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Persistent depressed mood and alcohol in risky driving

Author(s): Case, Brown

Slidedeck Presentation Only:

1C_Case

Abstract:

Background/Context: Human factors such as risky driving behaviours are responsible for the majority of road traffic crashes worldwide. Poor executive functioning and various moods may contribute to a higher prevalence of risky driving. Furthermore, low doses of alcohol even within the legal limit may amplify these dangerous effects. Little is presently known about the role of impaired decision-making in the link between mood and the decision to drive.

Aims/Objectives: This research is based on a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, between-subjects study which seeks to elucidate the cognitive and behavioural influences of persistent depressed mood on driving performance in a virtual-reality simulator. The study hypothesises that: (1) the frequency of the decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol in participants with both persistent depressed mood and alcohol is greater than participants with alcohol only, participants with persistent depressed mood only, and participants with neither persistent depressed mood nor alcohol, respectively; (2) decision-making in participants with both persistent depressed mood and alcohol is poorer than participants with alcohol only, participants with persistent depressed mood only, and participants with neither persistent depressed mood nor alcohol, respectively; and (3) decision-making mediates the relationship between both predictors (persistent depressed mood and alcohol) and the decision to drive.

Methods/Targets: Participants are healthy adult males. After assessing baseline characteristics, participants consume either an alcoholic or a placebo beverage. A decision-to-drive contingency scenario is administered and the participant indicates whether or not they would drive in the simulator given that they may be over the legal threshold for alcohol. A combination of self-reported and behavioural methods then measure decision-making and the decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol.

Results/Activities: To date, the number of participants in each condition are: alcoholic beverage/depressed mood (n = 3), alcoholic beverage/non-depressed mood (n = 29), non-alcoholic beverage/depressed mood (n = 3), and non-alcoholic beverage/non-depressed mood (n = 28). Recruitment is ongoing and preliminary results will be available for the conference.

Discussion/Deliverables: Discussion will be available for the conference.

Conclusions: Should the results of this study identify dangerous synergistic effects of persistent depressed mood and alcohol, they will advance scientific understanding of how mood and cognition interact to influence behaviour in driving, a task where performance is vital. Future research may benefit from exploring alcohol dose-dependent interactions with persistent depressed mood. Other moods, such as anxiety, may also warrant investigation in relation to alcohol use. From this research, recommendations for more targeted injury prevention strategies may emerge. These prevention strategies may include increasing public awareness of the important role of mood on driving. This could contribute to saving lives.