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BackgroundCOVID-19 has spread like wildfire across the globe, prompting many governments to impose unprecedented stay-at-home orders to limit its transmission. During an extended stay-at-home period, individuals may engage in more online leisure activities. Internet use is a double-edged sword that may have both desirable and undesirable effects on psychological well-being, and this study sought to disentangle adaptive from maladaptive internet use amidst this unusual health crisis. ObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of probable depression during the COVID-19 stay-at-home period and to test three hypothesized risk reduction or risk elevation mechanisms, namely social capital–accrual, escape-from-self, and time-displacement effects. MethodsThis study took place from March to May 2020 at the early stage of the pandemic. The study adopted a prospective design, with an online survey administered to 573 UK and 474 US adult residents at two assessment points 2 months apart. ResultsThe prevalence of moderate to severe depression was 36% (bootstrap bias-corrected and accelerated [BCa] 95% CI 33%-39%) at Time 1 (ie, initial time point) and 27% (bootstrap BCa 95% CI 25%-30%) at Time 2 (ie, follow-up time point). The results supported the social capital–accrual hypothesis by showing that the approach coping style was inversely associated with Time 2 depression through its positive associations with both social networking and perceived family support. The results also supported the escape-from-self hypothesis by revealing that the avoidant coping style was positively associated with Time 2 depression through its positive associations with both gaming and cyberbullying victimization, but the serial mediation model was no longer significant after Time 1 depression and some demographic risk factors had been controlled for. Finally, the results supported the time-displacement hypothesis by showing that gaming was positively associated with Time 2 depression through its inverse associations with social networking and perceived family support. ConclusionsDuring the extended stay-at-home period in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of probable depression during the 2-month study period was high among the UK and US residents. Individuals with distinct coping styles may engage in different types of online leisure activities and perceive varying levels of social support, which are associated with risks of probable depression.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic may have interfered with individuals' access to alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment, but limited research has documented the impact of treatment interference on drinking behavior. This study's purpose was to examine the associations of AUD treatment interference with problematic alcohol use, and the moderating roles of perceived stress and resilience. Method: A cross-sectional survey design was employed. Data were drawn from the baseline assessment of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol Study. Between June 2020 and March 2021, 288 participants (48.6% female, 51.4% male) responded to key measures of interest by phone and/or through an online survey. Study hypotheses were tested using multiple linear regression models adjusted for demographic characteristics (age, sex, race, ethnicity, years of education, household income, marital status), study enrollment phase, and history of AUD. Results: Self-reported AUD treatment interference was positively associated with problematic alcohol use as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (b = 2.05, p < 0.001). Significant moderation effects indicated the association between AUD treatment interference and problematic alcohol use was stronger at a high level of perceived stress (b = 3.08, p < 0.001) and was attenuated at a high level of resilience (b = -0.13, p = 0.874). Conclusions: Self-reported AUD treatment interference may indicate interruption to individuals' support systems and highlight the need for continued access to treatment. Fostering positive coping strategies and resilience may help individuals mitigate risks of problematic drinking amidst a public health crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Stressful life events are associated with problematic drinking, and alcohol misuse has been exacerbated during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While coping motives may account for this association, positive life events (PLEs) and enhancement motives are understudied. To address these gaps, we examined the associations of history of alcohol use disorder (AUD), negative life events (NLEs), and PLEs with problematic alcohol use and tested coping and enhancement motives as mediators. Methods The sample included baseline and follow-up data from 241 participants enrolled in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol Study. Endorsements of past year PLEs and NLEs and their associations with problematic alcohol use were examined. Among the 202 current drinkers, path analyses tested mediational pathways via coping and enhancement motives. Results The top two PLEs were change in work conditions (21.6%) and taking a vacation (20.3%). The top two NLEs were change in social activities (36.5%) and major change in recreation (26.6%). Individuals with a history of AUD and those who experienced more NLEs reported higher coping and enhancement motives, which were associated with higher problematic alcohol use. Individuals who experienced more PLEs reported lower coping motives, which was associated with lower problematic alcohol use. Conclusions Besides coping motives, enhancement motives were also associated with pandemic problematic alcohol use. Alcohol interventions targeting reward- and relief-driven drinking patterns may be beneficial to individuals with a history of AUD and those who experienced more NLEs. More research is needed to study PLEs which may help inform the development of strength-based alcohol interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prevention of early age initiation of cannabis use is a national priority, highlighting the importance of identifying cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control in relation to initiation age. Methods: Data were from the NEXT Generation Health Study, a national longitudinal sample of US adolescents followed from 10th grade (N = 1850). Cannabis-specific attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control were assessed at 10th grade. Age of first use was reported retrospectively 2-3 years after high-school and participants were categorized as early initiators (<14 years; 3.8%), high-school (HS) initiators (14-18 years; 35.6%), post-HS initiators (>18 years; 8.3%), or never users (52.3%). Results: Relative to never users, early initiators were more likely to endorse pro-use attitudes (AOR [adjusted odds ratio] = 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-4.50), less disapproving parental attitudes toward use (AOR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.45-4.28), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 3.81, 95% CI = 2.21-6.60), and higher ease of access (AOR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.14-3.87); HS initiators were similarly more likely to report less disapproving attitudes toward use (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.25-1.91), higher cannabis use among friends (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI = 2.18-3.65), and higher ease of access (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.21-2.28). Conclusions: Earlier cannabis initiation was associated with more favorable cannabis attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, highlight these variables as potential intervention targets.

