While several factors determine whether or not adolescents decide to engage in risky patterns of alcohol use, such as binge drinking, the role of response inhibition is particularly important. Practically, response inhibition is the ability to resist participating in an inviting, habitual, or highly tempting activity, such as not drinking at a party where alcohol is easily accessible and when everyone else is doing so. Response inhibition is critical for successful goal achievement, as it includes the ability to suppress irrelevant stimuli and automatic behavioural impulses (Fryer et al., 2007). In terms of behaviour, youth with response inhibition difficulties have more alcohol-related problems, use a greater number of substances, and display greater comorbid alcohol and drug use (Nigg et al., 2006).
