Search

Friendships are important for the mental well-being of emerging adults. Socially prescribed perfectionism, where individuals feel pressured to be perfect by others, can be destructive, leading to conflict with others, depressive symptoms, and problematic drinking. However, its impact on friendships is not well-explored. This study examined 174 emerging adult friendship dyads using a 4-wave, 4-month dyadic design. Data were analyzed using longitudinal actor–partner interdependence models. Using a novel friend-specific measure of socially prescribed perfectionism, we found that an individual's perceived expectation to be perfect from a friend was positively associated with increased conflict between friends, as well as with higher levels of depressive symptoms and problematic drinking in the individual. Findings lend credence to longstanding theoretical accounts and case histories suggesting socially prescribed perfectionism leads to harmful individual and relational outcomes and extends them to the specific context of friendships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

American student-athletes (SAs) are at heightened risk for hazardous alcohol consumption compared with their nonathlete peers. However, little is known about this risk or the influence of psychosocial predictors on drinking behavior among Canadian SAs. This study compared rates of alcohol use across Canadian SAs and nonathletes and investigated whether the use of athlete-specific psychosocial predictors can improve the prediction of alcohol use outcomes in SAs. Participants (179 varsity athletes and 366 nonathletes) completed anonymous self-report questionnaires. Results suggest that Canadian athletes are at a heightened risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems compared with nonathletes, with general psychosocial predictors explaining the majority of variance in SA alcohol use. However, and quite notably, athlete-specific positive reinforcement motives predicted SA binge drinking. This research provides some of the first evidence of drinking-related problems among Canadian SAs and supports the potential use of preventative efforts to help SAs develop safe strategies for alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature based on Social Cognitive Theory has established key environmental and cognitive variables related to problem drinking in emerging adults, but further research is needed to understand the interaction between these variables. The aim of this study was to extend understanding of how environmental and cognitive variables interact to influence problem drinking among emerging adults. We hypothesized that cognitive factors of alcohol outcome expectancies (AOEs) and drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE) would sequentially mediate the relationship between environmental factors (perceived parental/peer drinking) and problem drinking. A sample of 984 Australian emerging adults (M age = 20.55, SD = 2.19, range: 18–25) completed an online survey including measures of demographics, substance use, environmental variables (perceived drinking by parents/peers), and cognitive variables (AOEs and DRSE). This study employed a cross-sectional design. Path analysis was used to identify indirect pathways for the relationship between environmental factors and drinking behaviour, through cognitive variables. In line with the predicted model, the relationship between parental drinking and problem drinking was sequentially mediated by AOEs, and then DRSE. Participants with heavier drinking parents reported higher AOEs (positive and negative), which related to having lower DRSE, and higher problem drinking. Similarly, the positive relationship between peer drinking and problem drinking was mediated by having higher positive and negative expectancies, but contrary to predictions, DRSE did not mediate these pathways. This study extends on previous research by revealing novel pathways between environmental influences for drinking behaviour, via social cognitive factors that are conducive to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Drinking among college students has remained a prominent problem within the United States, with more than 50% of college students drinking alcohol, 30% considered binge drinkers, and 9% considered heavy drinkers (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2018). Evidence also shows that men are more likely to partake in risky drinking behaviors (e.g., binge drinking or drinking to intoxication) and are at higher risk to be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder compared with women (Grant et al., 2004; Iwamoto et al., 2014). Recent findings suggest that adherence to particular masculine norms is a risk factor for problematic alcohol use among men (Lemle & Mishkind, 1989; Iwamoto et al., 2011; Liu & Iwamoto, 2007; Locke & Mahalik, 2005; Mahalik, 2000; Peralta, 2007; Radimer & Rowan-Kenyon, 2019), and that drinking in itself may be seen as masculine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways gender threat can influence alcohol use motivation. Methods: Using an experimental design, the interaction of gender and gender threat in the prediction of alcohol expectancies (i.e., motivation to use) was assessed in a college sample. Furthermore, exploratory analyses were conducted to investigate the impact of adherence to masculine norms on the relationship between gender, gender threat, and alcohol motivation. Results: Results indicated that both men and women who were threatened responded similarly on most measures of anxiety/distress. Further, women who were threatened were less likely to have positive expectancies toward alcohol than women who were not threatened. Lastly, no relationship was found between adherence to masculine norms and gender threat or alcohol motivation. Discussion: These findings highlight the need for further studies to investigate the role of gender threat on alcohol motivation and expectancies within a male and female sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alcohol expectancies predict subsequent alcohol use and related problems among adolescents, although predictors of alcohol expectancies remain unclear. This study examined the longitudinal association between family conflict, a sociocultural factor strongly implicated in adolescent alcohol use, and positive and negative alcohol expectancies of adolescents of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Methods: Data were from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study 4.0 release, a multisite longitudinal study (N = 6,231, baseline age 9-10). Linear mixed-effects regression, with interactions between race/ethnicity and family conflict, tested the association between family conflict and alcohol expectancies, for each racial/ethnicity (e.g., Black vs. non-Black; White vs. non-White). Results: Interactions of family conflict with race/ethnicity in predicting negative and positive alcohol expectancies were statistically significant for models testing Black and White adolescents, but not for Asian, Hispanic, and Other. Family conflict at baseline predicted lower negative alcohol expectancy for Black adolescents (B = -.166, p = 0.033) and positive alcohol expectancy for White adolescents (B = 0.71, p = 0.023) at the year 3 follow-up. All models controlled for sex, age, family socioeconomic status, alcohol expectancies at year 1, and family conflict at year 3. Conclusion: The results indicate that family conflict is a potential risk factor for problematic alcohol expectancies for Black and White adolescents. Although we did not directly compare Black andWhite adolescents, our findings indicate that family conflict may operate differently for Black and White adolescents. Prevention and intervention efforts targeting family conflict may be relevant for different aspects of alcohol expectancies in Black and White families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with alcohol abuse and higher ethanol sensitivity later in life. Currently, it is poorly understood how ethanol sensitivity changes with time after TBI and whether there are sex-dependent differences in the relationship between TBI and ethanol sensitivity. This study uses the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to investigate how TBI affects alcohol sensitivity and whether the effects are sex-specific. Our results indicate that flies have a significantly higher sensitivity to the intoxicating levels of ethanol during the acute phase post-TBI, regardless of sex. The increased ethanol sensitivity decreases as time progresses; however, females take longer than males to recover from the heightened ethanol sensitivity. Dietary restriction does not improve the negative effects of alcohol post-TBI. We found that tau mutant flies exhibit a similar ethanol sensitivity to TBI flies. However, TBI increased the ethanol sensitivity of dtauKO mutants, suggesting that TBI and dtau loss of function have additive effects on ethanol sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol consumption to facilitate social interaction is an important drinking motive. Here, we tested whether alcohol influences trust in others via modulation of oxytocin and/or androgens. We also aimed at confirming previously shown alcohol effects on positive affect and risk-taking, because of their role in facilitating social interaction. Methods: This randomized, controlled, within-subject, parallel group, alcohol-challenge experiment investigated the effects of alcohol (versus water, both mixed with orange juice) on perceived trustworthiness via salivary oxytocin (primary and secondary endpoint) as well as testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, positive affect, and risk-taking (additional endpoints). We compared 56 