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Aims: This paper examines trends and correlates of alcohol‐involved motor vehicle crashes (AMVCs) in California between 2005 and 2016 among Hispanic and non‐Hispanic Whites (Whites hereafter). Together these two groups comprise 76% of the state population. The paper also examines whether alcohol outlet density, percentage of Hispanics in census tract populations, and distance to the U.S./Mexico border are related to greater risks for AMVCs. The border is of interest given the greater availability of alcohol in the area. Methods: Crash data come from Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System maintained by the California Highway Patrol. Sociodemographic and community characteristics data from the U.S. Census and alcohol outlet density were aggregated to census tracts. Total motor vehicle crashes and AMVCs were related to these characteristics using hierarchical Bayesian Poisson space–time models. Results: There were over two million injury and fatality crashes during the period of analysis, of which 11% were AMVCs. About 1.7% of these crashes had fatalities. The rate of AMVCs increased among both Whites and Hispanics until 2008. After 2008, the rate among Whites declined through 2016 while the rate among Hispanics declined for 2 years (2009 and 2010) and increased thereafter. Crash distance from the border (RR = 1.016, 95% CI = 1.010 to 1.022) and percent Hispanic population (RR = 1.006; 95% CI = 1.003 to 1.009) were well‐supported results with 95% credible intervals that did not include 1. The percentages of the following: bars/pubs, males, individuals aged 18 to 29 and 40 to 49 years, U.S. born population, individuals below the 150% poverty level, unemployed, housing vacant, and housing owner‐occupied were all positively associated with AMVCs and well supported. Conclusions: Between 2005 and 2016 the rate of AMVCs in California declined among Whites but not among Hispanics. Population‐level indicators of percent Hispanic population, distance to the U.S. Mexico border, gender, age distribution, and socioeconomic stability were positively associated with crash rates, indicating that important contextual characteristics help determine the level of AMVC rates in communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: About 30% of all motor vehicle fatalities in the United States are associated with alcohol‐impaired motor vehicle crashes. Arrests for drinking and driving (Driving under the influence [DUI]) are 1 of the most important deterrence actions to minimize DUI. This paper examines trends and population‐level correlates of drinking driving arrests (DUI) from 2005 to 2017 in California. Methods: Arrest data come from the Monthly Arrest and Citation Register compiled by the California Department of Justice. Sociodemographic and community characteristic data from the U.S. Census, alcohol outlet density, and distance to the U.S.–Mexico border from Law Enforcement Reporting Areas (LERA) centroids were aggregated at the level of 499 LERA contributing to the report. Reported arrest rates were related to area sociodemographic characteristics using hierarchical Bayesian Poisson space–time models. Results: Both among men and women rates showed an upward trend until 2008, decreasing after that year. DUI arrest rates were greater among Hispanics than Whites for the 2 younger age groups, 18 to 29 (p < 0.001) and 30 to 39 years (p < 0.001). DUI arrest rates in LERA areas are positively related to proximity to the California/Mexico border; a higher percent of bar/pub outlets; a higher percent of Hispanic population; a higher percent of population 18 to 29, 30 to 39, and 40 to 49 years of age; a higher percent of US‐born population; a higher percent of population with annual income of $100,000 or more; a higher percent of population 150% below the federal poverty line; and a higher level of law‐enforcement activities. Conclusions: Results of this analysis of spatial correlates of DUI arrests overlap well with the literature on individual‐level data and arrest rates. The decrease in arrest rates as distance to the California/Mexico border increases is potentially associated with the greater availability of alcohol in the border area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Low levels of alcohol responses (low LRs) are genetically influenced phenotypes that are identified before alcohol dependence and predict future heavy drinking and alcohol problems. A recent paper described 13 LR-related blood oxygen level-dependent ( BOLD) response contrast patterns observed during an emotional face recognition task that might reflect cognitive processes contributing to LR and that might themselves predict adverse alcohol outcomes ( Paulus et al., Biol Psychiatry 2012; 72: 848). This paper evaluates the predictive implications of those functional magnetic resonance imaging (f MRI) patterns. Methods Of 120 subjects from Paulus and colleagues (2012), 114 (57 low and high LRs; ~50% females) were interviewed 5 years later at age 25. Correlations between baseline f MRI patterns and alcohol-related outcomes