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Intentions to use substances are a robust risk factor for future substance use. Primary Socialization Theory (PST), with its focus on relational factors, is well-suited to provide insight into American Indian adolescents' intentions to use substances given the importance of relationships in American Indian communities. The goal of the present study was to examine the role of PST-related factors (i.e., parental monitoring, peer pressure, attitudes toward school) on likelihood of intending to use substances (i.e., alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis, other drugs) among American Indian adolescents., American Indian participants ( N  = 8,950, 50.7% females) were recruited as a part of the Our Youth, Our Future survey, an ongoing surveillance of substance use among 7th-12th graders attending school on or near reservations., Parental monitoring was found to be associated with decreased likelihood of intending to use alcohol (aOR = 0.97, 95% CI [0.96, 0.99]), cigarettes (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI [0.94, 0.98]), cannabis (aOR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.94, 0.96]), and other drugs (aOR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.92, 0.96]). Peer pressure was associated with increased likelihood of intending to use alcohol (aOR = 1.68, 95% CI [1.59, 1.78]), cigarettes (aOR = 1.73, 95% CI [1.60, 1.86]), cannabis (aOR = 1.81, 95% CI [1.71, 1.92]), and other drugs (aOR = 1.40, 95% CI [1.26, 1.56]). More positive attitudes toward school were associated with decreased likelihood of intending to use alcohol (aOR = 0.93, 95% CI [0.91, 0.94]), cigarettes (aOR = 0.92, 95% CI [0.90, 0.94]), cannabis (aOR = 0.90, 95% CI [0.88, 0.91]), and other drugs (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI [0.93, 0.99])., Results support incorporating social relationships into interventions aiming to prevent substance use initiation, including promoting positive parental monitoring, peer interactions, and school attitudes.

Background North American Indigenous (NAI) adolescents experience disproportionate harm related to substance use compared to non-Indigenous adolescents. Strengths-based approaches to substance use prevention and treatment are consistent with Indigenous conceptualizations of health, which tend to be holistic and incorporate more spirituality and community than mainstream Western conceptualizations. Despite this, little is known about how positive psychological characteristics that might confer protection relate to substance use among NAI adolescents. Thus, the present study aims to examine the relations among life satisfaction, subjective happiness, self-compassion, and cigarette, marijuana, alcohol, and other drug use. Methods Participants were 106 reserve-dwelling First Nation adolescents located in Eastern Canada (M age = 14.6 years, 50.0% female) who completed a paper-and-pencil survey regarding their substance use and psychological characteristics for a larger community-based participatory research project. Results Greater life satisfaction was significantly associated with decreased odds of lifetime ( OR  = 0.88, 95% CI [0.81, 0.96]) and current cigarette smoking ( OR  = 0.90, 95% CI [0.82, 0.99]). Greater subjective happiness was significantly associated with decreased odds of current marijuana use ( OR  = 0.83, 95% CI [0.71, 0.97]). Although significantly correlated with lower lifetime use of other drugs, self-compassion was not significantly associated with lifetime or current odds of substance use after controlling for age, gender, and other positive characteristics. Discussion This is one of the first studies to evaluate positive characteristics and substance use in NAI adolescents. Results point to positive characteristics that may be useful in substance use prevention and suggest the need for further research to further elucidate these associations.

Over the past two decades, rates of alcohol use among female students have risen to meet or even surpass those seen among males. Yet, little is known about factors that play a role in the relationship between drinking motives and alcohol consumption for female college students. The present study examines self-esteem as a moderator in the association between categories of drinking motives and alcohol use in a sample of female college students., Participants included 196 female undergraduates who reported drinking alcohol at least once in the preceding month ( M age = 19.5 years, 88.8% White) at a northeastern public university. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing self-esteem, drinking motives, and past month alcohol use., Self-esteem was significantly negatively correlated with coping ( r =-.40, p <.001) and conformity motives ( r =-.22, p =.002) but not enhancement or social motives. Main effects predicting alcohol use were detected for enhancement ( b  = 1.49, p <.001), coping ( b  = 1.73, p <.001), and social motives ( b  = 1.34, p <.001), but not conformity motives or self-esteem. The interaction of conformity motives and self-esteem was significant ( b =-0.17, p =.04). Simple slopes analyses revealed that conformity motives were significantly positively related to alcohol consumption for at low ( b  = 1.53, p =.001), but not high levels ( b =-0.39, p =.61) of self-esteem. No other interactions were significant., Assisting female college students with increasing their self-esteem may be an effective component of intervention programs targeting alcohol consumption, particularly among those who report drinking to fit in.

