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The primary aim of the current study is to determine the incremental efficacy of adding a novel values component to a personalized feedback intervention for young adult drinking. Undergraduate students (N = 254) were randomized to receive either traditional, traditional with values assessment, or values enhanced feedback. Results showed significant decreases in drinks per week (p <.01) and alcohol-related consequences (p <.05) across all feedback conditions. Further research is needed to determine whether using values-based feedback could enhance intervention effects and how best to incorporate feedback in a way that is feasible and acceptable to recipients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between unrealistic optimism (UO) and risky sexual behavior (RSB) and related consequences in a college student sample. Participants believed they had significantly lower personal risk of engagement in alcohol-related sexual activity, unintended pregnancy, and STIs than the average college student (ps < 0.01). Compared to national data, participants significantly underestimated likelihood of HPV and sexual engagement with four or more partners in the next year (ps < 0.01). Findings support evidence of UO relating to RSB-related consequences, indicating need for improvements in sexual health education and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: College student alcohol interventions utilizing public health messaging describe consequences that are delayed and significantly negative, a strategy shown to be ineffective. It is possible that messaging related to immediate, likely, and less negative consequences may be better at reducing problematic drinking. Although research has investigated perceptions of subjective evaluations, no studies have included perceptions of likelihood of occurrence and temporal estimations of alcohol-related consequences. In the current study, we measured perceptions of consequences in terms of likelihood of occurrence, temporal estimations, and subjective evaluations. Methods: Undergraduate students (N = 308) from a large, Midwestern university completed an online survey assessing alcohol use patterns and perceptions of consequences (ie, likelihood of occurrence, temporal estimations, and subjective evaluations). Results: Students perceived failure to graduate and drunk driving to be the least likely, most negative, and most delayed consequences; vomiting and hangovers were the most likely, least negative, and most immediate consequences. Independent t-tests revealed statistically significant differences between high- and low-risk drinkers. Conclusions: Students perceived differences in consequences on temporal estimation, likelihood of occurrence, and subjective evaluations. Future studies should examine how these perceptions affect subsequent alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS) has been strongly linked with decreased experience of alcohol-related consequences, making them a potential target for intervention. Additionally, mindfulness is associated with decreased experience of alcohol-related consequences. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a model of PBS as a mediator of the effect of mindfulness on alcohol-related consequences. Additionally, mindfulness as a moderator of the relationship between PBS and alcohol use and consequences was examined.Methods: College students (N=239) at a large South Central university completed self-report measures of demographics, alcohol use and consequences, use of PBS, and trait mindfulness.Results: Results indicated that both higher levels of mindfulness and using more PBS predicted decreased alcohol-related consequences and consumption, with PBS mediating both relationships (p<0.01). Those with higher levels of mindfulness were more likely to use PBS, with individuals using more PBS experiencing fewer alcohol-related consequences and consuming fewer drinks per week. Mindfulness moderated the relationship between PBS and consequences, with a significantly stronger negative relationship for those with lower levels of mindfulness.Conclusions: Individuals who are higher in trait mindfulness are more likely to use PBS, which leads to a decrease in the experience of alcohol-related consequences. Furthermore, for individuals lower in mindfulness, low PBS use may lead to increased experience of alcohol consequences. Interventions that incorporate PBS may be most beneficial for students who are low in mindfulness and unlikely to engage in drinking control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous research has found that individuals who engage in risky health behaviors respond to health risk messages in a self-serving manner, limiting the impact of health messages among targeted individuals. The present study sought to investigate whether alcohol-using college students would respond to risk messages about alcohol use with a similar defensive bias. Both alcohol-using (N =244) and non-using (N =91) college students read a summary of alcohol risk information intended for college students. Participants then reported their attitudes about the seriousness of the problem of college drinking, personal risk, and the scientific credibility of the risk information. Results indicated that high-risk participants responded in a self-serving manner, with significantly lower ratings of problem importance among alcohol-using