were evaluated, and regression analyses were used to determine if BOLD response contrasts incremented over LR in predicting outcomes. Results Baseline f MRI patterns in 5 of 13 baseline regions of interest correlated with adverse outcomes. Such patterns in insular regions, particularly the left anterior insula, and the right frontal gyrus, added to LR in predicting alcohol problems. The relationships remained robust when exact binomial procedures were used, but, reflecting the small sample size, it was not possible to adequately consider Bonferroni corrections. Conclusions The data suggest that f MRI BOLD response contrasts predicted heavier drinking and alcohol problems 5 years later, even after considering baseline low LRs. Future work will focus on whether f MRI results can predict outcomes in larger samples and among young nondrinkers, as well as how the imaging results increase understanding of the processes through which LR operates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low level of responses (low LRs) to alcohol established using the Self‐Report of the Effects of Alcohol (SRE) questionnaire are genetically influenced phenotypes related to heavy drinking and alcohol problems. To date, most studies using SREs focused on scores for the number of drinks needed for effects across the first 5 times of drinking (SRE‐5), and few evaluated scores that also included the prior 3 months and heaviest drinking periods (SRE‐T). This paper evaluates characteristics of SRE‐5 and SRE‐T within and across generations. Methods: Data were extracted from 407 participants across 2 generations of 107 families in the San Diego Prospective Study (SDPS). Pearson's product–moment correlations for SRE‐5 and SRE‐T were determined across first‐degree relatives both within and across generations and sexes, as well as correlations of each measure to maximum drinking quantities and alcohol problems. Results: Responding to 4 hypotheses, first the analyses demonstrated significant within‐generation positive correlations for both SRE measures across brother–brother and sister–sister pairs as well as cross‐generation correlations for fathers and sons, although correlations for mothers and daughters were not robust. Second, both SRE‐5 and SRE‐T correlated with maximum drinks and alcohol problems for both sexes and both generations. Third, within parental and offspring generations SRE‐T correlated more robustly than SRE‐5 to maximum drinks and alcohol problems. Fourth, across generations SRE values for sons were more closely related to drinking quantities and problems than for their fathers, but the mother–daughter SRE relationships to adverse alcohol characteristics were not different. Conclusions: Both the SRE‐5 and SRE‐T offered useful information about propensities toward heavier drinking and alcohol problems in SDPS families. Correlations with adverse alcohol outcomes were greater for the more broad‐based SRE‐T, but both scores appeared to be genetically influenced and continue to operate in a robust manner in both generations of these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria are written in broad enough terms to apply to diverse populations. The current analyses evaluate whether the endorsement of criteria changes with increasing age in individuals with persistent AUDs. Methods: Data regarding AUDs persisting across 3 timepoints between average ages of 31 and 43 were gathered about every 5 years from 318 interviews for 106 San Diego Prospective Study (SDPS) AUD male probands. Similar data regarding persistent AUDs across 2 timepoints were obtained from 136 interviews with 68 SDPS AUD offspring between average ages of 21 and 27. Changes in the endorsement of each AUD criterion were evaluated using Cochran's Q test. Results: For AUD probands across time, significant decreases were observed in the proportions endorsing 4 criteria (tolerance, withdrawal, failure to fulfill obligations, and using alcohol in hazardous situations). Increased rates of endorsement were documented for 3 criteria (drinking alcohol in higher amounts or for longer periods of time, spending a great deal of time regarding alcohol, and continued use despite social or interpersonal problems). Significant increases in rates of endorsements for offspring were seen for spending a great deal of time regarding alcohol and giving up or reducing important activities in order to drink. Conclusions: These data indicate that the salience of many DSM AUD criterion items changed significantly with age in both SDPS generations among individuals with persistent AUDs. The current results support the need for additional systematic research to determine whether specific criterion items might need to be weighted differently in evaluating older and younger individuals with persistent AUDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although adolescents commonly use digital media and consume alcohol , longitudinal evidence of the association between these behaviors is scant. This study examined the association between the frequency of digital media use and the subsequent initiation or progression of alcohol