Temporal patterns of alcohol use in alcohol use disorder: a 12-month ecological momentary assessment
In brief
Weekend and holiday days boost drinking frequency by about one third in AUD
In a year-long smartphone study of 670 adults with alcohol use disorder, participants were significantly more likely to drink on weekends and on holiday-related days, with roughly a 30% rise in daily drinking odds. Frequency also peaked in December and was modestly higher during COVID-19 lockdowns, while the amount consumed per drinking day stayed stable.
- Journal
- European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience (Q1)
- Published
- 4 August 2026
- Study design
- Randomized controlled trial
- Evidence level
- Level 1, High (CEBM 1b)
- Authors
- Nadja S Bahr, Andreas Heinz, Michael A Rapp, Dominik Reichert, Markus Reichert, Paula Richter, et al.
- PMID
- 42550191
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00406-026-02294-y
Why clinicians should know about it
- Picked for Psychiatry and Mental Health (top studies of the week, 9 August 2026): High-quality evidence in a top journal
Abstract
Alcohol consumption (AC) is a major contributor to preventable morbidity and mortality. Fine-grained, near real-time data may capture short-term fluctuations in alcohol use, yet evidence on long-term temporal drinking patterns remains limited. Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) over 12 months, we quantified weekly, seasonal, and pandemic-related drinking patterns in individuals aged 16-66 with alcohol use disorder (AUD) recruited February 2020-September 2024. Outcomes were modelled as drinking frequency (any vs. none per day) and drinking-day amount (g/day on drinking days). Mixed-effects models tested weekends, holiday-related days, annual seasonality, lockdown periods, and time since study entry. Among 670 participants, drinking frequency and drinking-day amount increased on weekends (frequency: β = 0.354; amount: β = 0.078; both p < .001) and holiday-related days (frequency: β = 0.319; amount: β = 0.056; both p < .001). During lockdowns, drinking frequency was higher (β = 0.074; p = .007), whereas drinking-day amount did not change. Seasonal variation was observed (frequency: β = 0.252; amount: β = 0.035; both p < .001), with December peaks and January declines. Drinking frequency declined early after study entry (β = -0.0005; p = .002) and then remained stable at a lower level than at study entry, with no time trend in drinking-day amount. Long-term EMA captured drinking patterns and suggested possible assessment-related changes early after study entry. Higher-consumption windows (weekends, holiday-related days, December) may help inform the timing of prevention and intervention strategies; causal effects of repeated EMA (i.e., assessment reactivity) should be tested in randomized controlled trials.
Abstract as published, via PubMed.
For healthcare professionals. The summary is generated by AI from the published abstract, and the evidence level is assigned automatically from the study design on the Oxford CEBM hierarchy. Neither is medical advice. Read the full paper before changing practice.