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IntroductionIn adolescents, the relationship between alcohol-related blackouts (ARBs) and distinct cognitive changes lasting beyond intoxication is unclear. We examined ARBs as a predictor of persistent changes in the development of learning, memory, and executive function in participants from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) study.MethodsDescriptive analyses of the NCANDA sample (N = 831, 50.9% female, 12-21 years at baseline) identified ARB patterns within participants with an ARB history (n = 106). Latent growth curve modeling evaluated ARB-related performance changes on four neuropsychological measures across five years, excluding baseline data to reduce the magnitude of practice effects over time (n = 790). Measures included the Penn Conditional Exclusion Test (PCET), Penn Letter N-back Test (PLBT), Penn Facial Memory Test immediate (PFMTi), and delayed (PFMTd) recognition trials, and the Rey Complex Figure Test copy (RCFTc), immediate recall (RCFTi), and delayed recall (RCFTd) trials. Multivariate models were fit for raw accuracy scores from each measure, with ARB history (i.e., presence of past-year ARBs) as the main independent variable. Age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, assessment site, and alcohol use (i.e., past-year frequency) were included as covariates. Interaction effects between ARB history and alcohol use frequency were tested.ResultsBy year five, 16% of participants had experienced at least one ARB (59% of whom reported > 1 ARB and 57% of whom had an ARB lasting > 1 h). After controlling for demographics and alcohol use, ARB history predicted attenuated PFMTd performance growth at year one. Interaction effects between ARB history and alcohol use frequency predicted attenuated PFMTd performance growth at years one and two. ARB history predicted attenuated RCFTi and RCFTd performance growth by year four, but not PCET or PLBT performance over time. By contrast, greater past-year alcohol use predicted attenuated PFMTi and PFMTd performance growth between years two and four in adolescents without an ARB history.ConclusionWe found that ARBs predict distinct, lasting changes in learning and memory for visual information, with results suggesting that the developing brain is vulnerable to ARBs during adolescence and emerging adulthood.

BackgroundPregaming is a common, high-risk drinking activity among college students that has been largely unchangeable despite targeted intervention approaches. Therefore, identifying profiles of pregamers could enhance understanding of the risks associated with this practice and inform intervention development.MethodsThis study identified subtypes of pregamers in undergraduates (N = 911; 60% female, 42.9% White) attending 3 U.S. universities in 2012. Self-report data assessed recent alcohol use (overall, heavy, and pregaming), pregaming motives, and demographics. Alcohol-related consequences were assessed via the Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire.ResultsLatent profile analysis using pregaming-specific indicators assessing motives (e.g., to avoid getting caught) and consumption (e.g., estimated pregaming blood alcohol concentration) yielded 5 unique profiles. Three profiles were characterized by pregaming on 50% or more of all drinking events that differed by pregaming consumption and motives: Instrumental (5.3%; heavy consumption, intoxication-driven motives), Global (16.0%; moderate consumption, indistinct motives), and Risk-averse (18.3%; moderate-to-heavy consumption, negatively reinforcing motives). Two profiles reported lower levels of pregaming: Occasional (32.4%; moderate consumption, indistinct motives) and Infrequent (28.0%; lowest pregaming involvement). Cross-profile differences were then examined for demographics, general drinking and pregaming-specific motives, and alcohol-related consequences. Profile comparisons indicated differences in overall alcohol consumption, ethnicity, gender, current living arrangements, Greek involvement, and a variety of alcohol-related consequences (ps

Two studies evaluated the implementation of a stricter campus underage drinking policy on service utilization and bystander helping behaviors for alcohol-related medical emergencies. A program evaluation (Study 1) examined campus emergency medical service logs assessing changes in call volume and service utilization, finding a 30% reduction in call volume postpolicy change. Study 2 provided a qualitative data summarizing campus first responder (N = 35) accounts of off-duty alcohol-related emergency calls. Off-duty calls increased postpolicy change and thematic analyses indicated they were (a) motivated by fear of campus sanctions, (b) often yielded delays or failures to contact campus emergency staff, and (c) resulted from student misunderstandings of policy implications for bystander helpers. Findings highlight potential challenges in executing environmental strategies to reduce college drinking.

Drinking games and prepartying (i.e., drinking before going to a social gathering/event) have emerged as high-risk drinking behaviors in high school students. The present study examines the current prepartying behaviors of high school students who report current participation in extreme consumption games (e.g., Chugging) with those who do not. High school students (N=182) reporting current drinking games participation completed anonymous surveys. Gamers who prepartied frequently (vs. those who did not) were approximately 1.5 times more likely to play extreme consumption games, even after controlling for demographics, typical consumption, and participation in other types of drinking games. Practitioners should target adolescents who participate in extreme consumption games, particularly those who participate in this high-risk activity as a form of prepartying.