use. We also examined whether these associations were moderated by gender and race/ethnicity. Methods: The study included 2,473 adolescents from a prospective cohort in the Los Angeles, CA area who were surveyed in fall 2015 (11th grade, baseline for the current study) and every 6 months through the end of high school (Spring 2017, 12th grade). At baseline, youth self‐reported the total number of 14 digital media activities (e.g., checking social media, streaming music/videos, texting) they engaged in at a high frequency (i.e., many times a day) over the past week. Scores ranged from 0 (i.e., no reported high‐frequency digital media use) to 14 (i.e., reported engagement in all 14 digital media activities at a high frequency). Self‐report measures of ever using alcohol, number of days of alcohol use in the past 30 days (0 to 30), binge drinking (yes/no), and covariates (i.e., demographics and measures of behavioral health and other substance use) were assessed at each time point. Results: Among respondents who at baseline reported never using alcohol (n = 1,214), high‐frequency engagement in each additional digital media activity was associated with 4% higher odds of initiating alcohol use (aOR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.07) across follow‐up. Among respondents who at baseline reported ever using alcohol (n = 1,259), baseline high‐frequency engagement in each additional digital media activity was associated at follow‐up with 3% more days of alcohol use in the past 30 days (aIRR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.06). Digital media use and binge drinking were not statistically significantly associated at follow‐up. There was no evidence of moderation by gender or race/ethnicity. Conclusions: Digital media use frequency was modestly associated with increased risk of initiation and progression of alcohol use in adolescence. Additional research is needed to determine potential mechanisms for these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Distinguishing the impacts of neighborhood income and off‐premise alcohol outlet density on alcohol use has proven difficult, particularly given the conflation of these measures across neighborhood areas. We explicitly test for differential effects related to individual and area income and outlet densities on alcohol use and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) by implementing a stratified microecological sample. Methods: The East Bay Neighborhoods Study included a survey of 984 residents of 72 microenvironments within a geographically contiguous 6‐city area in California and Systematic social observations of each site. The sites included 18 areas in each of 4 strata (high/low median household income and off‐premise outlet density). We assessed 4 outcomes: 28‐day drinking frequency, average quantity of alcohol consumed per drinking occasion, 28‐day drinking volume, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score. We used zero‐inflated negative binomial regression with standard errors adjusted for site clusters to relate drinking measures to individual‐level age, race/ethnicity, gender, marital status, education, and income, and neighborhood indicators of site strata, physical disorder, and physical decay. An interaction term was tested representing site‐level by individual‐level income. Results: Living in a high‐income site, regardless of off‐premise alcohol outlet density, was associated with more frequent drinking and higher alcohol dependence/problems. Both individual‐level income and site‐level income were related to greater frequencies of use, but lower income drinkers in high‐income areas drank more than comparable drinkers in low‐income areas. Study participants living in high‐density off‐premise alcohol outlet sites drank less frequently but did not differ in terms of either AUDIT scores or heavy drinking from participants living in low‐density sites. Conclusions: Using a stratified microecological sampling design, we were able to directly assess statistical associations of off‐premise outlet density and neighborhood median household income with patterns of drinking and AUDs. Caution should be used interpreting prior study findings linking off‐premise outlet densities to drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The most efficient approach for establishing family histories (FHs) asks informants about disorders in their relatives (a Family History Method [FHM]). However, FHMs underestimate family diagnoses. We evaluated if accuracies of young adult offspring report of their father's alcohol use disorders (AUDs) related to the age, sex, education, and/or substance‐related patterns/problems of either the young adult informants or their AUD fathers. Methods: Data from the San Diego Prospective Study (SDPS), a multigenerational 35‐year investigation, compared father/offspring pairs where the proband father's alcohol problems were correctly (Group 1) or incorrectly (Group 2) noted by offspring. In the key analysis, Group 1 versus 2 results were entered into bootstrapped backward logistic regression analyses predicting Group 1 