Drinking Outcome Expectancies among Male Alcoholics During Relapse Situations

Recent research suggests that alcohol expectancies may affect drinking decisions and also predict relapse among alcoholics. In the present investigation, information on 22 alcoholics’expectancies regarding what alcohol would achieve for them in 31 discrete relapse situations was gathered. Results showed that almost half of the expectancies reported dealt with drinking as an aid in coping with a social situation. Another one‐quarter of the expectancies dealt with drinking to gain control of a situation, with the remainder divided between drinking to cope with a non‐social situation or to create an altered physical state. The majority (81%) of drinking outcome expectancies were characterized by the subjects as being achieved. Taken together, these data emphasize the importance of understanding alcohol expectancies in drinking situations.