Alcohol Consumption for Women in Australia

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Method

H₁: Higher levels of alcohol use is associated with poorer executive function outcomes

Research Design

This study employed a quasi-experimental research design to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and executive function among women in Australia. Alcohol consumption was categorised into three levels (low, moderate and high).Its association with executive functioning was inferred through formal education attainment. Given the ethical limitations of randomly assigning participants to different levels of alcohol consumption, this non-randomised design allowed for observation of natural patterns of use and their potential effects.

Participants

The participants in this study were women aged 18 years and above and residing in Australia. A total of 149 women were recruited through online surveys distributed via social media platforms and community forums. Inclusion criteria required participants to self-report their alcohol consumption patterns and educational background and to provide informed consent prior to participation. Women with a diagnosed cognitive disorder were excluded to maintain the integrity of the executive function assessment.

Demographic Measures

Demographic data were collected through a self-report questionnaire administered at the beginning of the survey. Participants provided information on age, socioeconomic status, geographic location (urban or rural), employment status and ethnicity. The data collection method ensured a representative sample of the Australian female population meeting the inclusion criteria

Measurement

Alcohol consumption was the independent variable of the study. The variable was categorised into three levels based on self-reported weekly alcohol intake: Level 1 (low consumption: 1–7 standard drinks per week), Level 2 (moderate: 8–14 drinks) and Level 3 (high: 15 or more drinks). Participants were not randomly assigned but grouped based on their existing consumption patterns to ensure consistency with quasi-experimental methodology.

Executive Function Measurement

Executive function was operationalised through the proxy of formal education level. In this case, higher educational attainment was considered indicative of better executive functioning. Participants reported their highest level of completed education ranging from no formal education to postgraduate degrees.

Procedure

Participants accessed the study through an online survey platform. After providing consent and completing demographic questions, they reported their alcohol consumption habits and education levels. The survey took approximately 10–15 minutes to complete. Data were then analysed using Jamovi tool to assess whether higher levels of alcohol consumption were associated with lower levels of educational attainment.

Findings

The study included 149 women with no missing data for the variable measuring formal education. The average (mean) level of formal education among participants was 13.1 years and median of 13 years. The standard deviation was 1.59 to suggest a moderate variation in educational attainment across the sample. The range of education levels spanned from a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of 18 years. 

The distribution of alcohol consumption levels among the 149 women was fairly balanced across the three categories. Level 1 (low alcohol consumption) and Level 2 (moderate consumption) each included 50 participants (33.6% of the sample per group). Level 3 (high consumption) consisted of 49 participants (32.9%). 

Inferential Statistics

The linear regression analysis examined the relationship between alcohol consumption levels and formal education among 149 women. The model showed a weak association between the variables through R value of 0.121 and an R² of 0.0146. Looking at the model coefficients, the intercept was 12.92 to represent the average formal education years for women in the lowest alcohol consumption group (Level 1). Women in the moderate consumption group (Level 2) had a slightly higher average education level (0.44 more years) though the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.169). Women in the high consumption group (Level 3) showed an even smaller difference (0.08 more years) which was also non-significant (p = 0.803). 

Linear Regression 

Discussion

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and executive function. Based on Day et al. (2019),  higher levels of alcohol consumption is associated with poorer executive function outcomes. However, findings from both the linear regression and correlation analyses did not support the hypothesis. The regression model showed that alcohol consumption explained only 1.5% of the variance in formal education with none of the comparisons between alcohol levels reaching statistical significance.

The results above imply that within the recorded group of 149 women, alcohol consumption levels were not significantly related to educational attainment. Certain factors may explain the above outcome. According to Lövdén et al. (2020),  using formal education as a proxy for executive function may not capture the full complexity of cognitive processes involved since education can be influenced by various external and socioeconomic factors beyond cognitive ability. The study by Tan et al. (2024)  also showed that relatively small sample size and balanced distribution of alcohol consumption levels may limit the power to detect subtle effects. Future research should therefore consider more direct and sensitive measures of executive functioning such as cognitive performance tests and explore the potential moderating role of socioeconomic background or duration of alcohol use.

References

Day, A., W. Kahler, C., C. Ahern, D., & S. Clark, U. (2019). Executive functioning in alcohol use studies: A brief review of findings and challenges in assessment.  Current drug abuse reviews ,  8 (1), 26-40. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874473708666150416110515

Lövdén, M., Fratiglioni, L., Glymour, M. M., Lindenberger, U., & Tucker-Drob, E. M. (2020). Education and cognitive functioning across the life span.  Psychological science in the public interest ,  21 (1), 6-41.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100620920576

Tan, L., Luningham, J. M., Huh, D., Zhou, Z., Tanner‐Smith, E. E., Baldwin, S. A., & Mun, E. Y. (2024). The selection of statistical models for reporting count outcomes and intervention effects in brief alcohol intervention trials: a review and recommendations.  Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research ,  48 (1), 16-28.  https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.15232