membership. Results: Five proband and one offspring characteristic were associated with correct identification of their father's alcohol problems. None of these related to age, education, or sex. Characteristics associated with correct FHM diagnoses included the father's FH of AUDs, self‐report of drinking despite social/interpersonal or physical/psychological alcohol‐related problems, spending much time related to alcohol, and his having a religious preference. The single offspring item predicting correct identification of the father's problems was the number of DSM alcohol problems of the offspring. Conclusions: In the SDPS, FHM sensitivity was most closely related to the father's drinking characteristics, not the offspring characteristics. While unique aspects of SDPS families potentially limit generalizability of results, the data demonstrate how the FHM can offer important initial steps in the search for genetically related AUD risks in a subset of families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Washington State ended their wholesale and retail monopoly on liquor on June 1, 2012, resulting in a 5‐fold increase in liquor outlets in diverse store types. The legislation also included taxes at the wholesale and retail levels. This study seeks to investigate whether prices have changed from 2014 through 2016, as a follow‐up to a previous study finding increases in prices from 2012 to 2014, compared to prices in other states. Methods: We developed an index of 68 brands that were popular in Washington in early 2012. Data on final liquor prices (including taxes) in Washington and California were obtained through store visits and online sources between November 2013 and March 2014, and again between April and May 2016 for Washington only. Pricing data for Idaho and Oregon were obtained from the Statistics for Alcohol Management Database over both sampling periods. Primary analyses were conducted on the utmost brands available in the majority of the stores sampled. Results: Liquor prices in Washington rose an average of 3.9% for 750 ml and 6.5% for 1.75‐l containers overall from 2014 to 2016, while bordering states Idaho (+2.9%) and Oregon (+1.5%) experienced smaller increases for 750‐ml and declines for 1.75‐l containers (Idaho: −2.9%, Oregon: −4.9%). In the analyses of spirits prices in Washington compared to California, prices in California were 24.1% lower for 750‐ml containers and 29.6% lower for 1.75‐l containers. Conclusions: Our findings indicate liquor prices in Washington have increased since our 2014 assessment at a larger percentage than prices in the neighboring control states Oregon and Idaho, with varying effects on brands, container sizes, and store types. We demonstrate privatization is associated with a different pattern of prices across store types than seen in California. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 35‐year‐long San Diego Prospective Study documented 2‐fold increases in alcohol problems and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in young‐adult drinking offspring compared to rates in their fathers, the original probands. The current analyses use the same interviews and questionnaires at about the same age in members of the 2 generations to explore multiple potential contributors to the generational differences in adverse alcohol outcomes. Methods: Using data from recent offspring interviews, multiple cross‐generation differences in characteristics potentially related to alcohol problems were evaluated in 3 steps: first through direct comparisons across probands and offspring at about age 30; second by backward linear regression analyses of predictors of alcohol problems within each generation; and finally third through R‐based bootstrapped linear regressions of differences in alcohol problems in randomly matched probands and offspring. Results: The analyses across the analytical approaches revealed 3 consistent predictors of higher alcohol problems in the second generation. These included the following: (i) a more robust relationship to alcohol problems for offspring with a low level of response to alcohol; (ii) higher offspring values for alcohol expectancies; and (iii) higher offspring impulsivity. Conclusions: The availability of data across generations offered a unique perspective for studying characteristics that may have contributed to a general finding in the literature of substantial increases in alcohol problems and AUDs in recent generations. If replicated, these results could suggest approaches to be used by parents, healthcare workers, insurance companies, and industry in their efforts to mitigate the increasing rates of alcohol problems in younger generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) 28th Annual Scientific Meeting. Discussed are the abstracts of the Texas Research Society on Alcoholism with topics including "Examination of a Bi-Directional Relationship Between Urgency and Alcohol Use"; "Ethanol Exposure Induces Exosomal MIR-140 Secretion Which May Influence Neural Stem Cell Behavior" and "Roles of Meta-Emotions and Experiential Avoidance in Alcohol Related Problems".

