Alcohol expectancies as a mediator of the relationship between injury and readiness to change drinking behavior

There is a well-established relationship between alcohol expectancies and d rinking behavior. The purpose of the present study was to extend the litera ture by examining the role of alcohol expectancies in determining readiness to change drinking behavior among injured emergency department patients wh o screened positive for hazardous drinking. Negative expectancies were foun d to partially mediate the relationships of alcohol-related injuries and in jury aversiveness to readiness to change drinking behavior. Results suggest that negative alcohol expectancies are a potential means of increasing pat ients' readiness to change drinking behavior.