students and non-significant differences among assessments of personal risk between groups. Further, alcohol-using students were more critical of the scientific merit of the risk information and more skeptical about the empirical claims. Defensively biased responding was more pronounced among more frequent and heavy drinking students than among lighter drinking students. The implications of these findings as well as possible ways to reduce defensive bias are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to develop a new measure of incidental behaviors that put college students at increased risk of legal consequences while using alcohol, the Legal Risk Behaviors while using Alcohol (LRBA) scale. Two hundred and twenty one college students who used alcohol were recruited to complete an online study about their use of alcohol, specific behaviors engaged in while using alcohol, and associated consequences. Analyses revealed that the 19-item LRBA consisted of three factors - "Risky Behaviors," "Protective Behaviors," and "Private Settings." Analyses suggested that the LRBA had adequate test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Initial results indicate that the LRBA may be a useful measure to help us better understand what behaviors college student engage in that increase their risk for experiencing a legal encounter. [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]

One-third of college students report past-year heavy episodic drinking, making college student alcohol use an important area for continued research. Research has consistently linked early experiences of adversity to problematic substance use in adolescence and adulthood. Given the negative health consequences associated with heavy episodic drinking, it is imperative to identify mechanisms that contribute to this relation. Low levels of mindfulness have been linked to early adversity as well as impulsivity and alcohol use, therefore, the current study aims to examine the mediating role of mindfulness in the relation between early adversity and current alcohol use and consequences. Undergraduate students (N = 385) at a Midwestern university completed an online questionnaire assessing experiences of childhood adversity, trait mindfulness, and current alcohol use and related consequences. Results indicated that increased adverse experiences and lower levels of mindfulness predicted both increased alcohol consumption and consequences (ps < 0.025), with mindfulness mediating the relationships. Mindfulness is a predictor of alcohol outcomes and appears to mediate the relation between early adversity and alcohol use and consequences. Findings suggest that students with a history of adversity are more likely to exhibit lower levels of mindfulness, which may lead to an increase in alcohol consumption and consequences in early adulthood. Targeted alcohol intervention efforts that incorporate mindfulness skills may be particularly beneficial for those who have experienced early adversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Concurrent alcohol use and waterpipe (WP) smoking is common among young adults. WP smokers are more than twice as likely to use alcohol as non-users and frequently consume alcohol immediately before and during a WP smoking session. It is unclear what impact alcohol has on WP smoking patterns and resultant exposure to tobacco-related toxicants. The current research aimed to understand the association between alcohol consumption and WP smoke exposure among WP lounge patrons.Methods: Seventy-one lounge patrons (66.2% male; Mage=27.03, SD=5.32) completed pre- and post-WP session self-report measures and biomarkers of smoking (expired carbon monoxide; eCO) and alcohol consumption (breath alcohol concentration; BrAC) upon entering and exiting the WP lounge.Results: After controlling for number of bowls and charcoals smoked, greater consumption of alcohol was associated with greater smoke exposure among WP lounge patrons (p<0.05), such that a 0.1 unit increase in BrAC was associated with an eCO increase of 19.44ppm. This relationship was mediated by time spent in the WP lounge.Conclusions: Concurrent alcohol use resulted in greater eCO, likley due to participants spending a greater amount of time in the WP lounge and experiencing longer sustained exposure to secondhand smoke. These findings illustrate a need for further research on the impact of alcohol consumption on WP smoking to assess the potential need for regulation of these products in WP lounges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing discrepancy between one's values and behaviors is theoretically important in motivating change; however, existing studies lack a validated measure of value-behavior discrepancy for alcohol misuse. The current studies aimed to modify Wilson & DuFrene (2008) Valued Living Questionnaire (VLQ) to assess consistency of alcohol use with important values. In Study 1, the initial factor structure and test-retest reliability of the VLQ for Alcohol Use (VLQ-A) was tested in a sample of college students who regularly drink alcohol (N = 150). Results guided modifications to the measure. In Study 2, the revised measure's factor structure and predictive validity were tested with a second sample of college students who drink alcohol (N = 222). In both studies, exploratory factor analysis supported a unidimensional factor structure. Perceived discrepancy between alcohol use and important values predicted greater readiness to change, while perceived consistency between alcohol use and important values predicted more frequent heavy episodic drinking. Certain values were more useful in predicting outcomes than others. Alcohol use (heavy vs. moderate drinking) did not moderate outcomes. The VLQ-A is a brief and reliable self-report measure of perceived discrepancy between drinking behaviors and important values that may increase readiness to change. Future research examining the generalizability of findings to various samples and the efficacy of the VLQ-A as a supplement to brief interventions is warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