Impulsivity is a personality-based risk factor that has been well studied in relation to risky sexual behavior. Recent conceptualizations of impulsivity have proposed multidimensional facets comprised of premeditation, perseverance, sensation seeking, negative urgency, and positive urgency (UPPS-P model). Prior studies have found that these facets are associated with risky sexual behavior in adolescent and college student samples, but no prior studies have evaluated them in clinical samples. The current study examined how impulsivity-related traits related to two different risky sexual behaviors in a clinical sample of at-risk young adults who had both conduct disorder and substance use disorder symptoms as adolescents (n = 529). Lack of premeditation was also tested as a moderator of the relationship between facets of impulsivity and both risky sex outcomes. Results demonstrated that sensation seeking, negative urgency, and positive urgency were correlated with risky sex behaviors. Additionally, multiple regression analyses indicated that sensation seeking was uniquely associated with the number of sexual partners in the past 5 years, whereas positive urgency was uniquely associated with unprotected sex while under the influence. Finally, a significant interaction between lack of premeditation and negative urgency suggests that at-risk young adults with both high negative urgency and lack of premeditation were the likeliest to have the most sexual partners in the past 5 years. This study adds to the current understanding of the relationship between reward- and affect-driven facets of impulsivity and risky sexual behaviors and may lend utility to the development of interventions for at-risk populations.

Risky driving behaviors are disproportionately high among young adults and impulsivity is a robust risk factor. Recent conceptualizations have proposed multidimensional facets of impulsivity comprised of negative urgency, premeditation, perseverance, sensation seeking, and positive urgency (UPPS-P model). Prior studies have found these facets are associated with risky driving behaviors in college student samples, but no prior studies have examined these facets in clinical samples. This study examined the unique and interactive effects of UPPS-P impulsivity facets on past-year risky driving behaviors in a sample of high-risk young adults (ages 18-30 years) with a history of substance use and antisocial behavior and their siblings (n=1,100). Multilevel Poisson regressions indicated that sensation seeking and negative urgency were uniquely and positively associated with both frequency of past-year reckless driving and driving under the influence. Moreover, lack of premeditation was uniquely and positively associated with reckless driving, whereas lack of perseverance was uniquely and positively associated with driving under the influence. Furthermore, lack of premeditation moderated and strengthened the positive association between sensation seeking and driving under the influence. These study findings suggest that assessing multiple facets of trait impulsivity could facilitate targeted prevention efforts among young adults with a history of externalizing psychopathology.

ObjectiveAmong northeast Asians, the variant aldehyde dehydrogenase allele, ALDH2*2 (rs671, A/G, minor/major), has been inversely associated with alcohol dependence. The strength of the associations between ALDH2*2 and drinking behaviors depends on the developmental stage, the phenotype studied, and other moderating variables. This study examined ALDH2 gene status as a moderator of the associations between parental drinking, peer drinking, and acculturation with alcohol use among 222 Chinese American and Korean American college freshmen.MethodNegative binomial regressions were used to test the main and interactive effects of ALDH2 with contextual factors on alcohol frequency (drinking days) and quantity (drinks per drinking day) in the past 3 months.ResultsALDH2*2 was associated with more subjective flushing symptoms and longer length of flushing but was unrelated to both alcohol frequency and quantity. Peer drinking was positively associated with both alcohol frequency and quantity, but neither was moderated by ALDH2. We observed a nonsignificant trend for the interaction between parental drinking and ALDH2 on alcohol frequency, where parental drinking was positively associated with alcohol frequency only among participants with ALDH2*2. We found a significant interaction between acculturation and ALDH2 on alcohol frequency, where acculturation was positively associated with alcohol frequency only among those with ALDH2*2. Exploratory analyses stratified by Asian ethnic subgroup indicated that this interaction was driven primarily by the Korean subsample.ConclusionsParental drinking and acculturation may facilitate more frequent drinking among those who have more intense reactions to alcohol (i.e., those with ALDH2*2) during the transition from high school to college.

