Using Mobile Technology to Study Episodes of Alcohol Self-Administration in Daily Life: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Prior research has identified risk factors for alcohol consumption and development of alcohol use disorder (AUD), but relatively less is known about in-the-moment predictors of risk during real-world drinking events. This narrative review focuses on recent research using event-contingent ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to characterize predictors of alcohol use and drinking-related risk among adults in their natural environments. Recent studies using event-contingent EMA, including those employing high resolution EMA (HR-EMA) designs, have highlighted important intra-episode risk factors for heavy drinking including momentary changes in drinking context, alcohol craving, subjective intoxication and alcohol responses, and drinking topography. An emerging body of research suggests that existing event-contingent EMA protocols may benefit further by incorporating new mobile alcohol sensor technologies. Supported by recent advances in mobile technologies, event-contingent EMA is a valuable tool for studying how individual differences in-the-moment factors inform alcohol use and drinking-related consequences.