either to prove or disprove their hypothesis. The hypothesis
given the articles were all supportive except the ones given by Cornelius et al., and
Winokur et al., The subjects which were used in the experiments were ACAs, ACAs college
students. One the basis of the information given in these articles, alcohol does effect
you in some way.
The purpose of this survey is to see if having a predisposition to alcohol has a greater
or lesser effect on student's mathematics and grammar skills. The hypothesis is that one
glass of alcohol will have a lesser effect on those students from families of alcoholic
parents.
Methods
Subject: A total of 12 students participated in the experiment, including six students
from families with parents who are alcoholics (Dependent Variable) and six students not
from families with parents who are alcoholics (Independent Variable). Students also had
to take a Breath Alizer test in which they could not read past 0.01 on the Breath
Alizer.
Materials: The following materials were administered individually to all students. All
students were given a pretest in mathematics and grammar, a glass of alcohol, and
posttest in mathematics and grammar, and a Breath Alizer test. The mathematics test will
consist of the four basic arithmetic (adding, subtraction, division and multiplication)
to guarantee that nothing else will be measured. The grammar test will consist of a
sentence completion test. The verb in each sentence will be left out and the student must
use the correct verb and present or past tense of the verb.
Procedure: All students were interviewed individually in their dorm. They were unaware of
the groups that they were being placed in for the investigation. Consent to participate
was given by all students. Students then received their glass of alcohol and drank until
each subject reached 0.01 on the Breath Alizer. A test was then given in mathematics and
grammar, and second test was given in a week, with an another glass of alcohol and Breath
Alizer test.
Result: The results of this study were analyzed by using the T-test. The scores were
analyzed to see if having a predisposition to alcohol has a greater effect on ones
mathematics was 95 and the mean score for non-alcoholic parents was 91.67. The data for
the independent T test were T= -.21 (SD= 8783.3), with a standard error of 18.74, DF+10,
and P*.o5 results were not significant.
The number of students in each group was six. For the participants who did not come from
parents of alcoholic parents the means score for grammar was 80. The data from the
Independent T test were T=0, with standard error 16.1 (SD= 6466.66), DF=10 and P*.05,
results were not significant.
Discussion: The hypothesis was not supported One glass of alcohol does not have a lesser
effect on those students from families of alcoholic parents. A total of 12 students
participated in the experiment, including six students from families with parents who
were alcoholics and six students not from families with parents who were alcoholics.
Reference
Cooper, A. and McCormack, A.W. (1992) Short - Term Group Treatment for Adult Children of
Alcoholics: Journal of Counseling Psychology. 39 (3), 350-355.
Cornelius, M.S., Richardson G.A., Day, N.L., Cornelius, J.R., Geva, D. and Taylor, P.M.
(1994) A Comparison of Parental drinking in two Recent Samples of Adolescents and Adults:
Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 55 (4), 412-419.
D'Avanzo, C.E., Frye, B. and Forman, R. (1994) Exploring Factors Influencing Alcohol
Consumption Patterns among Chinese and Caucasians: Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 55 (4),
427-433.
Hall, W.J., Bolen M.L., and Wester E.R. (1994) Adjustment Issues With Adult Children of
Alcoholics: Journal of Clinical Psychology. 50 (5), 786-791
Lashubeck, S. and Christensen, A.S. (1992) Differences is Distress among Adult children
of alcoholics: Journal of Counseling Psychology. 39 (3), 356-362.
Reese, F.L., Chassin, L. and Molin, B.S.G. (1994) Alcohol Expectancles in Early
Adolescent: Predicting Drinking Behavior form Alcohol Expectancies and parental
alcoholism: Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 55 (3), 276-284.
Wheatherspoon, A.J., Dranko, G.P. and Johnson, R.C. (1994) Alcohol Consumption and use
Norms among Chinese Americans and Korean Americans: Journal of Studies on alcohol. 55
(2), 203-206.
Wechsler, H., Isaac, N.E., Grodstein, F. and sellers, D.E. (1994) Continuation and
Initiation of Alcohol Use from the First to the Second Year of College: Journal of
Studies of Alcohol 55 (1), 41-45.
Winokur, G., Cook, B. and Fowler, R. (1993) Alcoholism in Manic Depressive Bipolar
patients: Journal of Studies on Alcohol 54 (5), 574-576.
Wright, D.M. and Heppener, P.P. (1993) Examining the Well Being Of Nonclinical College
Students: Journal of Counseling Psychology. 40 (3), 324-334.
Bibliography
Reference
Cooper, A. and McCormack, A.W. (1992) Short - Term Group Treatment for Adult Children of
Alcoholics: Journal of Counseling Psychology. 39 (3), 350-355.
Cornelius, M.S., Richardson G.A., Day, N.L., Cornelius, J.R., Geva, D. and Taylor, P.M.
(1994) A Comparison of Parental drinking in two Recent Samples of Adolescents and Adults:
Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 55 (4), 412-419.
D'Avanzo, C.E., Frye, B. and Forman, R. (1994) Exploring Factors Influencing Alcohol
Consumption Patterns among Chinese and Caucasians: Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 55 (4),
427-433.
Hall, W.J., Bolen M.L., and Wester E.R. (1994) Adjustment Issues With Adult Children of
Alcoholics: Journal of Clinical Psychology. 50 (5), 786-791
Lashubeck, S. and Christensen, A.S. (1992) Differences is Distress among Adult children
of alcoholics: Journal of Counseling Psychology. 39 (3), 356-362.
Reese, F.L., Chassin, L. and Molin, B.S.G. (1994) Alcohol Expectancles in Early
Adolescent: Predicting Drinking Behavior form Alcohol Expectancies and parental
alcoholism: Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 55 (3), 276-284.
Wheatherspoon, A.J., Dranko, G.P. and Johnson, R.C. (1994) Alcohol Consumption and use
Norms among Chinese Americans and Korean Americans: Journal of Studies on alcohol. 55
(2), 203-206.
Wechsler, H., Isaac, N.E., Grodstein, F. and sellers, D.E. (1994) Continuation and
Initiation of Alcohol Use from the First to the Second Year of College: Journal of
Studies of Alcohol 55 (1), 41-45.
Winokur, G., Cook, B. and Fowler, R. (1993) Alcoholism in Manic Depressive Bipolar
patients: Journal of Studies on Alcohol 54 (5), 574-576.
Wright, D.M. and Heppener, P.P. (1993) Examining the Well Being Of Nonclinical College
Students: Journal of Counseling Psychology. 40 (3), 324-334.