male participants in the alcohol condition (1.07 ± 0.18 per mille blood alcohol concentration) with 20 in the control condition. Results: The group (alcohol versus control condition) × time (before [versus during] versus after drinking) interactions were not significantly associated with perceived trustworthiness (η2 < 0.001) or oxytocin (η2 = 0.003). Bayes factors provided also substantial evidence for the absence of these effects (BF01 = 3.65; BF01 = 7.53). The group × time interactions were related to dihydrotestosterone (η2 = 0.018 with an increase in the control condition) as well as positive affect and risk-taking (η2 = 0.027 and 0.007 with increases in the alcohol condition), but not significantly to testosterone. Discussion: The results do not verify alcohol effects on perceived trustworthiness or oxytocin in male individuals. However, they indicate that alcohol (versus control) might inhibit an increase in dihydrotestosterone and confirm that alcohol amplifies positive affect and risk-taking. This provides novel mechanistic insight into social facilitation as an alcohol-drinking motive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heavy alcohol and cannabis use during adolescence have been previously described as risk factors not only for morbidity in adulthood, but also social problems including adversities in educational attainment. Attempts to consider overlapping risk factors and confounders for these associations are needed. Methods: Using weighted multivariable models, we examined prospective associations between age at first drink (AFD), age at first intoxication (AFI), frequency of alcohol intoxication, as well as self-reported alcohol tolerance (i.e., number of drinks needed for the subjective experience of intoxication), and lifetime cannabis use at age 15/16 years with subsequent educational attainment obtained from comprehensive registers until age 33 in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (6,564 individuals, 49.1% male). Confounding variables including sex, family structure (intact vs. non-intact), maternal and paternal education level, behavioural/emotional problems in school at age 7/8 years, having a history of illicit substance use in adolescence, having any psychiatric diagnosis before age 16, and parental psychiatric diagnoses, were adjusted for. Results: In this large birth cohort study with a 17-year follow-up, younger age at first intoxication, higher frequency of alcohol intoxication, and high self-reported alcohol tolerance at age 15/16 years were associated with poorer educational outcomes by the age of 33 years. These associations were evident regardless of potential confounders, including parental education and childhood behavioural/emotional problems. The association between adolescent cannabis use and educational attainment in adulthood was no longer statistically significant after adjusting for confounders including frequency of alcohol intoxication at age 15/16. Conclusions: Assessments of age of first alcohol intoxication, high self-reported alcohol tolerance and frequency of intoxication during adolescence should be included when implementing screening strategies aimed at identifying adolescents at risk for subsequent social problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use correlates with psychological partner abuse (PA) perpetration among lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and other nonheterosexual (LGBQ+) young adults. However, less is known about the proximal association between alcohol use and psychological PA within this population, which would provide valuable information for intervention development. Informed by minority stress and alcohol-related PA theories, we evaluated whether (a) psychological PA perpetration odds increased as the number of drinks consumed prior to psychological PA on a given day increased, (b) psychological PA perpetration odds were greater following heavy episodic drinking (HED) relative to non-HED, and (c) experiencing LGBQ+-specific discrimination (i.e., heterosexist harassment, incivility, and hostility) strengthened the association between daily alcohol use (number of drinks, HED) and subsequent psychological PA perpetration. LGBQ+ college students (N = 41; 75.6% women, 22.0% men, and 2.4% transgender/non-binary) completed a baseline survey of past-year discrimination before completing daily reports of their alcohol use and psychological PA for 60 consecutive days. Multilevel modeling revealed that drinking more than one usually does on a given day is positively associated with subsequent psychological PA odds (OR = 1.31, p <.001). Psychological PA was more likely following HED relative to non-HED (OR = 3.23, p <.001). Unexpectedly, experiencing discrimination was negatively associated with psychological PA odds across models (OR =.26 p =.01). No alcohol × discrimination interactions emerged. Results support alcohol use as a proximal risk factor for psychological PA among LGBQ+ college students and underscore the need for more nuanced examination of discrimination and other contextual variables in alcohol-related PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the prevalence of alcohol and cannabis co-use among college students, prevention for co-use is crucial. We examined hypothetical receptiveness to substance-specific interventions among students who reported co-use. Students who use alcohol and cannabis were more receptive to alcohol interventions than cannabis interventions. Campus prevention experts should consider offering evidence-based, alcohol-focused interventions as a potential pathway for decreasing substance use among college students who engage in co-use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Problems associated with alcohol use are multidimensional with psychiatric, psychological, physical, and social aspects, which makes it challenging to choose appropriate assessment scales. However, there has been no systematic evaluation of existing alcohol scales. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted for articles that assessed the psychometric properties of scales for alcohol use disorder on March 19, 2023, using Medline, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. Only scales whose original development papers were cited more than 20 times were included. The methodological quality and psychometric properties of the scales were evaluated using COnsensus‐based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments. The overall rating of the scales were assessed with a score ranging from 0 to 18. Results: In total, 314 studies and 40 scales were identified. These scales differ widely in measurement methods, target populations, and psychometric properties. The overall mean score was 6.3, and only the following three scales received >9 points suggesting a moderate level of evidence: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS), and Short Alcohol Dependence Data Questionnaire (SADD). Measurement error and responsiveness were not evaluated or reported in the included scales. Conclusions: Although the AUDIT, ADS, and SADD were rated the highest among the 40 scales, they showed, at most, a moderate level of evidence. These findings underscore the need to accumulate further evidence to assure the quality of the scales. It may be advisable to select and combine scales to meet the purpose of the assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of alcohol on risk-taking may be through both pharmacological action and individual expectancies. A recent meta-analysis highlighted the need for evidence about the precise role of alcohol expectations on individuals' gambling behavior while under the influence of alcohol and a need to understand what specific gambling behaviors are influenced. This laboratory study investigated the effects of alcohol consumption and alcohol expectancies on gambling behavior in a sample of young adult men. Thirty-nine participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions in which they consumed alcohol, alcohol-placebo, or no-alcohol beverages and then played a computerized roulette game. The roulette game provided each participant with the same pattern of wins and losses and recorded gambling behavior including wagers made, number of spins, and final dollar amount remaining. Significant main effects were found between conditions on total number of spins with the alcohol and alcohol-placebo groups gambling significantly more than the no-alcohol group. The alcohol and alcohol-placebo groups were not statistically different. These findings support that individuals' expectations play an important role in understanding the effects of alcohol consumption on gambling; this effect may be primarily associated with persistence in wagering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances. Alcohol use accounts for 5.1% of the global disease burden, contributes substantially to societal and economic costs, and leads to approximately 3 million global deaths yearly. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) includes various drinking behavior patterns that lead to shortterm or long-lasting effects on health. Ethanol, the main psychoactive molecule acting in alcoholic beverages, directly impacts the GABAergic system, contributing to GABAergic dysregulations that vary depending on the intensity and duration of alcohol consumption. A small number of interventions have been developed that target the GABAergic system, but there are promising future therapeutic avenues to explore. This review provides an overview of the impact of alcohol on the GABAergic system, the current interventions available for AUD that target the GABAergic system, and the novel interventions being explored that in the future could be included among first-line therapies for the treatment of AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The multistage model of drug addiction posits that risk processes contributing to alcohol use change as individuals develop alcohol use disorders. However, few studies have tested this theory outside of the lab or at the event level. We assessed whether event‐level associations between positive reinforcement (e.g., positive affect, sociability expectancies) and negative reinforcement risk factors (e.g., negative affect, tension reduction expectancies) and same‐/next‐day alcohol consumption varied as a function of an individual's level of alcohol consequences. Given elevated alcohol use consequences among individuals with post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and disruptions in reward processing that affect this population, we also tested whether these processes differed based on the presence and severity of PTSD. Methods: We used data from a 30‐day ecological momentary assessment study with 174 undergraduate women who regularly engaged in heavy episodic drinking. A majority (78%) of the sample had experienced sexual assault and 44% had current PTSD. Analyses used Bayesian multilevel structural equation modeling with diffuse (non‐informative) priors. We used markov chain monte carlo (MCMC) algorithms to generate a series of 10,000 random draws from the multivariate posterior distribution of our sample for each model. Results: Results partially supported the multistage model. Event‐level negative reinforcement risk factors only predicted more alcohol consumption among individuals who experienced more alcohol consequences. Findings for positive reinforcement risk factors were partially consistent with hypotheses. Overall, findings appear to operate similarly across PTSD symptom severity. Conclusions: Results suggest that interventions for heavy episodic drinking could benefit from attending to an individual's level of alcohol consequences. For example, preventive interventions for individuals who tend to experience few consequences may benefit more from addressing positive reinforcement risk factors, while treatment interventions for those who experience more consequences may benefit from attending to both positive and negative reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonconsensual condom removal (NCCR) is a form of sexual violence that a significant minority of men use to obtain unprotected sex. Experiencing NCCR is associated with serious physical and mental health consequences, such as sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancies, anxiety, and depression. Alcohol use is known to be associated with sexual violence in general; however, limited research has been done on the association between alcohol-related factors and NCCR specifically. Thus, the present study examined the associations between event-level drinking, daily drinking, drinking motives, alcohol expectancies, and NCCR. Young, single, heterosexually active men (N = 96) completed cross-sectional measures of their NCCR behavior, event-level drinking, drinking motives, and alcohol expectancies. A total of 19 (19.8%) participants reported successfully engaging in NCCR at least once since age 14. Results showed that consuming more alcohol during the event, having more highly intoxicated partners, drinking to enhance sex, and holding more negative alcohol expectancies were associated with increased likelihood of NCCR. To effectively decrease the rates of NCCR, prevention efforts could aim to decrease event-level alcohol consumption for both men and their partners and to challenge men's beliefs regarding alcohol's role in sexual behavior. Given the current study's limitations, future studies should consider employing an ecological momentary assessment design to avoid recall bias and include more diverse samples to increase the generalizability of findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual intimate partner violence (S-IPV) commonly occurs within the contexts of committed romantic relationshops. Prior research has demonstrated the existence of a robust link between alcohol use and S-IPV. Despite this, few research studies have explored the etiological underpinnings of alcohol-related S-IPV perpetration, specifically. The present study examines the role of several key factors (i.e., problematic drinking, negative and positive urgency, proactive and reactive aggression) on S-IPV perpetration. Methods: Participants were 337 heavy drinking men and women in intimate relatinships who reported perpetrating some form of IPV toward their current partner within the past-year. A moderated-mediation model was used to determine how the key study variables interacted to predict S-IPV perpetration. Results: Results indicated that problematic drinking was positively correlated with both negative urgency and positive uregency. Findings also revealed that negative urgency, positive urgency, proactive aggression, and reactive aggression were all positively related to S-IPV perpetration. The indirect relationship between problematic drinking and S-IPV perpetration was mediated by positive urgency. Additionally, a significant main effect of proactive aggression on S-IPV perpetration was also detected. Conclusions: These findings suggest that impulsivity, specifically positive urgency, and proactive aggression may be under-appreciated constructs within the existing sexual aggression literature, and future research examining these variables as mechanisms explaining the association between the alcohol and S-IPV is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Research on the association between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and substance use is mixed, with some studies showing a positive association and others showing no association. Other relevant variables, such as social anxiety and outcome expectancies, may help us understand how and for whom AS is linked to substance use. This study tested (a) the associations between AS and alcohol use, cannabis use, and drinking games and pregaming behaviors among young adults, and (b) the mediating role of social anxiety and moderating role of outcome expectancies in these associations. Method: Participants (N = 199, 69% women) were young adults (19 to 25 years) who completed a 30-minute online self-report questionnaire on their substance use. Results: Results revealed significant negative associations between AS and drinking game and pregaming participation. AS was not directly associated with other substance use outcomes. The association between AS and hazardous cannabis use was moderated by relaxation and tension reduction expectancies, but outcome expectancies did not moderate any of the other associations between AS and substance use outcomes. Social anxiety mediated the associations between AS and hazardous cannabis use and both drinking game and pregaming participation. Conclusions: Findings highlight the complex association between AS and different substance use outcomes. Outcome expectancies and social anxiety may help explain how AS is associated with hazardous cannabis use and drinking game/pregaming participation, respectively. More effective interventions can be developed by understanding the relation between AS and substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate and optimize brief alcohol interventions (BAIs), it is critical to have a credible overall effect size estimate as a benchmark. Estimating such an effect size has been challenging because alcohol outcomes often represent responses from a mixture of individuals: those at high risk for alcohol misuse, occasional nondrinkers, and abstainers. Moreover, some BAIs exclusively focus on heavy drinkers, whereas others take a universal prevention approach. Depending on sample characteristics, the outcome distribution might have many zeros or very few zeros and overdispersion; consequently, the most appropriate statistical model may differ across studies. We synthesized individual participant data (IPD) from 19 studies in Project INTEGRATE (Mun et al., 2015b) that randomly allocated participants to intervention and control groups (N = 7,704 participants, 38.4% men, 74.7% White, 58.5% first-year students). We sequentially estimated marginalized zero-inflated Poisson (Long et al., 2014) or negative binomial regression models to obtain covariate-adjusted, study-specific intervention effect estimates in the first step, which were subsequently combined in a random-effects meta-analysis model in the second step. BAIs produced a statistically significant 8% advantage in the mean number of drinks at both 1–3 months (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = [0.85, 0.98]) and 6 months (RR = 0.92, 95% CI = [0.85, 0.99]) compared to controls. At 9–12 months, there was no statistically significant difference in the mean number of drinks between BAIs and controls. In conclusion, BAIs are effective at reducing the mean number of drinks through at least 6 months post intervention. IPD can play a critical role in deriving findings that could not be obtained in original individual studies or standard aggregate data meta-analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the factors contributing to early-age alcohol initiation among adolescents, focusing on the Indian context. The research is based on qualitative data collected in a senior secondary school and analyzes adolescents' attitudes, situations, and experiences when making decisions related to alcohol initiation. The study found that adolescents are influenced by various factors such as parental alcohol consumption, availability of leftover drinks, family environment, parenting approach, and peer pressure, which collectively contribute to their inclination toward alcohol. The findings suggest that curiosity and expectancy