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Introduction: The increasing misuse of both prescription and illicit opioids has culminated in a national healthcare crisis in the United States. Oxycodone is among the most widely prescribed and misused opioid pain relievers and has been associated with a high risk for transition to compulsive opioid use. Here, we sought to examine potential sex differences and estrous cycle-dependent effects on the reinforcing efficacy of oxycodone, as well as on stress-induced or cue-induced oxycodone-seeking behavior, using intravenous (IV) oxycodone self-administration and reinstatement procedures. Methods: In experiment 1, adult male and female Long-Evans rats were trained to self-administer 0.03 mg/kg/inf oxycodone according to a fixed-ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement in daily 2-h sessions, and a dose-response function was subsequently determined (0.003-0.03 mg/kg/inf). In experiment 2, a separate group of adult male and female Long-Evans rats were trained to self-administer 0.03 mg/kg/inf oxycodone for 8 sessions, followed by 0.01 mg/kg/inf oxycodone for 10 sessions. Responding was then extinguished, followed by sequential footshock-induced and cue-induced reinstatement tests. Results: In the dose-response experiment, oxycodone produced a typical inverted U-shape function with 0.01 mg/kg/inf representing the maximally effective dose in both sexes. No sex differences were detected in the reinforcing efficacy of oxycodone. In the second experiment, the reinforcing effects of 0.01-0.03 mg//kg/inf oxycodone were significantly attenuated in females during proestrus/estrus as compared to metestrus/diestrus phases of the estrous cycle. Neither males nor females displayed significant footshock-induced reinstatement of oxycodone seeking, but both sexes exhibited significant cue-induced reinstatement of oxycodone seeking at magnitudes that did not differ either by sex or by estrous cycle phase. Discussion: These results confirm and extend previous work suggesting that sex does not robustly influence the primary reinforcing effects of oxycodone nor the reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior. However, our findings reveal for the first time that the reinforcing efficacy of IV oxycodone varies across the estrous cycle in female rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent police brutality and related violence against Black people, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, has further evidenced the disproportionate impact of systemic racism in our institutions and across society. In the United States, the alarming mortality rates for Black people due to police violence and COVID-19 related deaths are clear demonstrations of inequities within a long history of disparate outcomes. In understanding systemic racism, it is essential to consider how it is embedded within society and across socio-ecological levels. The Social-Ecological Model (SEM) is used to examine conditions within the environment that maintain systemic racism, including within our field and discipline. A behavioral-community approach for examining racism aids in determining points of intervention across multiple ecological levels that may contribute to behavior change, including with behaviorists. The science of behavior is well-suited to help examine the contingencies governing behaviors within and across systems, which is pivotal for addressing operant behaviors to influence long-term behavior change. This paper calls on the behavioral community to address systemic racism within our environments and systems of influence to contribute to a more equitable community. Systemic racism, including within the context of anti-Blackness, is examined by considering behavior change strategies that can be supported by behaviorists across socio-ecological levels. Tools for collaborative action are provided to support behaviorists in demonstrating the skills needed across a continuum of behaviors from allyship to anti-racism to actively address systemic racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present systematic review analyzes ways in which empirical studies in the field of school psychology have studied the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students in the past decade (2009–2019). Results from 23 studies revealed an over‐representation of quantitative studies conducted mostly in the United States and an over‐representation of majority White, cisgender, and high school participants across studies. Results also showed that studies in the last decade have: (a) focused on exploring negative attitudes and behaviors toward LGBTQ students and the outcomes of these attitudes and behaviors, (b) provided direction on how to support LGBTQ students in schools, and (c) analyzed the effects of bystanders and perpetrators on the well‐being of LGBTQ students. In addition, this review revealed ways in which studies in school psychology journals present prevention and intervention practices for creating a safe environment for LGBTQ students, including: (a) policies that focus on the inclusion and protection of LGBTQ students, (b) training for faculty and other school staff to promote LGBTQ students' safety, and (c) curriculum and extracurricular activities that address LGBTQ issues. We provide recommendations for improving the experiences of LGBTQ students in schools such as involving community stakeholders in drafting affirming policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The steady rise in prescription opioids such as oxycodone has led to a virulent epidemic of widespread abuse and deaths in the United States; approximately 80% of affected individuals initiate the habitual use of oxycodone by using prescription oral oxycodone. Given the importance of drug pharmacokinetics in determining abuse potential, we designed an oral operant oxycodone self‐administration (SA) procedure in rats to model drug intake by most human users/abusers of oxycodone. Key aspects of the model include limited initial drug intake followed by increasing drug concentrations during extended 4‐h sessions on alternating days. Sex and genetic predisposition are major determinants of human opiate abuse. Therefore, we studied females in seven inbred strains (WLI, WMI, LEW, DSS, F344, BN and SHR) and both sexes in three of these strains. All strains increased intake across serially increasing doses (0.025–0.2 mg/ml; p < 0.001): the range of intakes at the final concentration of oxycodone was 0.72 ± 0.17–4.84 ± 1.42 mg/kg (mean ± SEM) ‐ a 6.7‐fold difference across strains. In LEW, WLI and WMI strains, oxycodone intake increased significantly across all sessions in both sexes. However, in LEW and WMI male rats but not WLI, daily oxycodone intake was significantly lower across all 4‐h sessions than females (p < 0.005). The estimated heritability in oxycodone intake was in the range of 0.21–0.41. In summary, our novel operant oral oxycodone SA model captures the strong abuse potential of oral oxycodone and shows dose, sex and strain‐specific drug intake that is significantly dependent on heredity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Interventions informed by behavioral economics have the potential to change behaviors governed by underlying cognitive biases. This has been explored extensively for various use in healthcare including changing patient behavior and, more recently, physician behavior. We aimed to systematically review the literature on the use and effectiveness of behavioral economics-informed