The Brief Addiction Science Information Source (BASIS)

The DRAM, Vol. 16(3) - Can this evidence-based intervention help reduce alcohol use in rural African-American youth? Let’s find out.

This week, as part of our Special Series on Community Approaches to Addiction, The DRAM reviews an investigation into the effectiveness of the Strong African-American Families intervention in reducing drinking frequency in rural African-American youth. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 16(2) - Super Bowl swigs: Applying social practice theory to alcohol consumption

This week, as part of our Special Series on Theories of Addiction, The DRAM reviews a paper by Petra Meier and colleagues that advocates for approaching alcohol research through a social practice theory lens, with a focus on (1) the current state of the research and (2) what social practice theory has to offer. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 16(1) - How do self-affirmation and graphic health warnings on beer cans influence beliefs about drinking?

Today’s review is part of our month-long special series, Open Science Practices in Addiction Research. During this special series, The BASIS features recent publications that have used contemporary open science practices. Despite large-scale public health campaigns, diseases related to alcohol are still leading causes of death in the US. One approach to harm reduction that has not yet been implemented here are graphic pictorial health warnings on alcohol containers, similar to those used on cigarette packs in the EU. Although these types of warnings are perceived to be effective, they also can elicit defensive coping mechanisms, such as avoiding looking... Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(13) - Alcohol use during pregnancy: Who is at greatest risk?

This week, the DRAM reviews a study by Dvora Shmulewitz and Deborah S. Hasin where they looked for indicators of women who are more likely to drink during their pregnancy. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(12) - Family history of alcoholism is associated with brain activation to a rewarding stimulus

Dysfunction in the brain’s reward system response, and familial history of alcoholism, each increase the risk for problem drinking. Is it possible that these factors exert their effects not just in isolation, but in conjunction? In other words, is someone with a family history of alcoholism more likely to have an exaggerated brain response to rewarding stimuli? This week, the DRAM reviews a study by William J.A. Eiler II and his colleagues that explores this question. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(11) - Social Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder: A common cocktail?

This week, the DRAM reviews a study by Fartwin Torvik and his colleagues that investigated the nature of the relationship between SAD and AUD. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(10) - Alcohol-branded content on Facebook: What does clicking “Like” say about drinking behavior?

This week, as part of our Special Series on Addiction and Social Media, The DRAM reviews a study by Sandra Jones and colleagues examining the relationship between alcohol brand interaction on Facebook and increased drinking in young people. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(9) - Under the peer influence: Heavy drinking beliefs in college students

This week, The DRAM reviews a study by Melissa Cox and colleagues that examined how beliefs about fellow first-year college students’ drinking habits relate to one’s own drinking. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(8) - Drinking: Small changes make a big difference post-grad

This week, the DRAM reviews a study by Mark Prince and colleagues that examined whether drinking habits in college can predict problem drinking after college. Read more →

The DRAM, Vol. 15(7) - Individual preferences in support for reducing drinking

This week, The DRAM reviews a study by Emma Davies and her colleagues that explored whether people’s intentions to reduce their drinking, and their preferred sources of support, are related to their drinking patterns and problems. Read more →