Attentional bias and alcohol dependence - A controlled study using the modified Stroop paradigm

Detoxified clients at an alcohol treatment centre (n = 34) were administered a modified Stroop test, an index of attentional bias or distraction. Their performance was compared to controls (n = 3 3) who were staff recruited from specialist substance misuse clinics based on the presumption of familiarity with the alcohol and addiction related terms of the Stroop task. The card-format Stroop test contained words such as alcohol and relapse and neutral, semantically homogenous words such as table and chair. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant main effects for word type with both the clinic attendees and controls taking longer to colour-name alcohol-related words. Predicted interactions between word type and subject status were not observed. These findings suggest that both problem drinkers and clinic staff did not differ significantly in the degree of Stroop interference displayed, although a trend towards greater distraction by clinic attendees with alcohol-related terms was noted. The statistically significant results were nonetheless consistent with findings that expertise or familiarity can be influential factors in Stroop performance. Multiple regression analyses with the entire sample (n = 65) showed that psychometric and self-reported indices of alcohol dependence and consumption were predictive of Stroop interference. This is consistent with the existence of a acquired information processing bias related to escalating alcohol use and dependence such as that proposed by Tiffany [Psychol. Rev. 97 (1990) 147.]. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.