interventions in changing physician behavior. Method: We searched Medline, Cochrane Library, EBM Reviews, PsychINFO, EconLit, Business Source Complete and Web of Science for peer-reviewed studies published in English that examined the effectiveness of behavioral economics-informed interventions on physician behavioral change. We included studies of physicians in all care settings and specialties and all types of objectively measured behavioral outcomes. The reporting quality of included studies was appraised using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool. Results: We screened 6,439 studies and included 17 studies that met our criteria, involving at least 9,834 physicians. The majority of studies were conducted in the United States, published between 2014 and 2018, and were in the patient safety and quality domain. Reporting quality of included studies included strong (n = 7), moderate (n = 6) and weak (n = 4). Changing default settings and providing social reference points were the most widely studied interventions, with these studies consistently demonstrating their effectiveness in changing physician behavior despite differences in implementation methods among studies. Prescribing behavior was most frequently targeted in included studies, with consistent effectiveness of studied interventions. Conclusion: Changing default settings and providing social reference points were the most frequently studied and consistently effective interventions in changing physician behavior towards guideline-concordant practices. Additional theory-informed research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of these interventions to guide implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the incremental utility of emotion reactivity and emotion regulation in relation to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Participants included 379 college students aged 18-22 who completed self-report measures of emotion regulation, emotion reactivity, and NSSI. Emotion regulation was significantly related to NSSI both ignoring and controlling for reactivity, but the reverse was not true. Participants' use of NSSI for affect regulation appeared to moderate this relation. Findings support emotion regulation deficits as a target for intervention over and above heightened emotion reactivity, especially in those who use NSSI to regulate negative affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial numbers of students in the United States are performing below grade-level expectations in core academic areas, and these deficits are most pronounced in the area of writing. Although performance feedback procedures have been shown to produce promising short-term improvements in elementary-aged students' writing skills, evidence of maintenance and generalization of these intervention effects is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the immediate, generalized, and sustained effects of incorporating multiple exemplar training into the performance feedback procedures of a writing intervention using a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Results indicated that although the addition of multiple exemplar training did not improve students' writing performance on measures of stimulus and response generalization, it did result in greater maintenance of intervention effects in comparison to students who received performance feedback without generality programming and students who engaged in weekly writing practice alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We reviewed randomized controlled trials conducted in the United States from January, 1996 through December, 2011 that examined family interventions for adult mental health conditions. We identified 51 articles (39 trials) evaluating 21 different family interventions. Findings for behavioral couple or family therapy (BCT/BFT) and community reinforcement and training (CRAFT) for substance use disorders were each pooled separately for examination in meta-analyses. Findings suggest BCT/BFT reduced substance use (small-to-moderate effects) and improved relationship adjustment (large effects) compared to individually-oriented treatments. CRAFT increased treatment initiation three-fold but did not improve substance use or family functioning over alternative family interventions. Family focused therapy for bipolar disorder improved symptoms over less intensive treatments with mixed findings when compared to equally intensive treatments. For both bipolar disorder and schizophrenia spectrum disorders, the few trials meeting our search criteria and heterogeneity among trials precluded generating broader conclusions regarding which family interventions are most effective for US populations. Overall, trials were limited in their methodological quality, and many interventions were evaluated in one trial. Future research is needed to replicate findings for these single trials, examine relationship distress as a moderator of outcome, and examine BCT/BFT among dual substance using couples and outside the research group frequently represented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The needs of students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds have become a growing concern in United States. As an even greater challenge, educators are looking at effective interventions to provide appropriate education for CLD students with disabilities. The Social Story technique is a practical behavioral intervention which has been regarded as an individualized intervention since the student's needs, background, and learning style should be taken into consideration when using this technique. This research study used an ABA design to compare the modified Social Story technique with and without culturally familiar components. Three students with exceptional needs who came from CLD backgrounds and live in this southwestern city of United States participated in this study. Findings are discussed in relation to study results, limitations, and applications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: School recess is an opportunity to include students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) with their typically developing peers and is a setting in which instruction can occur. However, the educational opportunities for children with ASD within recess are often overlooked and recess time is being reduced or eliminated in the United States. This review involved a systematic search and analysis of 15 studies that utilized recess to implement academic, social, or behavioral interventions for students with ASD. Each identified study that met pre-determined inclusion criteria was analyzed and summarized in terms of: (a) participant characteristics, (b) intervention procedures, (c) dependent variables, and (d) intervention outcomes. This review has three main aims: (a) to evaluate and synthesize the evidence-base, (b) to inform and guide teachers interested in utilizing recess time for educational purposes, and (c) to stimulate and guide future research in this area. Results demonstrate that recess time can indeed be used to teach target behaviors to students with ASD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A wealth of research and experience after 9/1] has led to the development of evidence-based and evidence-informed guidelines and strategies to support the design and implementation of public mental health programs after terrorism and disaster. This article reviews advances that have been made in a variety of areas, including development of improved