College students in the U.S. continue to drink in hazardous ways and experience a range of alcohol-related consequences. Personalized feedback interventions (PFIs), which often include normative components comparing personal drinking to that of similar peers, have been effective in reducing alcohol outcomes among college students. Though normative perceptions of the quantity and frequency of alcohol use have been examined in many studies, norms for alcohol-related consequences have received less attention. The current study examined self-other discrepancies (SODs) for alcohol-related consequences among college students. Participants overestimated how often alcohol-related consequences are experienced by other same-sex students on campus and rated consequences as more acceptable for others to experience than themselves. No differences in SODs were found between those who did and did not report alcohol use. Future studies should examine the efficacy of PFIs that incorporate normative feedback on alcohol-related consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The current study aimed to inform future interventions for heavy alcohol use and problems among college students by examining the utility of normative perceptions and coping strategies in predicting alcohol use among student service members/Veterans (SSM/Vs).Methods: SSM/Vs and civilian students (N=319) at a large university in the Southern Plains completed self-report measures of demographics, alcohol use and related behaviors, and coping strategies.Results: Both SSM/Vs and civilian students significantly overestimated the typical weekly drinking quantities and frequencies of same-sex students on campus. Among SSM/Vs, normative perceptions of typical student (not military-specific) drinking and substance-related coping strategies significantly predicted drinks consumed per week, while substance-related coping predicted alcohol-related consequences.Conclusions: Despite the theoretical importance of similarity to normative referents, military-specific norms did not significantly improve the prediction of SSM/Vs' personal drinking behavior. Moreover, neither typical student nor military-specific norms predicted alcohol-related consequences among SSM/Vs after accounting for substance-related coping strategies. Future research may examine the efficacy of descriptive normative feedback and the importance of military-specific norms in alcohol interventions for SSM/Vs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Personalized feedback interventions (PFIs) have been associated with decreased alcohol consumption and related problems among college students; however, the necessary and sufficient components responsible for efficacy remain unclear. The present study investigated the relative efficacy of 3 computerized PFIs with differing content, the content-specific mechanisms of change within PFIs, and the moderating roles of comparison orientation and baseline risk in intervention outcomes. Method: College students (TV = 212) reporting alcohol use in a typical week completed an assessment prior to randomization (norms PFI, enhanced PFI, choice PFI, assessment only) and 1 month postintervention. Results: Participants who received a PFI reported greater decreases in alcohol use, peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC), related problems, and perceptions of typical students' drinking than those in the control group. Neither tendency to compare oneself with others nor baseline risk moderated outcomes. PFIs influenced weekly alcohol use indirectly through changes in descriptive normative perceptions and alcohol-related consequences indirectly through changes in peak BAC. Conclusions: Computerized PFIs are more effective than assessment alone in decreasing alcohol use and related problems among college students. Normative comparisons may be sufficient to elicit behavior change, and inclusion of select additional components may not yield significant improvements in outcomes. However, the consistent benefit of including feedback on physical and monetary costs of drinking and moderation strategies, although nonsignificant, may warrant the negligible increase in time and money required to provide such information electronically. Computerized PFIs seem to be an ideal first step to the prevention and treatment of college alcohol misuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although personalised feedback interventions (PFIs) for alcohol misuse among college students have demonstrated reliable efficacy, effect sizes are modest and little improvement in efficacy has been observed in the last 15 years. More systematic and explicit application of theory may enhance our understanding of PFI mechanisms and lead to incremental improvements in efficacy. The current review