The article reports on the 2018 Research Society on Alcoholism Annual Meeting. Discussed are the symposiums on topics including "Sex-Dependent Alcohol Associated Comorbidities" with Organizer/Chairman Liz Simon; "Predicting Outcomes of Fetal Alcohol Exposure in the CIFASD Cohort" with Organizers/Chairmen Michael Charness and Edward Riley and "The Development of Heavy Drinking in African Americans: Understudied Risk and Protective Factors" with Organizer Angela Haeny and Chairman Carolyn Sartor.

The article offers information on the abstracts of the several research studies. Discussed are the topics of the research studies which include "Glycine/Sarcosine Ratio As Novel Biomarker For Alcohol-Induced Liver Fibrosis Under Sumoylation Control"; "Increased Chemokines, Chemokine Receptors, And Neurodegeneration In Postmortem Human Alcoholic Brain" and "The Role Of Microglia-Expressed Trem2 In Ethanol-Induced Neuroimmune Activation"

The article discusses the Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) 41st Annual Scientific Meeting on June 16-20, 2018 in San Diego, California. Also discussed are the schedule of events which include the Skill Blitz Workshop for undergrads and students; the lecture of Ting-Kai Li on topic "The Molecular Neurobiology And Human Genetics of Specific Addictive Diseases: Implications for Treatments" and the symposium on "Sex-Dependent Alcohol Associated Comorbidities" with Liz Simon as organizer.

Background Treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs) has traditionally been abstinence oriented, but new research and regulatory guidelines suggest that low-risk drinking may also be an acceptable treatment outcome. However, little is known about long-term outcomes for patients who become low-risk drinkers posttreatment. This study explores a posttreatment low-risk drinking outcome as a predictor of future drinking and psychosocial outcomes over 9 years. Methods Study participants were adults with AUDs at treatment entry who received follow-up interviews 6 months posttreatment intake ( N = 1,061) in 2 large randomized studies conducted at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large private, nonprofit, integrated health system. Six-month drinking status was defined as abstinent, low-risk (nonabstinent, no 5+ drinking days), or heavy drinking (1 or more days of 5+ drinks). Using logistic regression models, we explored the relationship between past 30-day drinking status at 6 months and odds of being abstinent or a low-risk drinker (compared to heavy drinking), and positive Addiction Severity Index psychosocial outcomes over 9 years (9-year follow-up rate of 73%). Results Abstainers and low-risk drinkers at 6 months had higher odds of recent abstinence/low-risk drinking over 9 years than heavy drinkers; abstainers had better drinking outcomes than low-risk drinkers. Additionally, among those with interview data, 95% of abstainers and 94% of low-risk drinkers at 6 months were abstinent/low-risk drinkers at 9 years; surprisingly, 89% of heavy drinkers at 6 months were also abstinent/low-risk drinkers although still significantly fewer than the other groups. Abstainers and low-risk drinkers at 6 months had better psychiatric outcomes, and abstainers had better family/social outcomes than heavy drinkers; medical outcomes did not differ. Low-risk drinkers and abstainers showed no reliable differences across psychosocial measures. Conclusions The findings suggest that a low-risk drinking outcome may be reasonable over the long-term for some alcohol-dependent individuals receiving addiction treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neurobehavioral consequences of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure are well documented; however, the role of age or sex in these effects has not been studied. The current study examined the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, sex, and age on neurobehavioral functioning in children. Methods Subjects were 407 youth with prenatal alcohol exposure ( n = 192) and controls ( n = 215). Two age groups (child [5 to 7 years] or adolescent [10 to 16 years]) and both sexes were included. All subjects completed standardized neuropsychological testing, and caregivers completed parent-report measures of psychopathology and adaptive behavior. Neuropsychological functioning, psychopathology, and adaptive behavior were analyzed with separate 2 (exposure history) × 2 (sex) × 2 (age) multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs). Significant effects were followed by univariate analyses. Results No 3-way or 2-way interactions were significant. The main effect of group was significant in all 3 MANOVAs, with the control group performing better than the alcohol-exposed group on all measures. The main effect of age was significant for neuropsychological performance and adaptive functioning across exposure groups with younger children performing better than older children on 3 measures (language, communication, socialization). Older children performed better than younger children on a different language measure. The main effect of sex was significant for neuropsychological performance and psychopathology; across exposure groups, males had stronger language and visual spatial scores and fewer somatic complaints than females. Conclusions Prenatal alcohol exposure resulted in impaired neuropsychological and behavioral functioning. Although adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure may perform