metrics and methodologies for conducting needs assessment, screening, surveillance, and program evaluation; clarification of risk and resilience factors as these relate to varying outcome trajectories for survivors and inform interventions; development and implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed early, midterm, and late interventions for children, adults, and families; adaptation of interventions for cultural, ethnic, and minority groups; improvement in strategies to expand access to postdisaster mental health services; and enhancement of training methods and platforms for workforce development among psychologists, paraprofessionals, and other disaster responders. Continuing improvement of psychologists' national capacity to respond to catastrophic events will require more systematic research to strengthen the evidence base for postdisaster screening and interventions and effective methods and platforms for training. Policy decisions are clearly needed that enhance federal funding to increase availability and access to services, especially for longer term care. Traumatic bereavement represents a critical area for future research, as much needs to be done to clarify issues related to reactions and adaptation to a traumatic death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Previous studies have reported health utilities for migraine patients as generally measured between migraine attacks, but health utility data for within a migraine attack are unavailable. We evaluated within-attack health utilities among acute migraine patients experiencing different grades of headache severity. Methods: We examined data for 330 20-65-year-old adults, in good physical health, who had 1-6 moderate/severe migraine attacks per month in the 2 months prior to the screening visit. Data were collected from a multicenter, double-blind study of a treatment for acute migraine in the United States. The EQ-5D system was used to measure generic health status at baseline and 24 h post-treatment within an acute migraine attack, and patients were also asked to rate their pain level at these time points (no, mild, moderate, or severe pain). The D1 time-trade-off scoring algorithm for the U.S. population was applied. Confidence intervals were estimated by bootstrap methods. Results: The study population was 88% women and 78% white ethnicity, with 60% of subjects over age 40. The disutility of mild migraine pain was estimated to be 0.140 (95% CI: 0.0848, 0.1940), with a disutility for moderate migraine pain of 0.186 (95% CI: 0.1645, 0.2053) and for severe migraine pain of 0.493 (95% CI: 0.4100, 0.5654). Conclusions: Within-attack disutilities estimated for migraine in this study are much greater than those reported for migraine when evaluated as a chronic health condition (e.g., valuations collected at random time points). These data can be of value in adapting results from clinical trials of migraine interventions to cost-utility policy analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine readiness to change as a predictor of post-intervention alcohol consumption among Hispanic college student drinkers taking part in a brief harm reduction intervention. Method: Participants of the intervention study were 109 Hispanic college students residing on the US/Mexico border who self-identified as regular drinkers. This manuscript reports findings from a subset of participants who had complete data at 3-month follow-up (N=84). Participants completed the Readiness to Change Questionnaire, the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index, and the Form-90 Steady Pattern drinking assessment prior to receiving an intervention. Results: Hierarchical least-squares regression was used to predict baseline readiness to change scores from alcohol consumption and related consequences, and then to predict 3-month post-intervention drinking from baseline drinking and readiness to change. Alcohol consumption and consequences significantly predicted readiness to change at baseline, and follow-up drinking was significantly predicted from baseline drinking, readiness to change, and an interaction between the two variables. Findings indicated that readiness to change may function differently in people with varying levels of alcohol involvement. Conclusions: Greater readiness to change predicted reduced alcohol consumption only among the heaviest drinkers; among lighter drinkers, greater readiness to change predicted increased alcohol consumption. Possible explanations for this finding are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Interventions are needed to address the high prevalence of tobacco use among blue-collar, motor freight workers in the United States. In the present study, we conducted an evaluation of the Gear Up for Health study to evaluate which intervention components associated with this print- and telephone counseling-based tobacco intervention were associated with affecting psychosocial indicators of future quitting, number of quit attempts, and quitting tobacco. The sample is comprised of 64 baseline tobacco users. The intervention components evaluated were receipt of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), aspects of the counseling calls, the targeted and tailored print materials, and goal setting. The results indicated that several intervention components were related to tobacco cessation, and less frequently related to psychosocial indicators (i.e. intention and self-efficacy) and quit attempts. A higher percentage of those who quit using tobacco, versus not quitting, thought the number of calls were just right (100% vs. 75%), received NRT (87% vs. 56%), read most or all of the materials (100% vs. 70%), found the materials to be very helpful (87% vs. 30%), set tobacco goals (93% vs. 58%) and met these goals (100% vs. 44%) (p ≤0.05 for all). These results may be used in planning future interventions and indicated that perceptions of materials, call number, and call content may be more important than absolute call number or duration. Thus, the number and duration of counseling calls may be flexible and determined in response to the needs of participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities That Care (CTC) is a prevention system designed to reduce adolescent substance use and delinquency through the selection of effective preventive interventions tailored to a community's specific profile of risk and protection. A community-randomized trial of CTC, the Community Youth Development Study, is currently being conducted in 24 communities across the United States. This article describes the rationale, multilevel analyses, and baseline comparability for the study's longitudinal cohort design. The cohort sample consists of 4,407 fifth- and sixth-grade students recruited in 2004 and 2005 and surveyed annually through ninth grade. Results of mixed-model ANOVAs indicated that students in CTC and control communities exhibited no significant differences (ps > .05) in baseline levels of student outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses some opportunities for intervention in hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women. It cites that family physicians play an important role to improve the care of women with HSDD by taking a proactive approach for identifying sexual concerns. Pharmacological, hormonal and alternative therapies for HSDD are provided. According to the article, family physicians can help in enhancing the management of HSDD by increasing the recognition of the disorder in women.

