Does Alcohol Reduce Social Anxiety in Daily Life? A 22-Day Experience Sampling Study
Abstract
To explain the co-occurrence of social anxiety and alcohol use problems, researchers have used experimental methods to test whether alcohol reduces state social anxiety (SSA) in the lab. The present study used experience sampling to extend research into real world settings. Students (N = 132; 100 women; 32 men; aged 17 to 32 years) reported their SSA and alcohol intake 6 times from 4:00 pm to 4:00 am every day for 22 days. Multilevel modeling suggested for each alcoholic drink consumed, SSA decreased by 4.0% two hours later. Those with greater levels of trait social anxiety (TSA) experienced higher SSA than those with lower levels of TSA. Findings support predictions made by tension reduction theory—that alcohol reduces SSA in daily life. These results extend many lab-based findings to the real world and provide further evidence that alcohol may provide negative reinforcement for those who are experiencing social anxiety.
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Battista et al found that after each alcoholic drink consumed, social anxiety tended to decrease 2 hours later.
“Battista et al [52] examined the relationship between alcohol consumption and SA, revealing that, after each alcoholic drink consumed, SA tended to decrease 2 hours later.”
From Studies of Social Anxiety Using Ambulatory Assessment: Systematic Review (2024) · cites this paper as [52]
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Studies of Social Anxiety Using Ambulatory Assessment: Systematic Review
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- Authors
- Battista, S. R., MacKinnon, S. P., Sherry, S. B., Barrett, S. P., MacNevin, P. D., & Stewart, S. H.
- Affiliations
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- Venue
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology
- Publisher
- Guilford Publications
- Published
- 2015-06
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 508-528
- ISSN
- 0736-7236 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2196125200
- Cited by
- 20
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 3.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Keywords
- alcohol, social anxiety, trait social anxiety, alcohol consumption, everyday life, negative reinforcement, students
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