more poorly than younger exposed children, the same was true for nonexposed children. Thus, these cross-sectional data indicate that the developmental trajectory for neuropsychological and behavioral performance is not altered by prenatal alcohol exposure, but rather, deficits are consistent across the 2 age groups tested. Similarly, observed sex differences on specific measures were consistent across the groups and do not support sexually dimorphic effects in these domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Nutrition is an important factor that affects brain development. Nutritional deficiencies can exacerbate alcohol's damaging effects. Conversely, nutritional supplementation can serve a protective role against alcohol damage and may prove to be a worthwhile intervention strategy. This study investigated dietary intake in school-aged children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure to understand their nutritional status, compared to a national sample of typically developing children and Dietary Reference Intakes. Methods Dietary intake data were collected from children with confirmed histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (5 to 10 years, n = 55) using the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Recall ( ASA24). Observed nutrient levels were compared to the Dietary Reference Intakes to evaluate adequacy of nutrient intake as well as to national averages for same-aged children ( What We Eat in America, NHANES 2007-2008). Results Alcohol-exposed children exhibited poorer nutritional status compared to the typically developing NHANES sample, consuming lower levels of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamins C and K, niacin, and choline. Moreover, their diets did not meet Recommended Dietary Allowance or Adequate Intake for dietary fiber, potassium, vitamins E and K, omega-3 fatty acids, and choline. Conclusions The present findings are consistent with prior studies investigating nutritional intake in preschoolers with FASD, indicating that these children are vulnerable to nutritional inadequacies. Moreover, data suggest a specific profile of dietary intake in this population. As several nutrients are important for cognitive development, targeted interventions in clinical populations might be effective in boosting outcomes. Thus, further clinical investigation into the role of nutrition in improving cognitive outcomes is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Student heavy drinking and associated problems are common at most universities and fluctuate throughout the calendar year, with marked increases during celebrations. Most studies of student drinking are limited to the academic year itself, and relatively few focus specifically on special heavy drinking events. Even fewer studies include drinking during summer break and subsequent school return. Methods In the context of an experimental protocol, beginning in January 2014, alcohol-related characteristics were evaluated 8 times over 55 weeks for 462 college freshmen, including periods that incorporated a campus festival, summer, and school return. Baseline predictors of drinking quantities over time included demography, substance use patterns, as well as environmental and attitudinal characteristics. Product-moment correlations evaluated relationships between baseline characteristics and subsequent quantities, and simultaneous entry regression analyses evaluated which characteristics most robustly predicted usual and maximum drinks over time. Results Maximum drinks per occasion increased 18% from the early spring (4/8/14 to 5/6/14) to the campus festival period (5/7/14 to 6/3/14), decreased 29% in the summer (7/8/14 to 8/5/14), and increased 31% on school return (10/7/14 to 11/4/14). The most robust predictors of higher quantities in regression analyses included items from each of the 3 major domains with the most consistent results seen for most baseline alcohol-related items and descriptive drinking norms ( R2 = 0.20 to 0.31). Conclusions These data demonstrate important changes in students' drinking during the calendar year, including expected large increases during the month of a 1-day festival, large decreases over the summer, and resumption of relatively high quantities upon return to school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Different drinkers may experience specific risks depending on where they consume alcohol. This longitudinal study examined drinking patterns, and demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with youth drinking in different contexts. Methods We used survey data from 665 past-year alcohol-using youths (ages 13 to 16 at Wave 1) in 50 midsized California cities. Measures of drinking behaviors and drinking in 7 contexts were obtained at 3 annual time points. Other characteristics included gender, age, race, parental education, weekly disposable income, general deviance, and past-year cigarette smoking. Results Results of multilevel regression analyses show that more frequent past-year alcohol use was associated with an increased likelihood of drinking at parties and at someone else's home. Greater continued volumes of alcohol (i.e., heavier drinking) was associated with increased likelihood of drinking at parking lots or street corners. Deviance was positively associated with drinking in most contexts, and past-year cigarette smoking was positively associated with drinking at beaches or parks and someone else's home. Age and