Abstract: This study tested the effects of a school-based test anxiety intervention among ethnic minority youth. The study used a prospective intervention design with a sample of (N = 94) ninth graders from New Orleans exposed to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Thirty youth with elevated test anxiety completed a primarily behavioral (e.g., relaxation training combined with gradual exposure to anxiety-provoking test-related stimuli) group administered, test anxiety reduction intervention. Results indicated a significant effect of the intervention on test anxiety and academic performance. Moreover, change in test anxiety predicted change in post traumatic stress symptoms (PTS) and there appeared to be no negative effects on natural PTS symptom decline. Results are discussed in terms of the potential utility of school-based test anxiety interventions in fostering school success in ethnic minority students, in post-disaster environments and in anxiety prevention efforts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An estimated 17 to 37 million Americans struggle with sexual addiction (Carnes, 1994; Cooper, Delmonico, & Burg, 2000; Morris, 1999; Wolfe, 2000), the majority of those being heterosexual men (Cooper, Delmonico, & Burg, 2000). The following article reflects the results of a pilot study group focused on the use of the trauma egg as an intervention, for three Caucasian women married to sexually addicted men. Emergent themes resulting from the processing of the trauma egg intervention, as well as recommendations for future research, are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research examining relationship distress and dissolution highlights the importance of romantic disengagement. Nevertheless, prior conceptualizations and measures of romantic disengagement have tended to combine disengagement with related but distinct constructs hindering the study of romantic disengagement. The present research used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to clarify the conceptualization of romantic disengagement and to develop a novel measure—the Romantic Disengagement Scale (RDS). The RDS demonstrated adequate fit across samples of dating individuals ( n = 203), married couples ( n = 77), and women in physically aggressive relationships ( n = 42) from the Midwestern United States. The RDS also demonstrated strong divergent and incremental validity. The discussion focuses on implications for enhancing conceptual models, research methodology, and clinical interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailored health communications to date have been based on a rather narrow set of theoretical constructs. This study was designed to test whether tailoring a print-based fruit and vegetable (F & V) intervention on relatively novel constructs from self-determination theory (SDT) and motivational interviewing (MI) increases intervention impact, perceived relevance, and program satisfaction. The study also aimed to explore possible user characteristics that may moderate intervention response. African American adults were recruited from two integrated health care delivery systems, one based in the Detroit Metro area and the other in the Atlanta Metro area, and then randomized to receive three tailored newsletters over 3 months. One set of newsletters was tailored only on demographic and social cognitive variables (control condition), whereas the other (experimental condition) was tailored on SDT and MI principles and strategies. The primary focus of the newsletters and the primary outcome for the study was fruit and vegetable intake assessed with two brief self-report measures. Preference for autonomy support was assessed at baseline with a single item: “In general, when it comes to my health I would rather an expert just tell me what I should do”. Most between-group differences were examined using change scores. A total of 512 (31%) eligible participants, of 1,650 invited, were enrolled, of which 423 provided complete 3-month follow-up data. Considering the entire sample, there were no significant between-group differences in daily F & V intake at 3 month follow-up. Both groups showed similar increases of around one serving per day of F & V on the short form and half a serving per day on the long form. There were, however, significant interactions of intervention group with preference for autonomy-supportive communication as well as with age. Specifically, individuals in the experimental intervention who, at baseline, preferred an autonomy-supportive style of communication increased their F & V intake by 1.07 servings compared to 0.43 servings among controls. Among younger controls, there was a larger change in F & V intake, 0.59 servings, than their experimental group counterparts, 0.29 servings. Conversely, older experimental group participants showed a larger change in F & V, 1.09 servings, than older controls, 0.48. Our study confirms the importance of assessing individual differences as potential moderators of tailored health interventions. For those who prefer an autonomy-supportive style of communication, tailoring on values and other motivational constructs can enhance message impact and perceived relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores themes and concerns that are associated in identifying and adopting effective practices and strategies for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). It discusses the importance of developing specialized treatments and interventions to address the needs of learners with autism-related challenges. It highlights the establishment of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 within the U.S. Department of Education to clarify and streamline definitions and evaluation methods in the U.S. education.

