AN APPRAISAL-DISRUPTION MODEL OF ALCOHOLS EFFECTS ON STRESS RESPONSESIN SOCIAL DRINKERS

This article reviews the effects of alcohol on stress responses among social drinkers. Despite considerable research, the relationship betwe en alcohol and stress has remained unclear. An appraisal-disruption mo del of alcohol's effects on stress responses is proposed. which attemp ts lo integrate many divergent findings. According to this model. alco hol disrupts initial appraisal of stressful information by constrainin g the spread of activation of associated information previously establ ished in long-term memory The conditions under which such disruption i s likely to occur are outlined. Evidence relevant to each of the model 's propositions is considered. It is concluded that the appraisal-disr uption model provides a framework for integrating many of the findings from past investigations. Theoretical issues pertinent to the model a re addressed.