Relationships Between Alcohol Consumption and Violence: The Role of Empathy and the Executive Function

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol consumption has been linked to increased aggressiveness and to different types of violence. It has been suggested that both the empathic disposition and the executive function (EF) are mediators and moderators of aggression in alcoholic patients and during alcohol intoxication. In this work, we analyze the cognitive-affective profile that mediates or modulates the relationship between alcohol consumption and violence in social drinkers.

Methods: An intentional sample of adults (aged 21-65; n=393) was assessed through an online platform. Usual alcohol consumption patterns were assessed and the following standardized instruments were included: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT); Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RME), to assess dimensions of empathy; Adult Executive Inventory (ADEXI) and Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS), to assess dimensions of EF. The cognitive-affective profile of the participants, classified according to their usual alcohol consumption patterns, was analyzed through ANOVA. Following that, several models of the relationship between alcohol consumption, the cognitive-affective variables and violence were tested through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).

Results: Significant differences were found among alcohol abstainers, light drinkers, moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers in the variables working memory F(3.389)=3.32; p=.022, inhibition F(3.389)=8.89; p<.000 and perspective taking F(3.389)=6.62; p<.000. According to the post hoc testing, the differences in working memory, inhibition and perspective taking were significant among the group of heavy drinkers and the other drinkers groups, but not between abstainers, light and moderate drinkers. The SEM which showed better fit was the one in which inhibition mediates or modulates the relationship between alcohol consumption and violence (CMIN/DF=1.890; CFI=926; RMSEA=.048).

Conclusions: The deficit in cognitive functions, particularly in the inhibitory response, constitutes a key factor in understanding the violence linked to alcohol consumption and, in a more general way, the social conflicts among people who drink alcohol.

Keywords: Alcohol consumption; Bebedores sociales; Consumo de alcohol; Empathy; Empatía; Executive functions; Funciones ejecutivas; Social drinkers; Violence; Violencia.