play significant roles in alcohol-related choices, and peers strongly influence adolescents for alcohol initiation. Familial factors, including parental relationship, conflict and family dynamics, also contribute to adolescents' alcohol-related decisions. The study highlights the importance of understanding these factors to effectively address the issue and mitigate the associated risks and consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars suggest traditional feminine gender roles (TFGRs) influence alcohol use among U.S. Latinas, but relevant literature is limited. This two-wave study examined how multi-dimensional internal (i.e., beliefs) and external (i.e., practices) TFGR processes related to drinking among college-bound Latina emerging adults across time. TFGRs characterized by virtue predicted less alcohol engagement, while some TFGR dimensions (e.g., subordinate) predicted more. TFGR practices more strongly predicted cross-sectional alcohol outcomes than TFGR beliefs, although some TFGR beliefs predicted later drinking. These findings highlight the utility of assessing multiple TFGR dimensions and domains to better understand the link between TFGRs and drinking among Latinas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation of the associations between facets of impulsivity and alcohol outcomes through motives for drinking responsibly described by self-determination theory (SDT) among college students. Participants (N = 2808) were part of a multisite investigation of college student drinking across 10 universities in 8 states in the USA who reported past-month drinking. Results of a structural equation model testing all possible indirect associations simultaneously indicated that one-third (20 out of 60) of the indirect associations were statistically significant (p<.01). Facets with higher scores representing higher impulsivity (negative/positive urgency) were negatively associated with more internalized motives (autonomous motivation and introjected regulation) and positively associated with less internalized motives (external regulation and amotivation) for drinking responsibly. Facets with higher scores representing lower impulsivity (perseverance and premeditation) demonstrated opposite patterns of associations with motives for drinking responsibly. In turn, more internalized motives were related to higher frequency of protective behavioral strategies use, lower alcohol use severity, and fewer negative alcohol-related consequences; less internalized motives demonstrated an opposite pattern of associations with these alcohol outcomes. The present findings should be replicated using experimental and longitudinal studies for appropriately testing mediation but offer support for a novel hypothesis for motivational pathways from impulsivity to alcohol outcomes that may provide insight into intervention targets, if further supported by future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The collaborative study on the genetics of alcoholism (COGA) is a multi‐site, multidisciplinary project with the goal of identifying how genes are involved in alcohol use disorder and related outcomes, and characterizing how genetic risk unfolds across development and in conjunction with the environment and brain function. COGA is a multi‐generational family‐based study in which probands were recruited through alcohol treatment centers, along with a set of community comparison families. Nearly 18,000 individuals from >2200 families have been assessed over a period of over 30 years with a rich phenotypic battery that includes semi‐structured psychiatric interviews and questionnaire measures, along with DNA collection and electrophysiological data on a large subset. Participants range in age from 7 to 97, with many having longitudinal assessments, providing a valuable opportunity to study alcohol use and problems across the lifespan. Here we provide an overview of data collection methods for the COGA sample, and details about sample characteristics and comorbidity. We also review key research findings that have emerged from analyses of the COGA data. COGA data are available broadly to researchers, and we hope this overview will encourage further collaboration and use of these data to advance the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Objective binge eating and problematic alcohol use often co-occur and are common behaviors in emerging adults. Both behaviors are thought to be driven by affect regulation processes. Objective binge eating often occurs in the context of increasing or acute negative affect, and often occurs in solitude. Alcohol use in emerging adults can also be associated with negative affect regulation. However, in contrast to objective binge eating, a large body of research indicates that there are positively valenced pathways to alcohol use in this age group. Emerging adults often drink socially, to enhance enjoyment, and in the context of positive mood. We propose that one pathway to objective binge eating in this developmental period is through alcohol use itself, such that emerging adults who consume alcohol and who are more likely to act impulsively in the context of positive emotion (i.e., have high levels of positive urgency) may be more likely to binge eat following drinking. Methods: We collected data using ecological momentary assessment in 106 undergraduates on positive and negative affect, motives for drinking and eating, and alcohol use and objective binge eating, in addition to baseline questionnaires of impulsivity. Results: There were no significant changes in affect prior to drinking in this sample. Alcohol use at one time point significantly increased odds of objective binge eating at a later time point in the same day. Individual differences in positive urgency, the tendency to act rashly while experiencing positive affect, were also associated with increased odds of objective binge eating that occurred after alcohol use. Individual differences in negative urgency, the tendency to act rashly after experiencing negative affect, did not have a main effect on objective binge episodes, but did interact with alcohol use to increase the odds of objective binge eating following drinking. The vast majority of drinking episodes prior to objective binge eating were social drinking episodes, and participants most commonly endorsed "to have fun" as a reason for drinking. Discussion: Results suggest that alcohol consumption may increase risk for objective binge eating in emerging adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite modest reductions in alcohol use among college students, drinking-related harms continue to be prevalent. Group-delivered programs have had little impact on drinking except for experiential expectancy challenge interventions that are impractical because they rely on alcohol administration. Expectancy Challenge Alcohol Literacy Curriculum (ECALC), however, offers a non-experiential alternative suitable for widespread implementation for universal, selective, or indicated prevention. Objectives: ECALC has been effective with mandated students, fraternity members, and small classes of 30 or fewer first-year college students. Larger universities, however, typically have classes with 100 students or more, and ECALC has not yet been tested with groups of this size. To fill this gap, we conducted a group randomized trial in which five class sections with over 100 college students received either ECALC or an attention-matched control presentation and completed follow-up at four weeks. Results: ECALC was associated with significant changes on six subscales of the Comprehensive Effects of Alcohol Scale (CEOA), post-intervention expectancies predicted drinking at four-week follow-up, and there were significant expectancy differences between groups. Compared to the control group, students who received ECALC demonstrated significant expectancy changes and reported less alcohol use at follow-up. Conclusions: Findings suggest ECALC is an effective, single session group-delivered intervention program that can be successfully implemented in large classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To review and analyse how youth involvement was conceptualised and applied in published alcohol and drug preventive interventions. A systematic review of the scientific literature on alcohol and drug prevention where young people (18–29 years old) participated at any stage of the intervention was conducted. We searched relevant bibliographic databases and online repositories for peer‐reviewed studies published between 2001 and 2021. Twenty‐seven articles reporting on studies in different countries and settings and using a variety of intervention strategies were eligible for inclusion. The analysis of the stages of youth involvement and the dimension of power sharing in decision‐making showed that only a minority of studies could be considered genuinely youth‐led whereas many involved young people merely as implementers of highly controlled research‐led interventions. However, the few studies that promoted sustained youth involvement struggled with translating results into rigorously evaluated interventions, thus demonstrating a tension between adoption of effective interventions and support to genuinely participatory processes. Knowledge gaps and implications for practice and research are discussed from a participatory research perspective. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Research has just begun to identify American college students who study abroad as a group at-risk for sexual violence victimization. The purpose of the current study was to examine the context of these incidents. Participants: We utilized a large longitudinal sample of 2,428 United States college students studying abroad for between 4 and 21 weeks in 12 different foreign countries. Methods: We estimated descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to assess prevalence and correlates of sexual victimization abroad, as well as effect size comparisons to quantify changes in drinking abroad. Results: Over one-fifth of students experienced sexual violence while abroad, including sexual assault and verbal coercion. Women, younger students, those who experienced sexual violence prior, and heavier drinkers had the greatest odds of sexual violence victimization abroad. Conclusions: Findings point to the need for evidence-based programming to reduce sexual violence risk among American college students studying in foreign countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual Strategies Theory suggests people fall on a continuum between having short-term mating orientation (STMO) and long-term mating orientation. One way STMO individuals signal mating goals is via risky drinking. The current study therefore aims to investigate drinks per week (DPW) as a mediator between STMO and risky sexual behavior (RSB), with gender as a moderator between STMO and DPW. Undergraduate students (N = 300) from a Midwestern university during Fall 2019. Participants completed questionnaires assessing STMO, DPW, and RSB frequency. A moderated-mediation model indicated DPW significantly mediated the relationship between STMO and RSB. Positive associations were found among all three variables. Gender was not a moderator between STMO and DPW. Mating orientation was a correlate of alcohol use and RSB for women and men, contributing to the literature identifying STMO as an indicator of those in need of substance use and RSB intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several personality traits predict future alcohol problems but also relate to demographic and substance‐related variables that themselves correlate with later adverse alcohol outcomes. Few prospective studies have evaluated whether personality measures predict alcohol problems after considering current demographic and substance‐related variables. Methods: Data from 414 drinkers without alcohol use disorder (AUD) from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (average age 20, 44% male) were followed over an average of 9 years. Time 1 (baseline) demography, AUD family history (FH), substance use and problems, and psychiatric histories were gathered using a standardized interview; the Level of Response (LR) to alcohol was measured by the Self‐Report of the Effects of alcohol (SRE) questionnaire; and seven personality dimensions were extracted from the NEO Five‐Factor Personality, Barratt, and Zuckerman scales. Analyses involved product–moment correlations of each baseline measure with the highest number of DSM‐IV AUD criteria endorsed in any follow‐up period, and hierarchical regression analyses evaluated whether the personality domains added significantly to the prediction of the outcome after adjusting for other baseline variables. Results: Significant correlations with the outcome were observed for baseline age, sex, length of follow‐up, AUD family history, past cannabis use, and all alcohol‐related baseline variables, including SRE‐based LR, but not prior mood or anxiety disorders. All personality characteristics except extraversion also correlated with outcomes. A hierarchical regression analysis that included all relevant personality scores together demonstrated significant contributions to the prediction of future alcohol problems for demographics in Step 1; demographics and most baseline alcohol items, including response level, in Step 2; and cannabis use in Step 3; after which demographics, LR, baseline alcohol problems, cannabis use, and higher sensation seeking added significantly in Step 4. Regression for each personality domain separately revealed significant contributions to Step 4 for all personality domains except openness. Lower levels of response to alcohol added significantly to all regression analyses. Conclusions: Most tested personality scores and lower levels of response to alcohol contributed to predictions of later alcohol problems even after considering baseline demographic and substance use measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The role of alcohol expectancies and evaluations (i.e., perceived outcomes of drinking and whether these outcomes are desirable) in alcohol-related intimate partner aggression (IPA) has been debated, with some researchers arguing that expectancies fully account for the alcohol-IPA relationship and others suggesting they play a minimal if any role in alcohol-related IPA. In the current study, we examine the impact of expectancies and evaluations on alcohol-related IPA observed in the lab, in order to clarify what impact, if any, alcohol expectancies have on alcohol-related IPA. Consistent with findings from laboratory studies examining general aggression, we expected that individuals who were intoxicated would display greater IPA than individuals who were sober, but that alcohol expectancies and evaluations would be unrelated to in vivo IPA. Method: Participants were 69 dating couples (total N = 138), randomly assigned to consume either an alcohol or placebo beverage. IPA was measured with an in vivo aggression task based on the Taylor Aggression Paradigm. Results: As expected, alcohol intoxication predicted in vivo IPA following provocation (p <.03), whereas alcohol expectancies and evaluations were not related to IPA. Conclusions: These findings provide further support that alcohol expectancies and evaluations play little if any role in alcohol-related IPA. Rather, intoxication likely increases risk for IPA through its physiological effects on perception and thought. Further, treatments targeting alcohol use, rather than beliefs about outcomes of drinking, may have a greater impact on alcohol-related IPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Alcohol craving is a predictor of continued drinking and a diagnostic criterion for alcohol use disorder. Rewarding subjective effects potentiate craving, but it remains unclear if relations are expectancy-driven vs. alcohol-induced. In addition, it remains unclear if relations operate solely at the person level, or if there is also within-person dynamic change. Methods: Participants (N = 448) come from a placebo-controlled alcohol administration study. Participants in the alcohol condition reported subjective effects and alcohol craving on ascending (BAC =.068), peak (BAC =.079), and descending (BAC =.066) BAC limbs. Participants in the placebo condition were yoked to alcohol condition participants. Multilevel models tested whether (1) within-person deviations in subjective effects predicted within-person deviations in craving, (2) between-person levels of subjective effects predicted between-person levels of craving, and (3) effects were dependent upon experimental condition. Results: At the within-person level, increases in high arousal positive/stimulant effects were associated with within-person increases in alcohol craving, regardless of experimental condition. At the between-person level, interactions were observed between high arousal positive/stimulant (and low arousal positive/relaxing) effects and condition. Probing suggested that the association between person-level high arousal positive/stimulant effects and craving was statistically significant in the alcohol but not the placebo condition. Conversely, the association between person-level low arousal positive/relaxing effects and craving was positive and statistically significant in the placebo but negative in the alcohol condition. Conclusions: Findings suggest expectancy-like relations among high arousal positive/stimulant effects and craving within-person. However, alcohol-induced positive reinforcement (i.e., stimulation) facilitated heightened person-level craving, whereas expectancy-like negative reinforcement (i.e., relaxation) attenuated person-level craving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol and sexual arousal are contextual determinants of condomless sex. Dual-process theory postulates that two types of cognitive processing contribute to the regulation of behavior: one that is fast, intuitive and automatic, and another that is slower and deliberative. This study applied a dual-process model to investigate condomless sexual behavior, highlighting the potential importance of implicit attitudes in condomless sex. We investigated whether the impact of alcohol and sexual arousal on condom use-related attitudes and intentions was explained by diminished working memory capacity, as dual-process models suggest. We also investigated whether this effect could be explained by implicit and explicit attitudes toward condom use. Male participants (N = 30) were randomized using a 2 × 2 within-subjects design that manipulated alcohol intoxication (placebo vs. alcohol beverages) and sexual arousal (neutral vs. erotic movie clips). We measured participants' working memory capacity, intentions to use a condom, and explicit and implicit attitudes toward condom use. Significant main effects of alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal on working memory capacity were found. No significant interaction was found for the combined effect of alcohol intoxication and sexual arousal on intentions to use a condom. There was no significant effect of implicit attitudes on intentions to use a condom, although a trend toward significance (p = 0.06) was found for the effect of implicit attitudes on intentions to use a condom when participants were in a state of alcohol intoxication. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current longitudinal study tested pathways between alcohol expectancies at baseline and both perceived drinking risk and alcohol use trajectories over a five-year period through adolescence. An adolescent community sample (N = 243; Wave 1 demographics: 45% female, 51% non-white, 49% white, mean age = 13.06 years) completed self-report questionnaires annually for five years. Measures included the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire – Adolescent Brief Version, one Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) item assessing annual perceived drinking risk, an adapted item from the YRBS assessing annual alcohol use, the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale. We specified dual latent growth curves to estimate trajectories of change in perceived drinking risk and alcohol use over time. Alcohol use significantly increased, while perceived drinking risk significantly decreased. More positive alcohol expectancies at baseline predicted a less steep decline in perceived drinking risk (β = 0.31, p =.009), whereas more negative expectancies at baseline predicted a steeper decline in perceived risk (β = −0.26, p =.03). Alcohol expectancies did not directly predict alcohol use, but instead operated indirectly via the starting point of the perceived drinking risk trajectory. Specifically, greater positive expectancies (B = -0.19, p <.001) and lower negative expectancies (B = 0.17, p = 0.006) predicted a lower risk perception trajectory starting point, which then predicted a greater alcohol use trajectory starting point (B = -1.41, p <.001). Findings underscore the starting point of perceived drinking risk trajectories as one factor linking alcohol expectancies and alcohol use. Prevention efforts aimed at shifting these starting points and altering early cognitive factors may be appropriate targets for minimizing alcohol use risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration increases throughout young adulthood and is particularly widespread among college students, resulting in mental health and academic consequences. Deficits in emotion regulation (ER) are an important factor associated with IPV perpetration; the developmental tasks and challenges associated with college, including relationship stressors and hazardous alcohol use, implicate ER as a particularly relevant risk factor for IPV perpetration. Thus, college presents an important opportunity for intervention in order to change the trajectories of IPV perpetration across young adulthood. The purpose of this review was to synthesize findings regarding ER and psychological, physical, and sexual IPV perpetration among college students. Twenty-one articles met inclusion criteria. Studies were organized into five categories: (a) direct associations of ER with IPV perpetration, (b) qualitative assessment of ER and IPV, (c) ER in indirect effects models, (d) ER in moderation models, and (e) experiments with ER instructional sets. Overall, ER emerged as an important inhibiting factor for IPV perpetration, particularly impulse control and access to ER strategies. ER deficits in the context of impelling (e.g., negative affect, trauma history) and instigating (e.g., provocation) factors emerged as consistent predictors of psychological and physical IPV perpetration for both male and female students. Deficits in ER were associated with sexual IPV perpetration among men; however, very few studies examined sexual IPV. Experimental paradigms suggest cognitive reappraisal may reduce IPV perpetration, while suppression may, in some contexts, increase perpetration. Methodological strengths and weaknesses and implications for IPV prevention and interventions programming for college students are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examined illicit drug use and substance abuse disorders among Hispanic emerging adults using a two time-point study. Hypothesized predictors included concurrent use of different types of substances in adolescence and early adulthood (illicit drug use, binge alcohol use, and cigarette-smoking), along with the socialization context (family, peer, school, and other contextual factors) in adolescence. Overall, the findings showed that emerging adults who engaged in binge use of alcohol reported higher levels of illicit drug use and substance abuse disorders. Smoking cigarettes was associated with higher levels of illicit drug use in emerging adulthood, but not substance use disorders. Illicit drug use and binge alcohol use in adolescence were linked to higher levels of illicit drug use in emerging adulthood. Further, respondents who engaged in higher levels of illicit drug use, binge drinking, and smoking in adolescence were more likely to report higher levels of substance use disorders in early adulthood, signaling the importance of assessing adolescent drug use as a critical period for curbing long-term substance use-related impairment. Sibling alcohol use, college aspirations, and perceived discrimination during adolescence were also predictive of higher levels of substance use disorders in early adulthood. Higher academic achievement in adolescence, however, was associated with lower levels of illicit drug use in emerging adulthood. Lastly, males reported higher levels of illicit drug use and substance abuse disorders than females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited data exists on mechanisms contributing to elevated risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD) in bipolar disorder. Variation in subjective response to alcohol may relate to alcohol use and risk for AUD. This study used a randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over, within-subjects design to investigate differences in subjective response to alcohol in 50 euthymic young adults (n = 24 with and n = 26 without bipolar disorder type I). Eighty-three percent of participants with bipolar disorder were medicated. Participants completed assessments of clinical history, alcohol expectancies, and recent alcohol use. Participants were dosed to a.08 g% breath alcohol concentration. The placebo condition occurred on a separate counter-balanced day. Subjective response to alcohol was investigated at similar time points during both conditions. Group, condition, and group-by-condition interactions were modeled, with condition and time of subjective response assessment as repeated within-subject variables, and subjective response to alcohol as the dependent variable. Greater stimulating effects and liking of alcohol were reported in people with bipolar disorder (group-by-condition interactions, p <.05) than healthy young adults. While young adults with bipolar disorder reported anticipating feeling less "mellow/relaxed" when drinking (p =.02), during both beverage conditions they reported feeling more "mellow/relaxed" (main effect of group, p =.006). Feeling more "mellow/relaxed" during the alcohol condition related to greater recent alcohol use in bipolar disorder (p =.001). Exploratory analyses suggested anticonvulsants and sedatives/antihistamines may relate to differences in subjective response to alcohol in bipolar disorder. Results suggest young adults with bipolar disorder may differ in alcohol expectancies and experience alcohol intoxication differently—with distinct relations between subjective response to alcohol and alcohol use—compared to healthy young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All behaviors' that satisfy a person's biological needs and desires are considered sexual behaviors. Despite the fact that sexual behavior and expression are universal to all animals, especially humans, the context in which the behaviors are expressed may make it risky or even dangerous. High risk sexual behaviors' and substance use disorders are frequently been linked. This study's main goal is to investigate the relationship between substance use by Men and their participation in high risk sexual behaviors. In the current study data were taken from NFHS 5 (2019–2021) and methods like Pearson's chi-squared test, bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to established the relationship that risky sexual behavior is a consequence of substances use. Result revealed that Men's alcohol consumption in daily basis is strongly associated with premature sex (AOR: 1.05; 95%CI: 1.08–1.26; p < 0.05), sex with multiple partners (AOR: 2.35; 95%CI: 1.86–2.97; p < 0.05), and unprotected sexual intercourse (AOR: 2.06; 95%CI: 1.91–2.19; p < 0.05). Apart from alcohol consumption smoking cigarette, use of smokeless tobacco, and use of guthka are also significantly associated with risky sexual behavior of Men on Women. The concern of substances use among Indian men may be dwindled through adoption of appropriate footsteps like incorporating moral education in school curriculum; upbringing socio-economic status; more socialization; increasing social awareness among individual or community through mass media exposure like print or virtual media even which may ultimately reduce the practice of risky sexual behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed results have been reported for the relationship between personality and hangover, but recent findings have indicated that regulatory and attentional control processes may relate to hangover severity and the impact of a hangover on completing daily activities. This study aimed to explore how these factors relate to hangover severity, hangover impact, and to unhealthy alcohol use. In total, 108 participants completed a survey, rating the severity and impact of their last-experienced hangover and completing measures of the above factors. Separate multiple linear regressions were conducted to analyse each outcome (severity, impact, unhealthy drinking). For severity, the overall regression was significant (Adj. R2 = 0.46, p < 0.001), with the attentional control factor 'Focusing' (B = −0.096, p = 0.011), and