EMBARC Study (Examining Measurement of Bias to Alcohol-Related Cues)

Overview

Monash and Turning Point researchers are running a study which aims to explore cognitive biases in people with different levels of alcohol consumption. Cognitive biases are changes in the way in which we attend to or respond to alcohol cues in the environment– i.e., things that remind us of or that have become associated with alcohol – which can influence drinking behaviours.

Then project aims to explore:

When, and in whom, cognitive biases appear? For example, do light, infrequent drinkers develop alcohol cognitive biases, or do they only appear in people who drink frequently or heavily, or who are in treatment for alcohol problems? Do cognitive biases disappear if people have abstained from alcohol for a long period of time?
How do cognitive biases relate to psychological and physical states, like mood, alcohol craving, and indicators of physical arousal like heart rate or brain activity?
What is the most precise and reliable way to accurately measure cognitive biases?

Involvement in this study takes approximately 3-4 hours and you will be reimbursed for your participation. Participants will complete computerised tasks designed to measure cognitive biases while brain activity (EEG), eye movements, skin conductance (galvanic skin response), heart rate (ECG), and breathing rate are recorded, in addition to a series of questionnaires. The results are expected to provide a more comprehensive understanding of how these biases manifest across the alcohol use spectrum

Testing takes place in-person at the Monash Business Behavioural Laboratory in Caulfield, Victoria.

To enable us to compare results between groups, we need participants who meet specific criteria. We therefore need to first complete a screening questionnaire over the phone which asks questions about history of alcohol use, use of other drugs, medical conditions, and medication use.

Contact Us

If you are interested in participating, you can complete an expression-of-interest survey by following this link https://redcap.helix.monash.edu/surveys/?s=43WW7TJKYAXC79KP

If you would like further details about the trial or information, please contact the EMBARC Project team ([email protected]) to learn more.