Background: Alcohol and drug misuse present significant public health concerns due to their high prevalence and deleterious outcomes. A growing body of research provides support for the role of difficulties regulating positive emotions in alcohol and drug misuse. However, research is needed to better understand for whom difficulties regulating positive emotions are most strongly associated with alcohol and drug misuse to inform assessment and treatment efforts. Objectives: The goal of the present study was to examine potential sociodemographic moderators (i.e. age, gender, ethnicity, race, income, and educational attainment) in the relations between difficulties regulating positive emotions and alcohol and drug misuse. Methods: Participants were 373 trauma-exposed adults (57.1% female, 75.8% White) recruited from the community. Results: Significant differences were identified across sociodemographic groups regarding difficulties regulating positive emotions (i.e. gender, ethnicity, race, and income) and alcohol use (i.e. gender). Moderation analyses revealed a significant interaction between difficulties regulating positive emotions and gender on drug misuse ( b  = 0.08, p < .001), such that the association was significant for females ( b  = 0.11, p < .001) but not males ( b = .03, p = .05). Conclusions: Results suggest the importance of developing gender-sensitive recommendations for the assessment and treatment of substance misuse, and of incorporating techniques focused on addressing difficulties regulating positive emotions.

Background: Indigenous youth are at increased risk of initiating substance use at early ages and suffer greater negative consequences related to substance use as compared to non-Indigenous youth. Behavioral Theories of Choice suggests that substance use is contingent on the availability of substances and the availability of alternatives to substance use. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate risk and protective factors associated with substance use in one group of First Nation adolescents. Methods: Using a modified grounded theory approach, the present study conducted qualitative focus groups and individual interviews with fifteen reserve-dwelling (75% female, M age = 15.2 years) First Nation adolescents to assess categories of risk and protective factors based upon Behavioral Theories of Choice. Results: Adolescents identified peer influences, parental/family influences, and community influences and issues as risk and protective factors associated with substance use. Conclusions: Results highlight possible targets of culturally appropriate prevention strategies for Indigenous populations.

Background: Behavioral Theories of Choice applied to substance use suggests that use depends on availability of substances and alternative activities. Applying this theory to younger adolescents offers the possibility of investigating potentially malleable prevention and intervention targets. Objectives: The current study examines the role of perceived availability and engagement in structured and unstructured activities on adolescent alcohol and marijuana use controlling for substance availability. Methods: Data were collected as part of a longitudinal study of 6th-8th graders ( N  = 1023; 52% female; 76% White; M age  = 12.23 years). Multiple logistic regressions analyzed the impact of availability and engagement in structured and unstructured activities at Wave 1 on heavy drinking and marijuana use by study end in both unadjusted and adjusted models. Results: Availability of unstructured activities was associated with increased likelihood of both marijuana use ( b * = .06, p  = .04) and heavy drinking (OR = 1.20, p  < .001), while availability of structured activities was not significantly associated with likelihood of either marijuana use ( b * = -.10, p  = .07) or heavy drinking (OR = 0.86, p  = .16). Engagement in unstructured activities was significantly associated with increased likelihood of both marijuana use ( b * = .06, p  = .03) and heavy drinking (OR = 1.11, p  = .003), while engagement in structured activities was significantly associated with decreased likelihood of both marijuana use ( b * = -.25, p  < .001) and heavy drinking (OR = 0.85, p  = .046). Conclusions: Perceived availability of and engagement in unstructured activities may present a risk, while perceived availability of and engagement in structured activities may serve as a protective factor for youth substance use.

Introduction: Smoking cessation interventions for nondaily smokers are needed. The current study explores the fit of the text-messaging intervention SmokefreeTXT for nondaily smokers., Methods: Adult nondaily smokers (N = 32; mean age = 35 ± 12, 64% female, 53% non-Hispanic White) were enrolled in SmokefreeTXT. SmokefreeTXT usage data were recorded passively, theorized mechanisms of change were assessed at baseline and 2, 6, and 12 weeks after the chosen quit day, and EMA protocols captured real-time cigarette reports at baseline, and during the first two weeks after the quit day., Results: Most participants completed the SmokefreeTXT program and responded to system-initiated inquiries, but just-in-time interaction with the program was limited. In retrospective recall at treatment end, content of the text-messages was rated as "neutral" to "helpful." Within-person change was observed in theorized mechanisms, with less craving (p < 0.01), increased abstinence self-efficacy (external: p < 0.01; internal: p < 0.01), and poorer perceptions of pros of smoking (psychoactive benefits: p < 0.01, pleasure p < 0.01; and pros: p < 0.01) reported after SmokefreeTXT initiation compared to baseline. Exploratory analyses of real-time reports of smoking (225 cigarette reports in N = 17 who relapsed) indicated that cigarettes smoked in the first two weeks after quitting were more likely to occur to reduce craving (OR = 2.21[1.21-3.72]), and less likely to occur to socialize (OR = 0.06[0.01-0.24]), between 19:00 and 23:00 (OR = 0.34[0.17-0.66]), and on Saturdays (OR = 0.59[0.35-0.99]) than prior to quitting., Conclusions: While well accepted by nondaily smokers, SmokefreeTXT could potentially be improved by targeting cons of smoking, enhancing engagement with the just-in-time component of SmokefreeTXT, and tweaking the timing of text-messages.