personality factor 'Agreeableness' (B = 0.072, p = 0.005) predicting severity. For impact, the overall regression was significant (Adj. R2 = 0.41, p < 0.001) with the attentional control factor 'Shifting' (B = −0.252, p = 0.021), personality factors 'Extraversion' (B = 0.225, p = 0.009) and 'Agreeableness' (B = −0.156, p = 0.042), and hangover severity (B = 1.603, p < 0.001) predicting impact. For unhealthy drinking, the overall regression model was significant (Adj. R2 = 0.45, p < 0.001) with emotion dysregulation factors 'Awareness' (B = 0.301, p = 0.044) and 'Impulse Control' (B = 0.381, p = 0.011) predicting unhealthy drinking. These findings add to our understanding of the heterogeneity of hangover experience and highlight that attentional control, emotion regulation, and personality play important roles in the experience and impact of a hangover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ceská a Slovenská Psychiatrie is the property of Czech Medical Association of JE Purkyne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between early age onset of alcohol consumption and alcohol misuse in adulthood. Methods: The study sample consisted of 16 829 individuals' (8349 males, 8435 females) survey responses obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2016 through 2019. Alcohol dependence was measured using the AUDIT‐C (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test‐Consumption), and the ages at which alcohol consumption began were grouped into four categories: under 16, 16 to 18, 19 to 23, and over 24. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine the association between current alcohol misuse and age at onset of alcohol consumption. Results: Compared to individuals who started drinking alcohol after the age of 24, those who began drinking alcohol before the age of 16 were more likely to score 8 or more on AUDIT‐C questions (under 16: males, odds ratio [OR] 2.50, confidence interval [CI] 1.97–3.17; females, OR: 1.66, CI: 1.18–2.33). Similar to the main analysis, the earlier the onset of alcohol assumption starts, the more likely one is to develop alcohol misuse in adulthood according to subgroup analysis stratified by independent variables in both gender. Conclusion: The lower the age at the onset of alcohol consumption, the higher the likelihood of alcohol misuse in adulthood. While both males and females showed the same trend in response to the AUDIT‐C questions, males tended to have a stronger association between early onset alcohol consumption and alcohol misuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substance use is a perennial public health concern with associated health risks and economic impacts on society. In this article, we present a selective review of the epidemiological and clinical literatures on alcohol and substance use from a lifespan developmental perspective. We compare and contrast risk factors for the initiation of use and the development of a substance use disorder in adolescence, young adulthood, middle-age and later life. During adolescence, alcohol use experimentation is at its peak. Specific risk factors have been identified including trauma and parenting style that can increase the risk of substance use for teenagers. Emerging adults and college students are likely to experiment with other substances in addition to alcohol such as nicotine, marijuana, cocaine, and prescription medication such as Adderall. Middle-age and older adults with alcohol and substance use in their developmental histories may have an undiagnosed alcohol use disorder. Others will develop a late-onset substance use disorder in older age, possibly due to a dearth of social support, coping with bereavement, and medical complication. Based on Social Cognitive Theory, the roles of expectancies and self-efficacy are hypothesized to impact substance use and the risk of substance use disorder across the lifespan. Implications of the present review for future research on age-specific risk factors in alcohol use in relation to underlying developmental processes are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Intimate partner violence is a serious public health problem that costs the United States more than $4.1 billion in direct medical and mental health costs alone. Furthermore, alcohol use contributes to more frequent and more severe intimate partner violence incidents. Compounding this problem is treatments for intimate partner violence have largely been socially informed and demonstrate poor efficacy. We argue that improvements in intimate partner treatment will be gained through systematic scientific study of mechanisms through which alcohol is related to intimate partner violence. We hypothesize that poor emotional and behavioral regulation as indexed by the respiratory sinus arrythymia measure of heart rate variability is a key mechanism between alcohol use and intimate partner violence. Method: The present study is a placebo-controlled alcohol administration study with an emotion-regulation task that investigated heart rate variability in distressed violent and distressed nonviolent partners. Results: We found a main effect for alcohol on heart rate variability. We also found a four-way interaction whereby distressed violent partners exhibited significant reductions in heart rate variability when acutely intoxicated and attempting to not respond to their partners evocative stimuli. Discussion: These findings suggest that distressed violent partners may adopt maladaptive emotion regulation strategies such as rumination and suppression when intoxicated and attempting to not respond to partner conflict. Such strategies of emotion regulation have been shown to have many deleterious emotional, cognitive and social consequences for individuals who adopt them, possibly including intimate partner violence. These findings also highlight an important novel treatment target for intimate partner violence and suggest that novel treatments should focus on teaching effective conflict resolution and emotion-regulation strategies that may be augmented by biobehavioral treatments such as heart rate variability biofeedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol‐induced blackouts have been associated concurrently and prospectively with alcohol‐related harm. Although rates of heavy drinking among military samples tend to be comparable or higher than rates among civilian samples, the prevalence and correlates of blackout in the military population are understudied. Methods: Veterans (N = 241, 29% female, 39% Black) reported on their alcohol consumption and mental health as part of a larger health‐related study among veterans. In this secondary analysis, we tested theoretically and empirically informed predictors (gender, drinking quantity, and other drug use) and consequences [depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)] of alcohol‐induced blackout. Given the diversity of the sample, potential roles of racial/ethnic discrimination and drinking to cope in alcohol‐induced blackout were also tested. Results: Past‐year prevalence of alcohol‐induced blackout was 53% among veterans who drank alcohol and 68% among those who screened positive for hazardous drinking. Everyday experience of racial discrimination was the strongest concurrent predictor of alcohol‐induced blackout. Drinking quantity and use of other drugs were significant correlates only in bivariate models. Controlling for gender, race, drinking quantity, other drug use, and discrimination, blackout frequency was significantly associated with symptoms of depression, but not symptoms of PTSD. Both blackout and racial discrimination were associated with drinking to cope. Conclusions: The prevalence and correlates of alcohol‐induced blackout among veterans are largely consistent with those documented in civilian and young adult populations. Among racially diverse groups, racial discrimination may be more strongly associated with mental health symptoms than alcohol consumption or acute alcohol consequences such as blackout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis (i.e. marijuana; [SAM]) use is prevalent among college students. There is limited research on expectancy effects for SAM use, which are known correlates of use frequency and mediators of treatment outcomes. We examined the unique associations of both positive and negative alcohol and cannabis expectancies with frequency of SAM use among college students. Participants were 1012 college students (70.9% female, 51.8% white, Mage = 19.63) from seven US universities who reported past-month alcohol and cannabis use (77.2% of the sample reported SAM use). Students completed measures of past-month typical weekly alcohol and cannabis frequency and quantity, alcohol and cannabis expectancies, and SAM frequency through an online self-reported survey. A negative binomial regression revealed that higher-order positive, but not negative, alcohol and cannabis expectancies were significant predictors of SAM frequency above and beyond frequency of alcohol and cannabis use, biological sex, and whether the survey was completed pre- or post-COVID-19 campus closures. Specifically, higher frequency SAM use was associated with weaker positive alcohol and stronger positive cannabis expectancies. A second negative binomial regression including lower-order expectancies found that SAM frequency was associated with weaker social and cognitive and behavioral impairment alcohol expectancies and stronger sexual and social facilitation cannabis and liquid courage alcohol expectancies, specifically. Results highlight the importance of comprehensively examining both higher- and lower-order alcohol and cannabis expectancies when examining SAM frequency, and provide avenues of targeted intervention to reduce SAM use among