A virtual reality platform for the measurement of drinking topography

Victor J Schneider; Nicholas Bush; Darya Vitus; Ryan Carpenter; Michael Robinson; Jeff Boissoneault

doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109246

A virtual reality platform for the measurement of drinking topography

Victor J Schneider, Nicholas Bush, Darya Vitus, Ryan Carpenter, Michael Robinson, Jeff Boissoneault

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

 Background
   The assessment of alcohol consumption during a drinking bout, known as drinking topography, may help improve understanding of biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption. However, past studies have been limited by effort-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone processes involved in collecting, organizing, and standardizing drinking topography data. Recent technologies allowing integrated data collection and greater environmental control, such as virtual reality (VR), could resolve these problems. 
 Methods
   In this pilot project, we assessed alcohol consumption topography of participants in a VR drinking environment with a programmable virtual confederate (i.e., bar goer) during two testing sessions. In one, the confederate drank quickly (30-60 s sip interval). In the other, the confederate drank slowly (60-120 s sip interval). Participants' hands and beverage were represented in VR. Between sips, beverages were placed on a Bluetooth-enabled scale, allowing real-time updates of drink weight. Participant experience was assessed after each testing visit. Multilevel modeling was used to characterize the effect of confederation condition on sip interval and sip volume. Descriptive analyses were used for participant experience data. 
 Results
   Results showed significant, moderate-to-strong between-visit correlations for topographic measures (r = 0.50 to r = 0.84) and indicate participants found the experience to be comfortable and acceptable. Multilevel models indicated participants had greater sip volumes and lower sip intervals when the confederate drank quickly. 
 Conclusions
   Future studies should take advantage of the considerable translational value of this technology to improve understanding of risk associated with individual drinking bouts and develop novel interventions for reducing hazardous drinking. 

Original language	American English
Journal	Drug and Alcohol Dependence
Volume	231
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109246
State	Published - Feb 2022

Disciplines

Psychiatry and Psychology

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Cite this

@article{5d5939206ae7463abe2183a933031c22,

title = "A virtual reality platform for the measurement of drinking topography",

abstract = " Background The assessment of alcohol consumption during a drinking bout, known as drinking topography, may help improve understanding of biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption. However, past studies have been limited by effort-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone processes involved in collecting, organizing, and standardizing drinking topography data. Recent technologies allowing integrated data collection and greater environmental control, such as virtual reality (VR), could resolve these problems. Methods In this pilot project, we assessed alcohol consumption topography of participants in a VR drinking environment with a programmable virtual confederate (i.e., bar goer) during two testing sessions. In one, the confederate drank quickly (30-60 s sip interval). In the other, the confederate drank slowly (60-120 s sip interval). Participants' hands and beverage were represented in VR. Between sips, beverages were placed on a Bluetooth-enabled scale, allowing real-time updates of drink weight. Participant experience was assessed after each testing visit. Multilevel modeling was used to characterize the effect of confederation condition on sip interval and sip volume. Descriptive analyses were used for participant experience data. Results Results showed significant, moderate-to-strong between-visit correlations for topographic measures (r = 0.50 to r = 0.84) and indicate participants found the experience to be comfortable and acceptable. Multilevel models indicated participants had greater sip volumes and lower sip intervals when the confederate drank quickly. Conclusions Future studies should take advantage of the considerable translational value of this technology to improve understanding of risk associated with individual drinking bouts and develop novel interventions for reducing hazardous drinking. ",

author = "Schneider, {Victor J} and Nicholas Bush and Darya Vitus and Ryan Carpenter and Michael Robinson and Jeff Boissoneault",

year = "2022",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109246",

language = "American English",

volume = "231",

journal = "Drug and Alcohol Dependence",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A virtual reality platform for the measurement of drinking topography

AU - Schneider, Victor J

AU - Bush, Nicholas

AU - Vitus, Darya

AU - Carpenter, Ryan

AU - Robinson, Michael

AU - Boissoneault, Jeff

PY - 2022/2

Y1 - 2022/2

N2 - Background The assessment of alcohol consumption during a drinking bout, known as drinking topography, may help improve understanding of biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption. However, past studies have been limited by effort-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone processes involved in collecting, organizing, and standardizing drinking topography data. Recent technologies allowing integrated data collection and greater environmental control, such as virtual reality (VR), could resolve these problems. Methods In this pilot project, we assessed alcohol consumption topography of participants in a VR drinking environment with a programmable virtual confederate (i.e., bar goer) during two testing sessions. In one, the confederate drank quickly (30-60 s sip interval). In the other, the confederate drank slowly (60-120 s sip interval). Participants' hands and beverage were represented in VR. Between sips, beverages were placed on a Bluetooth-enabled scale, allowing real-time updates of drink weight. Participant experience was assessed after each testing visit. Multilevel modeling was used to characterize the effect of confederation condition on sip interval and sip volume. Descriptive analyses were used for participant experience data. Results Results showed significant, moderate-to-strong between-visit correlations for topographic measures (r = 0.50 to r = 0.84) and indicate participants found the experience to be comfortable and acceptable. Multilevel models indicated participants had greater sip volumes and lower sip intervals when the confederate drank quickly. Conclusions Future studies should take advantage of the considerable translational value of this technology to improve understanding of risk associated with individual drinking bouts and develop novel interventions for reducing hazardous drinking.

AB - Background The assessment of alcohol consumption during a drinking bout, known as drinking topography, may help improve understanding of biopsychosocial mechanisms underlying alcohol consumption. However, past studies have been limited by effort-intensive, time-consuming, and error-prone processes involved in collecting, organizing, and standardizing drinking topography data. Recent technologies allowing integrated data collection and greater environmental control, such as virtual reality (VR), could resolve these problems. Methods In this pilot project, we assessed alcohol consumption topography of participants in a VR drinking environment with a programmable virtual confederate (i.e., bar goer) during two testing sessions. In one, the confederate drank quickly (30-60 s sip interval). In the other, the confederate drank slowly (60-120 s sip interval). Participants' hands and beverage were represented in VR. Between sips, beverages were placed on a Bluetooth-enabled scale, allowing real-time updates of drink weight. Participant experience was assessed after each testing visit. Multilevel modeling was used to characterize the effect of confederation condition on sip interval and sip volume. Descriptive analyses were used for participant experience data. Results Results showed significant, moderate-to-strong between-visit correlations for topographic measures (r = 0.50 to r = 0.84) and indicate participants found the experience to be comfortable and acceptable. Multilevel models indicated participants had greater sip volumes and lower sip intervals when the confederate drank quickly. Conclusions Future studies should take advantage of the considerable translational value of this technology to improve understanding of risk associated with individual drinking bouts and develop novel interventions for reducing hazardous drinking.

U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109246

DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109246

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JO - Drug and Alcohol Dependence

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