deviance were positively associated with drinking in a greater number of contexts. The likelihood of youth drinking at parties and someone else's home increased over time, whereas the likelihood of drinking at parking lots/street corners decreased. Also, deviant youths progress to drinking in their own home, beaches or parks, and restaurants/bars/nightclubs more rapidly. Conclusions The contexts in which youths consume alcohol change over time. These changes vary by individual characteristics. The redistribution of drinking contexts over the early life course may contribute to specific risks associated with different drinking contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Multiple forms of anxiety psychopathology are associated with alcohol use problems in adolescents. Yet, the mechanisms underlying this association are unclear. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) and distress tolerance (DT) represent 2 distinct, conceptually relevant transdiagnostic constructs implicated in multiple manifestations of anxiety that may also underlie alcohol use problems and thereby explain why people with anxiety are more likely to have alcohol problems. Methods The current cross-sectional study examined whether AS and DT accounted for (i.e., statistically mediated) the relationship between manifest indicators of the 3 common anxiety phenotypes (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorders) and alcohol problems in a sample of 534 high school students (14 to 15 years old). Results Multiple manifestations of anxiety were associated with greater alcohol use problems. AS statistically mediated multiple anxiety-alcohol associations, but DT did not. Conclusions These findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting AS may be an important transdiagnostic target for alcohol prevention programs for those in early adolescence that experience elevated anxiety symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Heavy drinking is common during transitions from high school to college. Optimal programs for diminishing risks for high alcohol consumption often tailor the approach to the specific needs of students. This study describes the results of an Internet-based prevention protocol that tailors the information to the risk associated with a pre-existing phenotype, the Low level of Response (Low LR) to alcohol. Methods Using stratified random assignment, 454 freshmen with Low and High LR values were assigned to 2 education groups (LR-based where all examples were given the context of the Low LR model of heavy drinking or a State Of The Art (SOTA) Group where the same lessons were taught but without an emphasis on LR) or a no-intervention Control Group. Individuals in the 2 education groups viewed 50-minute online videos once per week for 4 weeks. Changes in drinking patterns were assessed at Baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks using a 2 (LR status) by 3 (education group) by 3 (time points) analysis of variance, with additional tests for ethnicity and sex. Results Low LR participants tended to decrease their usual ( p < 0.06) and maximum ( p < 0.05) drinks per occasion most prominently when assigned to the LR-based protocol, while those with High LRs improved more in the SOTA Group. The most robust differences were seen when controlling for ethnicity. The effect sizes were small to medium. Conclusions These results support the advantages of carrying out prevention via the Internet and in tailoring the approach to a pre-existing phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are the result of alcohol-exposed pregnancies ( AEP) and believed to be the leading known cause of developmental disabilities in the United States. Our objective was to determine whether a culturally targeted Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment ( SBIRT) intervention may reduce risky drinking and vulnerability to AEP among American Indian/Alaska Native ( AIAN) women in Southern California. Methods Southern California AIAN women of childbearing age who completed a survey including questions regarding alcohol consumption and contraceptive use were randomized into intervention or treatment as usual groups where the former group completed an online SBIRT intervention, and were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months postintervention. Results Of 263 women recruited and 247 with follow-up data, one-third were at high risk of having an AEP at baseline. Both treatment groups decreased self-reported risky drinking behavior (drinks per week, p < 0.001; frequency of heavy episodic [binge] drinking episodes per 2 weeks, p = 0.017 and risk of AEP p < 0.001 at 6 months postintervention) in the follow-up period. There was no difference between treatment groups. Baseline factors associated with decreased risk of an AEP at follow-up included the perception that other women in their peer group consumed a greater number of drinks per week, having reported a greater number of binge episodes in the past 2 weeks, and depression/impaired functionality. Conclusions Participation in assessment alone may have been sufficient to encourage behavioral change even without the web-based SBIRT intervention. Randomization to the SBIRT did not result in a significantly different change in risky drinking behaviors. The importance of perception of other women's drinking and one's own depression/functionality may have implications for future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]