dual users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent that alcohol consumption affected participants' perceptions of their own and their friend's ability to consent to sex in a non-bar drinking environment. We interviewed 176 people at tailgates in dyads about their own and their friends' alcohol consumption, intoxication symptoms, and ability to consent. Participants reported consuming a mean of 4.6 drinks and had a breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) of.075 on average, but few thought they or their friend had diminished cognitive function. Accordingly, 92.6% indicated they could consent to sex and 81.8% indicated their friend could consent to sex. Number of drinks people reported consuming, self-reported intoxication levels and symptoms, and BrACs were not significantly related to participants' perceptions of their own or their friends' ability to consent to sex. However, gender pairing of the dyad was significant; those in man–man pairs were more likely than those in woman–woman pairs to indicate their friend could consent and they would allow their friend to have sex if approached by an interested party. Participants also indicated that they did not perceive themselves or their friends to be "too intoxicated" as common reasons why they believed they and their friend could consent. Because alcohol-facilitated sexual assault is common among college students, we recommend sexual assault prevention educators focus on raising awareness regarding alcohol's negative cognitive effects, particularly related to consent communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined if identification with mainstream American culture (acculturation) and heritage culture (enculturation) are differentially associated with blackouts and other drinking consequences among male and female college students of color. Participants were college students (N = 150) who self-identified as a racial/ethnic minority and endorsed blackouts in the past year. Regression models were used to examine gender-by-acculturation/enculturation interaction effects on alcohol-induced blackout and other alcohol-related consequences. While acculturation was not significantly associated with either drinking outcome, enculturation showed a significant relationship with blackout frequency. Gender moderated this relationship; greater enculturation was associated with increased blackout frequency among male but not female students. The present findings suggest the importance of considering the interplay between enculturation and gender in understanding alcohol use among college students of color. Men who endorse high levels of enculturation may be at an increased risk of experiencing negative drinking-related consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "drunk utilitarian" phenomenon suggests that people are more likely to accept harm for the greater good when they are under the influence of alcohol. This phenomenon conflicts with the ideas that (a) acceptance of pro-sacrificial harm requires inhibitory control of automatic emotional responses to the idea of causing harm and (b) alcohol impairs inhibitory control. This preregistered experiment aimed to provide deeper insights into the effects of alcohol on moral judgments by using a formal modeling approach to disentangle three factors in moral dilemma judgments and by distinguishing between instrumental harm and impartial beneficence as two distinct dimensions of utilitarian psychology. Despite the use of a substantially larger sample and higher doses of alcohol compared with the ones in prior studies, alcohol had no significant effect on moral judgments. The results pose a challenge to the idea that alcohol increases utilitarianism in moral judgments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Young adults' use of alcohol and e-cigarettes are of public health concern, as they report among the highest prevalence for use of both substances. Many young adults use alcohol and e-cigarettes simultaneously (i.e., at the same time with overlapping effects) despite heightened risk for adverse effects. Objectives: This study assessed simultaneous use expectancies and changes in pleasure from e-cigarettes as a function of alcohol consumption and simultaneous use frequency. Participants (N = 408; Mage = 23.64 years; 52.7% female) recruited through Amazon MTurk completed measures of alcohol and e-cigarette use, and expectancies, pleasure and frequency of simultaneous use. Results: Separate linear regression models revealed that alcohol consumption was positively associated with expectancies for simultaneous use of e-cigarettes/alcohol and pleasure from simultaneous use (ps ≤.015). As individuals engaged in simultaneous use more frequently, they also reported greater expectancies for, and increased pleasure from, simultaneous use (ps <.001). Conclusions/Importance: Expectancies for simultaneous use may be greatest among young adults who consume more alcohol and engage in simultaneous use more frequently. Increased pleasure from e-cigarettes while drinking suggests that positive reinforcement may be implicated in simultaneous use patterns. Future research should examine the role of pleasure in simultaneous use trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective : This study examined pathways from childhood experiences of violence (i.e., physically and sexually violent victimization and experiences with parental intimate partner violence) to dating violence perpetration through attitudes toward violence and alcohol use among U.S. college students. Method : We used a subset of heterosexual U.S. college students (N = 3,375) collected by convenience sampling from the cross-sectional International Dating Violence Study (2001–2006), which included measures of childhood and dating violence, alcohol use, and attitudes toward violence. Structural equation modeling was used with appropriate estimation methods for nonnormal, ordinal, and clustered data. Results : The full model demonstrated acceptable fit (CFI = 0.950; TLI = 0.946; RMSEA = 0.034), accounting for 17% of the variation in dating violence perpetration. We found a significant indirect effect from experiences of childhood physical violence to dating violence perpetration via attitudes toward violence and two significant indirect effects from experiences of childhood sexual violence to dating violence perpetration via attitudes toward violence and alcohol use. Conclusion : Findings underscore how attitudes toward violence may be important targets for dating violence prevention programs and suggest that perpetration prevention programs should integrate trauma-informed approaches that are sensitive to college students' histories of childhood violent victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An association between early drinking onset and subsequent heavy drinking has been established, but interpretation is problematic: is the onset of drinking or of intoxication important; is early onset a marker for vulnerability or a causal risk factor; what role does recall bias play? We (1) compare the associations of onset indicators with subsequent risky drinking, (2) assess whether drinking onset has a stronger association with subsequent risky drinking than relative onset (deviation from cohort's median), and (3) study recall bias by examining within-cohort temporal changes in reported ages of drinking onset. The Finnish Drinking Habits Survey, a cross-sectional general population survey of 15–79-year-old Finns collected in 2016. Additionally, the four previous survey waves from 1984 to 2008 were used. Risky drinking was defined using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and the age of first drink (AFD) and of intoxication (AFI) were obtained by retrospective recall. All three indicators showed statistically significant associations with AUDIT, but AFI had the strongest association. Absolute age of onset had a slightly stronger association with AUDIT than relative age of onset. Recall bias of AFD was found for each birth cohort, as the reported AFD within each cohort increased over time. Onset of intoxication has stronger association with risky drinking than the onset of drinking. No gain was seen in measuring relative rather than absolute age of onset, which suggests that age of onset is not merely a marker of vulnerability to risky drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The change in physiological parameters and subjective feelings according to the speed of drinking alcohol has not been reported to date. The aim of this randomized crossover pilot study was to investigate the objective and subjective effects of different speeds of alcohol ingestion in healthy volunteers. Accordingly, 11 male and 7 female healthy Japanese adults were asked to consume 480 mL of beer at three different drinking speeds (80, 40, and 20 mL/5 min). According to the objective measurement, the transient increase in blood alcohol and serum uric acid concentrations was most inhibited at a drinking speed of 20 mL/5 min. Acetate, lactate, pyruvate, and lactate/pyruvate ratios did not differ between the three drinking speeds. Stimulant feelings measured by the subjective scores of the Brief Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale did not differ between the three speeds. However, the sedative feeling score obtained at a drinking speed of 20 mL/5 min (the slowest speed of alcohol consumption) was significantly weakened in comparison with those obtained at drinking speeds of 40 and 80 mL/5 min. Therefore, a slower consumption of alcohol mitigated the subjective sedative feeling. The effects of slower alcohol consumption may be caused by the slower slope of the increasing trend of blood alcohol concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]