Pregaming (a.k.a., "prepartying," "pre-funking," or "predrinking") consists of drinking before going to a social function or gathering where alcohol may or may not be served. Existing research suggests that pregaming in high school and pre-college (i.e., the period between high school graduation and the start of college) is widespread. Moreover, pregaming prevalence appears to rapidly increase after students graduate from high school and transition into college. Thus, the purpose of this brief review is threefold: (a) to summarize the existing (albeit limited) research on pregaming among high school students and incoming college freshmen, (b) to present an overview of the risk factors that have been identified for participation in pregaming, and (c) to discuss the implications for practice that may be particularly relevant for school-employed/affiliated nurses as well as health practitioners who work in college settings.

Little is known about cigarette smoking among opioid users who are not in substance abuse treatment. The study examined cigarette smoking in out-of-treatment opioid users presenting at a hospital who participated in drug abuse research. Participants exhibited a high rate of smoking (92%) at baseline that remained unchanged at one year and were moderately nicotine-dependent. Nineteen percent preferred unfiltered cigarettes. Women were more likely to smoke menthol cigarettes; men were more likely to smoke unfiltered cigarettes. Caucasians tended to smoke more than other ethnicities and exhibited greater dependence. Out-of-treatment drug users continue to be at high risk for continued smoking.

The relationship between major depressive disorder (MDD), treatment modality, and mood was evaluated in smokers participating in cessation programs. Participants (N = 549, 53.7% women, 46.3% men, 28% endorsing past MDD episodes) were randomly assigned to a cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) or health education (HE) intervention. Participants with a history of recurrent MDD (MDD-R) had higher rates of abstinence in CBT compared with HE even when the contribution of mood and the interaction between mood and an MDD x Treatment variable were included in the model. Likewise, higher levels of mood disturbance were reported by MDD-R smokers compared with those reporting a single episode. The study replicated results reported by R. A. Brown et al. (2001) and expanded upon them by evaluating the differential contribution of poor mood on cessation outcomes relative to MDD history.

Forty-three per cent of women in the USA report some type of sexual complaint and these complaints have been shown to negatively impact quality of life and overall well-being. With proper training and experience, healthcare professionals are in a unique position to help their patients improve their sexual health. The present study was designed to increase knowledge about female sexual dysfunction by offering a continuing education workshop combining didactic and experiential learning. Healthcare professionals representing the specialties of obstetrics, gynaecology, primary care, psychiatry and psychology attended the conference. Participants completed a pre-and post-test questionnaire assessing levels of comfort, competence, attitudes toward female sexual health and readiness for change. Using the pre-and post-test questionnaire, participants reported a significant increase in awareness about the importance of discussing issues of sexual health with their patients. Participants also reported motivation (or intent) to ask their patients about their sexual health. Providing information about female sexual dysfunction and its impact on patients' quality of life, effective treatments and referral resources as well as giving healthcare professionals an opportunity to practise asking about sexual health with facilitated feedback may significantly improve their motivation to respond to female sexual complaints.

Differences in drinking, consequences, and perceptions were examined between alcohol-using college students by smoking status (current, past, and lifetime nonsmoker). Entering freshmen (N = 558: 45% male, 72% Caucasian, age M = 18) completed a questionnaire assessing smoking, drinking and current health perceptions. Results indicated current smokers drank more frequently, were more likely to drink to intoxication, and had "more" physiological consequences (e.g., blackouts, coordination problems) than past or lifetime nonsmokers, but past smokers also reported riskier drinking than lifetime nonsmokers. Despite a higher prevalence of alcohol-related health problems in both current and past smokers, no current health differences were found. Results replicate findings that current smokers are at increased risk for problematic drinking and identify past smokers as another risk group. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

This study assessed whether greater duration of involvement in a drug court program affected criminal justice outcomes. The major research hypothesis was that the length of participation in drug courts would be directly related to outcomes obtained during follow-up. Participants consisted of 226 individuals who entered two Florida drug court programs in Escambia and Okaloosa counties between June 1993 and June 1996. This sampling strategy was developed to insure that at least a one-year follow-up period was provided for each participant after discharge from the drug court program. Results indicate that the duration of time spent in a drug court program is significantly related to criminal justice outcomes, with greater time in the program associated with lower rates of follow-up arrest, and clearly support the importance of lengthy involvement in drug court programs and of expanded efforts to retain participants in these programs. KEYWORDS Drug court, early treatment termination, recidivism, treatment dosage effects, treatment duration

Prepartying (i.e. drinking before a social event/gathering) and participation in drinking games are two high-risk drinking behaviors practiced by adolescents. Engaging in both these drinking behaviors may contribute to a multiple risk paradigm, wherein the risk associated with one's general drinking is combined with the additional risk of rapidly ingesting alcohol as a result of one or both these activities. The present study examines this paradigm among high school students who reported alcohol use ( N = 240). Controlling for age and typical alcohol consumption, results indicated that participation in prepartying or drinking games was associated with more negative alcohol-related outcomes than non-participation. However, participation in both risky behaviors, as opposed to one, did not give rise to negative additive effects. Thus, students who participate in just one of these activities warrant the same attention from health professionals and school personnel as those who participate in both. Importantly, results also showed that students who reported drinking games participation and prepartying endorsed social and coping drinking motives just as frequently as students who only reported drinking games participation. However, students who engaged in multiple high-risk drinking behaviors were more inclined to drink to enhance the intensity of the 'high' associated with alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]