A Daily Diary Exploration of Contexts and Experiences Associated With Planned Drinking Decisions in Young Adults

Objective: Despite the potential for negative consequences, young adults continually engage in heavy alcohol use. Unplanned (vs. planned) drinking has been of particular interest in several studies, as it is theoretically suggested to be related to poor behavioral regulation and negative consequences. Ecological momentary assessment and daily diary (DD) studies have been used to examine the contexts and consequences of planned and unplanned drinking specifically, resulting in somewhat mixed findings surrounding the factors contributing to and consequences of planned drinking. The present DD study adds to this literature by studying rewarding incentives and physical contexts of planned versus unplanned alcohol use, as well as the experiences, or consequences, of planned drinking events. Method: Ninety-nine young adults took part in a mobile study investigating drinking decisions for the current day and day prior, reporting the rewarding incentives contributing to their decision, the context of drinking events, and the experience of each event. Results: Planned drinking was associated with being influenced by social/party and alcohol incentives, as well as being at a bar and pregaming. There was a positive relationship between planned drinking and subjective level of intoxication, but not negative or positive experience. Conclusions: Planned drinking is likely associated with rewarding incentives and social contexts and may contribute to higher levels of subjective intoxication.