Optimistic bias influences hazardous drinking among beer drinkers in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Objective: Predominant research findings indicate that through optimistic bias, people’s perception of their chances of experiencing negative consequences associated with risky behaviors are lower, compared to others with similar behaviors. Also, research evidence suggests that personal vulnerability to risky behavior, such as alcohol consumption, rises with the level of involvement. One explanation for these contradictory results is the inadequacy of the formulation of items in instruments used in measuring risk perception. This study aimed to use instruments incorporating conditional statements to assess the perceived susceptibility of individuals to the negative consequences of alcohol in an understudied population in central Nigeria.

Methods: Four hundred and eighty participants took part in this cross-sectional study. They responded to an optimistic bias questionnaire, and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), to assess their perceived susceptibility to alcohol related harm in relation to consumption, and comparative risk assessment.

Results: The perception of personal risk susceptibility to alcohol-related harm and consumption were positively related. However, compared to others, drinkers exhibited optimistic bias, ascribing lower personal risk to their consumption.

Conclusion: These results suggest that one way to reduce hazardous drinking is to modify one’s optimistic bias.

KEYWORDS:

• Risk perceptions
• optimistic bias
• hazardous alcohol use

Notes

1. The formula used in the conversion of these quantities into standard drinks was derived from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aging (2009), National Binge Drinking Campaign: Evaluation Survey.