Archived
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Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
9-1-2026
Year of Publication
2026
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Psychology
Faculty
Mark Fillmore
Faculty
Michael Bardo
Abstract
Growing evidence indicates that risky behavior among women is elevated during the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, likely due to increased estradiol levels. Furthermore, alcohol-induced impairment of women’s inhibitory control is significantly greater during the late versus early follicular phase. Consequently, cycle phase may influence outcomes of poor inhibitory control while intoxicated, such as alcohol-impaired driving. Alcohol-impaired driving risk manifests in two ways: risk-taking while driving, and risk awareness regarding the decision to drive. This dissertation tested the hypothesis that alcohol-induced increases in driver risk-taking and decreases in risk awareness would be exacerbated during the late versus early phase. Thirty-seven women ages 21-35 participated in a placebo-controlled study examining the effect of 0.60 g/kg alcohol on disinhibition, simulated driving performance, and self-reported risk awareness. Measures were obtained following placebo and alcohol during the early and late follicular phases. Alcohol increased driver risk-taking and impaired skill. Individual differences in alcohol-impaired driving were associated with behavioral and subjective measures in a phase-dependent manner. Late phase disinhibition under alcohol generally predicted driver risk-taking. Risk awareness predicted driver skill and driver risk-taking, during only the early phase. These findings advance understanding of risk factors associated with alcohol-impaired driving unique to women.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.27
Archival?
Archival
Funding Information
This work was supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grant numbers R01 AA027990 (2021-2026) and T32 AA027488 (2022-2024).
Recommended Citation
Griffith, Annie K., "Menstrual Cycle Phase Effects on Alcohol-Impaired Driving Performance and Risk Awareness" (2026). Theses and Dissertations--Psychology. 296.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_etds/296