We explored what authors allegedly do and why, when invited to revise and resubmit manuscripts to refereed journals. Based on responses from 249 business and management scholars from the UK and USA, we found that authors preferred to resubmit to the original journal, whether the required revision was minor or major, and that under certain circumstances other options would be considered: submitting to alternative journals, sometimes without revising at all; discarding the paper; or challenging the editor. Experience in publishing was found to be an important moderator. As to ‘why’ they purport to do so, a classification of qualitative responses yielded a matrix of four optional strategies, grouped along two axes: rationale (instrumental reasoning versus ethical reasoning) and agency (individually centred reasoning versus community-centred reasoning). Most responses were located in the instrumental/self-centred quadrant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study responds to the identified need for evidence-based substance abuse* interventions by examining the effects of an innovative dual processing substance use intervention aimed at decreasing the risk for substance relapse by targeting emotional regulation capacity. The study was completed in partnership with a Latino-serving community-based substance user treatment agency in a rural Northeastern region of the United States in 2005-2006 and was supported with pilot monies from the University at Albany School of Social Welfare NIDA-funded research center. The sample (N = 29) was comprised of adults with a diagnosis of substance dependence seeking treatment in an outpatient program. Study findings indicated that individuals who participated in the dual-processing treatment group decreased their craving with a trend toward increased self-efficacy over time in treatment and did not show treatment response differences across Latino and non-Latino clients, suggesting that treatment application was similar across these groups. The study's limitations are noted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical activity is an important, but often underused, therapeutic strategy within diabetes care. To date, little is known about the best way to promote physical activity in diabetes care. Physical activity consultation is an intervention designed to promote physical activity behaviour change. This article provides guidelines on how to conduct a physical activity consultation with people who have Type 2 diabetes, and reviews the evidence surrounding the effectiveness of this intervention in this population. The trans-theoretical model is the underlying theory of behaviour change for the physical activity consultation intervention. The review identifies research which supports the use of this model for understanding physical activity behaviour in people with Type 2 diabetes. The review outlines a number of modifiable variables associated with physical activity behaviour change in this population. How each of these variables is addressed within the guidelines for conducting a physical activity consultation is identified. Finally, limited but consistent research highlights the effectiveness of physical activity consultation for promoting physical activity in people with Type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers suggest that culturally specific (CS) interventions are important in addressing smoking-related health disparities. Yet, little research has examined the perspectives of African American smokers regarding these efforts. This qualitative study sought to gain insight into perceptions related to (a) the smoking prevalence among African Americans, (b) smoking-related health disparities, (c) expectancies for CS interventions, (d) methods of recruiting research participants, and (e) key intervention components. Six focus groups were conducted with 41 African American smokers (aged 21–64) at a community health center. Content analyses revealed several themes, including the perception that smoking is normative among African Americans, limited knowledge of racial health disparities, mixed perceptions regarding race as a risk factor for illness, and mixed expectancies for the efficacy of CS interventions. In conclusion, individual differences, such as smoking norms, knowledge of health disparities, and intervention expectations may influence receptivity to CS treatments. Implications for tobacco interventions among African Americans are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A theory-based protection and risk model was applied to explain variation in college students' cigarette smoking. Key aims were to examine whether psychosocial and behavioral protective and risk factors can account for cross-sectional and developmental variation in smoking, and to examine whether protection moderates the impact of risk on smoking involvement. Data for this three-wave longitudinal study were collected in fall 2002, spring 2003, and spring 2004 from 549 male and 427 female first-semester college students at the University of Colorado, Boulder. A 32-page questionnaire was used, with content theoretically derived from the constructs in problem-behavior theory. Cigarette smoking (number of cigarettes smoked on an average day in the past month), three types of psychosocial protection (models protection, controls protection, support protection), three types of psychosocial risk (models risk, opportunity risk, and vulnerability risk), two types of behavioral protection (church involvement, academic achievement), and two types of behavioral risk (problem drinking, marijuana use) were assessed. Psychosocial and behavioral protective and risk factors accounted for significant variation in smoking involvement, and protection moderated the impact of risk. Findings were consistent, for the most part, for both genders and across three separate waves of data. Key predictors of smoking involvement included controls protection, models risk, vulnerability risk, behavioral protection, and behavioral risk. Antecedent protective and risk factors were associated with the initiation of smoking in the college setting. A model of protective and risk factors can be useful in understanding college smoking behavior and suggesting targets for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about factors associated with smoking among the unemployed. This study estimated the prevalence of smoking and examined sociodemographic factors associated with current, former, and successful quitting among unemployed adults aged 18–64. Cross-sectional data on 13,480 participants in the 1998–1999 and 2001–2002 Tobacco Use Supplements to the Current Population Surveys were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine factors associated with study outcomes (current vs. never, former vs. current, successful quitter vs. other former smoker). Among the unemployed, 35% were current smokers and 13% were former smokers. Of the former smokers, 81% quit successfully for at least 12 months. Participants with family incomes of less than US$25,000 were more likely than those with incomes of $50,000 or more to currently smoke (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.85–2.46). Service workers and blue-collar workers were less likely than white-collar workers to report former smoking. Participants unemployed for 6 months or more were twice as likely as those unemployed for less than 6 months to quit successfully (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.07–3.95). Unemployed blue-collar workers had a greater odds ratio of successfully quitting than white-collar workers (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.17–2.87). Smoking rates were high among the unemployed, and quitting behaviors varied by sociodemographic factors and length of unemployment. Studies are needed to examine the feasibility of cessation interventions for the unemployed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined multiple dimensions of social support as predictors of depressive symptoms among a highly vulnerable population. Social network analysis was used to assess perceived and enacted dimensions of support (emotional, financial, instrumental), network conflict, closeness, and composition. Participants were 393 current and former injection drug users who were 72% ≤ poverty level, 96% African American, 39% HIV seropositive. At baseline, 37% had high depression scores (CES-D ≥ 16). Adjusted logistic regression indicated that for every additional network member providing financial support, the odds of probable depression 1 year later decreased by 23%, and for every additional conflictive network tie the odds of depression increased by 57%. Findings suggest the greater importance to this population's psychological well-being of received support specific to environmental demands, rather than support perceived potentially available. The findings suggest potential directions for intervention. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of a function-based intervention implemented with a student, Shawn, who had attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, internalizing behavioral problems, and a speech and language impairment. Shawn attended a fourth-grade classroom in a self-contained school that served students with emotional and behavioral disorders. During language and math classes, Shawn exhibited high rates of off-task behavior. His teacher viewed these behaviors as disruptive, creating lost instructional time for all students. Functional assessment data indicated that Shawn's off-task behavior was maintained by attention (positive reinforcement) and escape from tasks (negative reinforcement). A function-based intervention including a communication system, a self-monitoring component, and extinction resulted in improvements in Shawn's behavior. The classroom teachers and Shawn rated the intervention favorably. Limitations and directions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to describe the development of a family-based intervention designed to target the harmful effects of exposure to family and community violence on urban youth and their parents. The program, "Supporting Urban Residents to be Violence-Free in a Violent Environment (SURVIVE)," is a 12-week multiple family group (MFG) intervention modeled upon similar children's mental health programs, implemented with urban youth of color and their families in several major U.S. cities. The design and implementation of the SURVIVE Community Project were guided by a collaborative partnership between community members, including mental health professionals, teachers, and parents from the Bronx, and an interdisciplinary team of university-based researchers. In order to establish the feasibility and relevance of the program for urban communities, 25 families with children ages 7-11 participated in a pilot test of the curriculum. The description of the SURVIVE Community Project provided here is based on this work, and includes a discussion of facilitation issues. Implications for family-based intervention targeting urban children and families affected by violence are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responsiveness to intervention ORTI) initiatives have promise for meeting the literacy needs of all students, thereby preventing learning difficulties and school failure. In the authors' school districts in Michigan and Florida, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are participating in RTI initiatives at every level. In some respects, RTI activities already are incorporated into SLPs' curriculum-relevant practices; in other respects, RTI initiatives introduce new roles for SLPs. This article places RTI models and activities in the context of a curriculum-relevant service delivery model and contrasts both with a traditional medical model. Case examples from the authors' districts illustrate how SLPs can play active roles in RTI initiatives and how it is possible to merge new roles with current practices by shifting from a caseload to workload view of time management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the performance of students, teachers, and schools defining success under current standards-based accountability policies (e.g. Chicago Public Schools (Note 1); No Child Left Behind Act, (United States Department of Education, 2002)), school districts are implementing various forms of intervention programs as a means to improve student performance. By examining a pilot summer school program that is transitioning from a 'low-stakes' to a 'high-stakes' intervention program, this article examines the possibilities that exist for students to author themselves as learners, and it questions whether opportunities for students to identify themselves as successful learners are lost when an intervention program, such as summer school, becomes mandatory. The implications of this analysis highlight questions and concerns that policymakers and school personnel need to address when formulating high-stakes standardsbased accountability policies and intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although numerous interventions have been demonstrated to reduce targeted adolescent risk behaviors for brief periods, sustained behavior changes covering multiple risk behaviors have been elusive. Objective To determine whether a parental monitoring intervention (Informed Parents and Children Together [ImPACT]) with and without boosters can further reduce adolescent truancy, substance abuse, and sexual risk behaviors and can alter related perceptions 24 months after intervention among youth who have all received an adolescent risk-reduction intervention, Focus on Kids (FOK). Design Randomized, controlled, 3-celled longitudinal trial. Setting Thirty-five low-income, urban community sites. Participants Eight hundred seventeen African American youth aged 13 to 16 at baseline. Intervention All youth participated in FOK, an 8-session, theory-based, small group, face-to-face risk-reduction intervention, 496 youth and parents received the 1-session ImPACT intervention (a videotape and discussion), 238 of the ImPACT youth also received four 90-minute FOK boosters delivered in small groups. Main Outcome Measures Responses at baseline and 24 months after intervention to a questionnaire assessing risk and protective behaviors and perceptions. Analyses used General Linear Modeling, intraclass correlation coefficient, analysis of covariance, and multiple comparisons with least significant difference test adjustment. Results After adjusting for the intraclass correlation coefficient, 6 of 16 risk behaviors were significantly reduced (P≤.05) among youth receiving ImPACT compared with youth who only received FOK (respectively, mean number of days suspended, 0.65 vs 1.17; carry a bat as a weapon, 4.1% vs 9.6%; smoked cigarettes, 12.5% vs 22.7%; used marijuana, 18.3% vs 26.8%; used other illicit drugs, 1.4% vs 5.6%; and, asked sexual partner if condom always used, 77.9% vs 64.9%). Four of the 7 theory-based subscales reflected significant protective changes among youth who received ImPACT. ImPACT did not produce any significant adverse effects on behaviors or perceptions. Conclusion A parent monitoring intervention can significantly broaden and sustain protection beyond that conferred through an adolescent risk-reduction intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batterer counseling has become the centerpiece of batterer intervention in the United States but faces questions about its utility across regions and cultures. A multisite evaluation of conventional gender-based cognitive-behavioral counseling produced comparable reassault rates across three regions of the United States. Preliminary results from a clinical trial of specialized counseling for African American men also show similar outcomes for the conventional counseling and specialized counseling. Some basic counseling principles may have broader application than expected. Variations in the intervention systems, however, may help adapt batterer programs to different regions, and specialized counseling may be beneficial for men with high cultural identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the prevention of antisocial personality disorder in the U.S. Reasons for intervention in adolescence; Types of preventive activity; Barriers to primary prevention programs.