identified intervention trials of PFIs (N = 93), the theoretical frameworks (N = 20) on which they were based, the extent to which theory was utilised in development and evaluation of the intervention, and the principles of behaviour change implicated in each of those theories. Though the majority of studies identified a theoretical framework for interventions, theory is not being tested uniformly across current studies of PFIs. A review of the most commonly cited theories resulted in identification of 11 theoretical principles of behaviour change: alternatives to behaviour, autonomy, commitment, expectancies, goals/change plan, interpersonal discrepancy, intrapersonal discrepancy, awareness of contingent outcomes, self-efficacy, skills necessary to overcome barriers and therapeutic relationship. Potential applications of these theoretical principles in PFI development and testing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: To examine the efficacy of a self-affirmation task in deterring college alcohol misuse and the importance of preexisting beliefs in predicting subsequent behavior change. Participants: Heavy-drinking undergraduates (N = 110) participated during the 2011–2012 academic year. Methods: Participants were randomized to complete an affirmation or control task before reading an alcohol risk message. Alcohol-related beliefs and behaviors were assessed. Participants completed a 2-week online follow-up assessing alcohol-related behaviors. Results: Both groups reported increased perceived problem importance, but neither group displayed changes in personal risk. Follow-up assessment revealed similar, significant declines in peak consumption in both groups, with no significant between-group differences. Preexisting beliefs accounted for 5% to 10% of variance in drinking outcomes. Conclusions: An affirmation task does not seem to decrease defensive processing or alter high-risk drinking behaviors among college students and should not be utilized in lieu of more effective strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Personalized normative alcohol feedback (PNF) is associated with decreased alcohol use among young adults. However, limited research has examined the influence of depressive symptoms on PNF efficacy. This study examined symptoms of depression as a moderator of college student response to a computerized PNF intervention for alcohol use.Methods: College students (N = 212, 59% female) who reported drinking in a typical week completed baseline and one-month assessments as part of a previously published intervention trial. We randomized participants to alcohol PNF (n = 153) or assessment only (n = 59). We used regression models to examine the interaction between PNF and symptoms of depression on alcohol outcomes at one-month follow-up.Results: One in four participants screened positive for clinically significant symptoms of depression. Depressive symptoms did not moderate intervention effects on drinking quantity. However, PNF was only associated with reduced frequency of heavy episodic drinking and lower probability of any alcohol-related consequence in the context of mild to moderate (not minimal) symptoms of depression.Conclusions: PNF is more effective than assessment alone in reducing drinking quantity, regardless of symptoms of depression. However, it may only be more effective in decreasing frequency of heavy episodic drinking and the probability of alcohol-related consequences among those experiencing mild to moderate (as opposed to minimal) symptoms of depression. Alcohol intervention trials should assess symptoms of depression and consider them in data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Personalized feedback interventions (PFIs) are associated with small but reliable decreases in alcohol consumption among college students. While they often include information regarding protective behavioral strategies (PBS), PFIs do not typically include feedback aimed to modify normative perceptions of PBS. This study aimed to enhance the efficacy of existing PFIs among college students by incorporating normative feedback on participants' use of PBS.Methods: Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (N = 268) completed baseline and 1-month follow-up assessments of past-month use of PBS, normative perceptions of PBS use, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related consequences. Participants were randomized to one of three conditions: typical feedback on PBS (typical strategies PFI), descriptive normative feedback on PBS (strategy norms PFI), or assessment-only control (AOC). Participants in the typical strategies PFI and strategy norms PFI conditions received web-based personalized feedback profiles.Results: Compared to AOC, both the strategy norms PFI and typical strategies PFI were effective in correcting participants' perceptions of other students' engagement in PBS (p = .01) but did not differ significantly from one another. No statistically significant differences were observed between conditions in terms of actual PBS use, alcohol consumption, or alcohol-related consequences at 1-month follow-up (p > .05).Discussion: The strategy norms and typical strategies PFIs were both successful in increasing normative perceptions of PBS use, indicating that general (rather than normative) feedback regarding PBS use may be sufficient for changing perceptions of PBS use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]