College Students’ ADHD Symptoms and Alcohol Response During Laboratory Self-Administration

Background: Alcohol use and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are prevalent among college students. Individuals with ADHD are at increased risk for developing alcohol use disorder, but mechanisms contributing to this risk are unclear. Subjective alcohol response, or how one experiences the effects of alcohol use, is an important factor that contributes to alcohol consumption. Research suggests that individuals with ADHD, as compared to those without ADHD, may differentially experience the effects of alcohol. Consequently, the purpose of the present study was to examine the association between ADHD symptoms and subjective alcohol response (i.e., subjective effects of alcohol, perceived intoxication, and craving). Methods: Participants (N = 26; 38.5% male, 61.5% female) were college students who completed an in-person alcohol administration session where they received a 0.65 g/kg dose of alcohol. Breath alcohol concentrations and subjective effects of alcohol (feel, like, sedation, and stimulation), perceived intoxication (intoxication and willingness to drive), and craving were assessed at multiple time points throughout the session. ADHD symptoms were assessed at baseline. Results: Area under the curves (AUC) were generated for each participant and each subjective effect, perceived intoxication, and craving. Controlling for typical alcohol use, multiple regressions revealed that higher ADHD symptoms were associated with greater liking the drink, willingness to drive, and craving AUC scores. Conclusions: Individuals with higher ADHD symptoms may experience greater liking and craving during a drinking session. The present findings may also be useful to consider when tailoring intervention and prevention efforts to help reduce risk for college students who report elevated ADHD symptomology.