We review the rationale and empirical evidence for the use of incentive and contingency management strategies for smoking cessation. Plausible theoretical rationales exist for the application of these strategies to smoking cessation, and a great deal of research with illicit drug users in laboratory or controlled treatment settings suggests such strategies can be effective. Contingency management methods have been effective in modifying smoking behavior in volunteers not seeking cessation assistance in highly controlled settings. Incentives have been used primarily as a component of worksite interventions, in community-wide quit-and-win programs, in quasiexperimental and experimental trials, and more recently with low-income pregnant women. Worksite studies have rarely been designed to isolate the impact of incentives. Nevertheless, they appear to be useful in these settings especially in increasing participation and increasing awareness about the deleterious effects of smoking. Quit-and-win programs are used widely in the United States and internationally and appear to attract many participants and produce modest quit rates. The quality of the evaluations of quit-and-win programs varies considerably, and none has employed rigorous control or comparison groups to sufficiently identify the effect of incentives. Recent controlled studies have yielded promising results with pregnant smokers, and larger trials are in progress. We discuss key methodological issues in mounting and evaluating incentive interventions, particularly during pregnancy, and discuss the practical and ethical issues arising from the use of incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several approaches to help pregnant women to quit smoking. It is recognized that the interventions have been investigated to determine their effectiveness in reducing the urges of pregnant women to smoke. Melvin and Gaffney argue on the existence of a gap between knowledge and in policy implementation. They offer a critical analysis of the research evidence as it applies to the 2000 clinical practice guideline. The authors suggest the need for testing the effectiveness of novel behavioral interventions and consideration of pharmacotherapy for women with high levels of nicotine dependence. Cnattingius outlines the important public health impact of developing effective prenatal smoking cessation programs emphasizing the high prevalence of maternal smoking in many developed countries topic of non-disclosure is addressed by Russell and colleagues reporting that sole reliance on self-reported smoking status leads to varying estimates of U.S. national prenatal smoking prevalence rates, deceptive reports and faulty conclusions.

Examines the relationship of limit-setting interventions with six-month outcomes in assertive community treatment in the U.S. Approach to people with severe and persistent mental illness; Use of multiple regression analysis to control for baseline characteristics; Measurement of individual client exposure to limit-setting interventions.

This article describes the planning, implementation, and evaluation of school-based Wellness Centers operated by the Riverside Unified School District in Riverside, CA, as part of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). We describe the program as planned in terms of the theoretical model for the intervention and the evaluation design, and discuss the actual implementation including accomplishments and challenges. The program was designed to promote positive development and wellness for individual students via self- and teacher-referrals for personal and mental health problems handled through a case management and referral process, support groups, and other activities such as after-school programs, mentoring, tutoring, and parent training. An effort was also made to promote wellness at the school level by providing wellness campaigns, information, and compatible policies and procedures designed to enhance healthy development. Our observations are based on a qualitative assessment that was a component of the evaluation. A more detailed evaluation examining the impact of school-wide and student-focused activities on academic and behavioral outcomes is currently underway. However, we do include comments from students suggesting that the Wellness Center concept holds much promise for school-based mental health and violence prevention services. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We argue that the events of 11 september 2001 (911) should be understood as a tragedy in the Greek sense of the term. Contemporary US views of tragedy typically communicate a sense that little can be done to predict or explain catastrophic events. This leads to feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. Accordingly, traditional US psychological interventions focus upon ameliorative efforts only. In Greek notions of tragedy, however, the hero(ine) has a character flaw that contributes to his/her demise. Lessons are learned, and catharsis results. From the standpoint of the US as a tragic hero, psychological interventions should be both ameliorative and preventative. We contend that this overemphasis on ameliorative work and the limited views of terrorism's root causes are counterproductive. Indeed, we recommend that individual US psychologists and the American Psychological Association leadership engage in both ameliorative efforts and broadly conceived preventative work. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the findings of a study assessing the differential impact of educational interventions aimed at reducing HIV risk behaviors. Recent data have suggested that educational interventions aimed at reducing HIV risk behaviors have shown some success. But these interventions do not always reduce risk behavior and the success of interventions may be related to participant characteristics. The majority of the 741 participants in the study who completed an AIDS educational intervention report decreasing five out of six risk behaviors including unprotected sex and drug injection. Different variables were also found to be related to changes in the various risk behaviors. It was also found that the gender and education level were also not related to changes in any of the risk behaviors. Implications include the importance of developing approaches to retain higher proportions of younger participants, males and homeless in interventions. It was found to be particularly important to develop specific approaches to retain women in interventions. Another finding is that very little is known about the effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions in low seroprevalence and less urban areas and federally funded studies for injection drug abusers in the United States have focused on large cities only.

