The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model

Abstract Preloading of alcohol and/or drugs before an event has been examined in the research literature for the past two decades. Despite the considerable interest and scrutiny on the behaviour, there are limited, if any, attempts to conceptualise a theoretical understanding of why people preload b...

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Main Authors: Jacob G. Sorbello, Grant J. Devilly
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:Harm Reduction Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01122-7
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author Jacob G. Sorbello
Grant J. Devilly
author_facet Jacob G. Sorbello
Grant J. Devilly
author_sort Jacob G. Sorbello
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Preloading of alcohol and/or drugs before an event has been examined in the research literature for the past two decades. Despite the considerable interest and scrutiny on the behaviour, there are limited, if any, attempts to conceptualise a theoretical understanding of why people preload before an event. Here we propose a Theory of Preloading (TOP)—a general cognitive-behavioural motivational model for alcohol and drug preloading. This conceptualisation reviewed and borrowed relevant cognitive, motivational and behavioural constructs from previous models—i.e., the Motivational Model of Alcohol Use, (Cox & Klinger, 2011), PRIME theory (West, 2007); SORCK analysis (Kanfer & Sanslow, 1965)—applied to the target behaviour of preloading with alcohol and/or drugs. The TOP proposed that a central construct of affective management—guided by distal and cognitive factors—contributes to decisional factors for preloading. Consequential reinforcers and punishers create a reinforcement loop that feeds back into distal and immediate environmental factors for preloading, increasing the likelihood of future occurrences of preloading behaviours. Our proposed theoretical formulation concludes with practical and clinical implications, along with future directions for testing the model.
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spelling doaj-art-a8fdc0b224b74ad686832479ea6380df2024-12-22T12:23:45ZengBMCHarm Reduction Journal1477-75172024-12-0121111610.1186/s12954-024-01122-7The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational modelJacob G. Sorbello0Grant J. Devilly1School of Applied Psychology, Griffith UniversitySchool of Applied Psychology, Griffith UniversityAbstract Preloading of alcohol and/or drugs before an event has been examined in the research literature for the past two decades. Despite the considerable interest and scrutiny on the behaviour, there are limited, if any, attempts to conceptualise a theoretical understanding of why people preload before an event. Here we propose a Theory of Preloading (TOP)—a general cognitive-behavioural motivational model for alcohol and drug preloading. This conceptualisation reviewed and borrowed relevant cognitive, motivational and behavioural constructs from previous models—i.e., the Motivational Model of Alcohol Use, (Cox & Klinger, 2011), PRIME theory (West, 2007); SORCK analysis (Kanfer & Sanslow, 1965)—applied to the target behaviour of preloading with alcohol and/or drugs. The TOP proposed that a central construct of affective management—guided by distal and cognitive factors—contributes to decisional factors for preloading. Consequential reinforcers and punishers create a reinforcement loop that feeds back into distal and immediate environmental factors for preloading, increasing the likelihood of future occurrences of preloading behaviours. Our proposed theoretical formulation concludes with practical and clinical implications, along with future directions for testing the model.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01122-7AlcoholDrugsPreloadingMotivationsBehavioural reinforcementInterventions
spellingShingle Jacob G. Sorbello
Grant J. Devilly
The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model
Harm Reduction Journal
Alcohol
Drugs
Preloading
Motivations
Behavioural reinforcement
Interventions
title The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model
title_full The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model
title_fullStr The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model
title_full_unstemmed The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model
title_short The theory of preloading: A cognitive-behavioural motivational model
title_sort theory of preloading a cognitive behavioural motivational model
topic Alcohol
Drugs
Preloading
Motivations
Behavioural reinforcement
Interventions
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01122-7
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