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Delay discounting refers to one process by which an individual devalues delayed outcomes. Typical discounting tasks provide no information about events during delays to larger-later rewards. Imposing opportunity costs during the delay increases how steeply delayed rewards are discounted (P. S. Johnson, Herrmann, & Johnson, 2015). The present research evaluated whether distress tolerance (i.e., one's ability to tolerate distressing emotions and events) is related to discounting rates when opportunity costs are low, high, or unspecified. In a sample of predominantly female college students, we partially replicated that delay discounting was related to distress tolerance when opportunity costs were unspecified (significant relations confined to particular facets of distress tolerance), but distress tolerance was not related to delay discounting when opportunity costs were specified as low or high. The nature of the relation between distress tolerance and discounting when opportunity costs were unspecified was clarified by a significant interaction between alcohol use and distress tolerance; distress tolerance was unrelated to delay discounting except among participants with problematic alcohol use. Further research is needed to characterize relations between alcohol use, distress tolerance, and delay discounting and inform prevention and treatment efforts in at-risk populations. (PsycINFO Database Record, ((c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).)

Objective: To examine demographic differences in alcohol telescoping-the rate of self-reported movement from regular alcohol consumption to the onset of regular heavy drinking-as well as differences in ages of initiation of regular alcohol use and alcohol use to intoxication., Method: The present study compared the retrospective reports of 2037 clients (1252 males, 785 females) enrolled in substance user treatment facilities around the country in 1998 and 1999., Results: Overall, the findings support previous research, indicating that women generally move more rapidly than men from initiation of regular alcohol use to problem use (telescoping). The findings also indicate that African-Americans generally begin regular alcohol use later than their Anglo counterparts and move more rapidly from initiation of regular alcohol use to problem use (telescoping). Examining the sample by older vs. younger age groups demonstrates that gender and racial/ethnic differences in the age of initiation of regular alcohol use and in telescoping may be limited by age group, as these patterns appear in the older but not the younger cohort., Conclusions: These findings suggest that self-reported regular alcohol use, alcohol abuse, and telescoping differences vary dramatically by gender, race/ethnicity, and age cohort. Furthermore, the pattern of findings suggests that these differences are more likely the result of sociocultural than biological differences between the groups under study.

Purpose: To investigate the more immediate health effects of smoking and drinking among adolescents., Methods: Secondary analyses of data from the 1997 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse were conducted to explore the relationship between subjective and objective health outcomes and the use of alcohol and tobacco among adolescents., Results: The findings suggest that adolescents who smoke or drink actually report poorer health during adolescence than those who do not. In fact, adolescents who are frequent or heavy alcohol and tobacco users report poorer subjective overall health and a greater number of overnight hospital stays during the previous year than less frequent or intense users and than nonusers. In addition, the data revealed a number of significant gender and age group differences in reports of health outcome as well., Conclusions: Demonstrating to youngsters the more immediate, negative health consequences of alcohol and tobacco use might strengthen prevention messages and ultimately decrease the use of these substances among adolescents.

Background Alcohol use, especially at binge levels, is associated with sexual HIV risk behavior, but the mechanisms through which alcohol increases sexual risk taking are not well-examined. Delay discounting, that is, devaluation of future consequences as a function of delay to their occurrence, has been implicated in a variety of problem behaviors, including risky sexual behavior. Probability discounting is studied with a similar framework as delay discounting, but is a distinct process in which a consequence is devalued because it is uncertain or probabilistic. Methods Twenty-three, nondependent alcohol users (13 male, 10 female; mean age = 25.3 years old) orally consumed alcohol (1 g/kg) or placebo in 2 separate experimental sessions. During sessions, participants completed tasks examining delay and probability discounting of hypothetical condom-protected sex (Sexual Delay Discounting Task, Sexual Probability Discounting Task) and of hypothetical and real money. Results Alcohol decreased the likelihood that participants would wait to have condom-protected sex versus having immediate, unprotected sex. Alcohol also decreased the likelihood that participants would use an immediately available condom given a specified level of sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk. Alcohol did not affect delay discounting of money, but it did increase participants' preferences for larger, probabilistic monetary rewards over smaller, certain rewards. Conclusions Acute, binge-level alcohol intoxication may increase sexual HIV risk by decreasing willingness to delay sex in order to acquire a condom in situations where one is not immediately available, and by decreasing sensitivity to perceived risk of STI contraction. These findings suggest that delay and probability discounting are critical, but heretofore unrecognized, processes that may mediate the relations between alcohol use and HIV risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of parental alcoholism and various indices of family functioning on differentiation levels of young adults. A total of 813 college students completed the Differentiation of Self Inventory (DSI; Skowron & Friedlander, 1998), the Self-Report Family Inventory Version II (SFI; Beavers & Hampson, 1990), and questions related to experiences in their families of origin. Analyses indicated that parental alcoholism and levels of functioning, as well as certain experiences within alcoholic families, are significantly predictive of differentiation levels of adult children. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effects of various predictor variables on dimensions of functioning within alcoholic families. Participants were 173 college student volunteers from alcoholic families who completed a measure of family functioning, demographic questions, and questions related to experiences in their families of origin. Child abuse, spousal violence, parental divorce, length of time living with an alcoholic parent, parental marital status, and parental availability and predictability significantly affected family functioning, whereas frequency of parental drinking did not. Results suggest that quality of parental interactions with children is more important for functioning in alcoholic families than frequency of parental drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from a recent national survey of adolescent substance use, the present work examined whether adolescents with different patterns of alcohol and cigarette use differed in their estimates of the likelihood they would use an illegal drug in the future. While nonusers of either substance were the most likely to indicate that they would never use drugs in the future, users of both substances were the most likely to indicate that they would use drugs. In addition, while users of both were most likely to indicate that they were likely to use illegal substances, only-smokers were more likely than only-drinkers to indicate that they were likely to use such substances in the future. Results are discussed in terms of the gateway theory of drug sequencing and cognitive precursors of experimentation with illegal substances. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Examines whether the relationship between expectancies and alcohol problems would be moderated by gender and ethnicity. Comparison of the drinking behaviors and alcohol-related beliefs of groups with varied drinking practices and distinct drinking beliefs; Moderation of links between aggressive and self-control expectancies and drinking problems.

Presents a study which determined the relationship between ethnicity, gender and alcohol consumption. Number of individuals who participated in the study; Comparison made between alcohol consumption among Puerto Ricans and Irish Americans; Impact of ethnicity on drinking; Methodology used in the study; Effects of ethnicity, gender and temperament in drinking; Findings of the study.

Presents a study in which schoolchildren's alcohol-related beliefs were examined to identify any age-related differences in the content and salience of positive versus negative cognitions. Link between cognitive level and alcohol cognitions; How children reconcile the conflicting messages they receive about alcohol's positive and negative effects; Educational implications.

Compares how alcohol effect expectancies and reaction expectancies were related to one another and to male and female college students' drinking behavior. Weak links between the two expectancy domains; Different types and patterns of expectancies; Association of negative expectancies with less frequent drinking; Association of positive expectancies with frequent drinking.

This study explored the responses of sixth graders to a recently developed alcohol expectancy scale and a drinking attitude question. While factor analyses yielded the same "positive" and "negative" factors previously identified in scale construction, no significant gender differences were observed on scale items or factors. However, sixth grade males responded more favorably than their female counterparts to the general attitude item regarding alcohol consumption. Results also revealed that while male attitudes were related significantly to whether they reported observing adult intoxication in the home, female attitudes were not. Results are discussed in terms of their implication for the origins of initial male-female drinking behavior, differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]