Evaluates the long-term effects of a peer advocate intervention on condom and contraceptive use among HIV-infected women and women at high risk for HIV infection in the U.S. Risk factors of HIV infection among women in the U.S.; Factors considered in the negotiation between a woman and her partner over the use of condom; Standard intervention for HIV infection in the U.S.; Implications of the peer advocate intervention for public health.

A B S T R AC T Sixteen children with diagnoses of autism and pervasive developmental disorder who participated in home-based behavioral intervention were evaluated retrospectively to determine whether the 'intensity' of service delivery (hours per week, duration in months, total hours) and the age at which intervention was introduced (before and after 3 years of age) influenced developmental rating scale assess-ments of progress. Children who were involved in services before and after 3 years of age all demonstrated significant changes on six develop-mental domains when assessed before and following intervention but there were no significant differences between these groups. Overall improvement in the areas of communication, cognitive and social-emotional functioning was predicted by the duration of time (months) that a child spent in home-based intervention. These findings are dis-cussed in light of recommendations for the 'intensive' behavioral treat-ment of young children with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to present behavioral interventions to assist persons with lung cancer in the management of feelings of breathlessness and, thus, also to enhance their quality of life. Overview: Breathlessness is a serious symptom that adversely affects the quality of life of persons with lung cancer. A review of the literature points to the value of exercises in assisting patients to breathe more effectively and to manage related anxiety. However, the professional literature frequently does not describe these basic interventions in enough detail to enable oncology professionals to learn them. Instructional materials, found in the popular wellness and self-help literature, are included in this article to more easily facilitate acquisition of these skills. Interventions described include exercises that enhance the use of the diaphragm when breathing and those that help to alter the breathing rhythm and to exhale more effectively. clinical Implications: All oncology professionals should be aware of the importance of breathlessness as a problem that diminishes the quality of life for patients with lung cancer. Addressing breathlessness through the use of psychosocially oriented behavioral interventions can act as an adjunct to the medical management of this debilitating symptom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines problems in evaluating outcome of aggression on school playgrounds for a preventive intervention of conduct disorders in the United States. Use of Linking the Interest of Families and Teachers intervention in targeting antisocial behaviors; Benefits of the intervention for treating moderately aggressive children.

This study evaluated the effect of Students for Peace, a multi-component violence- prevention intervention, on reducing aggressive behaviors among students of eight middle schools randomly assigned into intervention or control conditions. The intervention, based on Social Cognitive Theory, included the formation of a School Health Promotion Council, training of peer mediators and peer helpers, training of teachers in conflict resolution, a violence-prevention curriculum, and newsletters for parents. All students were evaluated in the spring of 1994, 1995 and 1996 (approximately 9000 students per evaluation). Sixth graders in 1994 were followed through seventh grade in 1995 or eighth grade in 1996 or both ( n = 2246). Cohort and cross-sectional evaluations indicated little to no intervention effect in reducing aggressive behaviors, fights at school, injuries due to fighting, missing classes because of feeling unsafe at school or being threatened to be hurt. For all variables, the strongest predictors of violence in eighth grade were violence in sixth grade and low academic performance. Although ideal and frequently recommended, the holistic approach to prevention in schools in which teachers, administrators and staff model peaceful conflict resolution is difficult to implement, and, in this case, proved ineffective. The Students for Peace experience suggests that interventions begin prior to middle school, explore social environmental intervention strategies, and involve parents and community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experience and research have shown that there are several discrepancies between philosophy, research, and practice regarding family involvement in early intervention and the use of family assessment information in determining early intervention goals. This article addresses these discrepancies and presents information to facilitate ideal family involvement in early intervention. Strategies for conducting family assessments while building collaborative partnerships with families are presented. Characteristics which produce effective collaborative partnerships are reviewed. The reality of working with families is presented through two vignettes and, finally, working with families who do not conform to expectations of ideal family involvement in family assessment or collaborative partnerships is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research and anecdotal reports indicate that suicide and violence risk may be higher among members of law enforcement than those in other occupational categories. This article examines the phenomenon of suicide and violence risk within this population, and law enforcement cultural variables that may contribute to elevated risk. Suicide and violence risk factors and clues unique to law enforcement are described, as are intervention approaches which may be helpful to managing and reducing risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the application of latent curve (LC) analysis to test developmental theories in intervention research in Baltimore, Maryland. Complexities encountered in prevention and intervention research; Comparison between LC models and the traditional fixed-effects models; Advantages and limitations of the LC models; Modification of LC models.