Objectives: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a global health problem with significant negative consequences, including preventable deaths. Although olfactory dysfunction is associated with chronic alcohol drinking, the relationship among specific types of olfactory deficits, depressive symptoms, and problematic drinking remains to be explored. Here, we examined the prevalence of olfactory distortion (parosmia) and hallucination (phantosmia) and assessed their associations with problematic drinking and depressive symptoms. Methods: In April--June 2022, 250 participants across the spectrum of AUD were recruited for assessment in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Alcohol study. Surveys covered self-reported olfactory function, depressive symptoms, and problematic drinking, with key measures assessed, including the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and the Patient Health Questionnaire. Predictors in the analysis included parosmia and phantosmia, with covariates comprising age, sex, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, COVID-19 infection status, and smoking status. Results: Among 250 individuals, 5.2% experienced parosmia and 4.4% reported phantosmia. Parosmia was associated with higher Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test scores (β = 7.14; 95%confidence interval = 3.31, 10.96; P < 0.001), whereas phantosmia was linked to higher Patient Health Questionnaire scores (β = 3.32; 95% confidence interval = 0.22, 6.42; P = 0.03). These associations persisted in both the full sample and the subset of participants without COVID-19. Conclusions: Our study highlights strong existing links among olfactory deficits, problem drinking, and depressive symptoms, underscoring the need to assess smell impairments in clinical settings. Future research should explore these connections further to develop new treatments for individuals with AUD and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PurposeTo examine the associations between substance use and antisocial behavior trajectories and seven risky behaviors over time.MethodData were collected from a high-risk sample of adolescents followed into young adulthood. Five trajectory classes, identified based on dual development of substance use and antisocial behavior symptoms, were used to predict three risky driving and four risky sexual behaviors.ResultsIn this high-risk sample (n=530), participants reported notably high overall rates of reckless driving (55.5%) and unprotected sex under the influence (44.8%) in the past year. Risky behaviors that are typically of low base rates in population-based studies were also elevated, with 8.8% reporting past-year driving under the influence (DUI) charge, 17.6% reporting lifetime sexually transmitted infection (STI), and 10.4% reporting lifetime injection drug use. The Dual Chronic class had the highest levels of all seven risky behaviors, and were 3-4 times more likely to report risky driving, lifetime STI, and injection drug use than the Relatively Resolved class. Rates of past-year reckless driving and DUI were elevated among classes with persistent antisocial behavior, whereas rates of DUI, DUI charge, and unprotected sex under the influence were elevated among classes with persistent substance use.ConclusionsYoung adults with persistent co-occurring substance use and antisocial behavior engage in multiple very costly risky behaviors. Differential associations between risky behaviors and trajectory classes highlight the need for targeted interventions.

This study examined the moderating role of gender in the association between smoking status and depression in a nationwide convenience sample of Chinese American current, former, and never smokers (N=1393). Participants were recruited in smoker-supporter dyads. Multilevel modeling was used to take into account the dyadic nature of the data. Depressive symptoms were measured by a 10-item CES-D (Center of Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale). Results showed significant effects of smoking status by gender interaction and smoking status on depression after adjusting for acculturation and social support. Among Chinese females, current smokers reported elevated depression level than both former and never smokers. Among Chinese males, current smokers reported more depressive symptoms when compared to former smokers only. Chinese females reported higher depression level than males among current smokers; no gender difference in depression was observed among former or never smokers. The association between smoking and depression is moderated by gender among Chinese Americans where substantial gender difference in smoking prevalence exists. Findings highlight the importance of addressing depression in treating tobacco use among Chinese American smokers, especially among females.

This study examined the co-occurrence of subtypes of substance use and bullying behaviors using latent class analysis and evaluated latent class differences in demographic characteristics, peer and parental influences. Self-reported questionnaire data were collected from a nationally representative sample (N = 7508) of 6-10th grade adolescents in the United States. Four latent classes were identified: the non-involved (57.7%), substance users (19.4%), bullies (17.5%), and substance-using bullies (5.4%). Older and Hispanic adolescents were more likely to be substance users and substance-using bullies, whereas younger and African American adolescents were more likely to be bullies. Females were more likely to be substance users, whereas males were more likely to be bullies and substance-using bullies. Spending more evenings with peers posed greater risks for substance use, bullying, and the co-occurrence of both problem behaviors. Paternal knowledge exerted protective effects over-and-above the effects of maternal knowledge. Implications for prevention and intervention efforts are discussed. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

Patterns of engagement in cyber bullying and four types of traditional bullying were examined using latent class analysis (LCA). Demographic differences and externalizing problems were evaluated across latent class membership. Data were obtained from the 2005-2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Survey and the analytic sample included 7,508 U.S. adolescents in grades 6 through 10. LCA models were tested on physical bullying, verbal bullying, social exclusion, spreading rumors, and cyber bullying behaviors. Three latent classes were identified for each gender: All-Types Bullies (10.5% for boys and 4.0% for girls), Verbal/Social Bullies (29.3% for boys and 29.4% for girls), and a Non-Involved class (60.2% for boys and 66.6% for girls). Boys were more likely to be All-Types Bullies than girls. The prevalence rates of All-Types and Verbal/Social Bullies peaked during grades 6 to 8 and grades 7 and 8, respectively. Pairwise comparisons across the three latent classes on externalizing problems were conducted. Overall, the All-Types Bullies were at highest risk of using substances and carrying weapons, the Non-Involved were at lowest risk, and the Verbal/Social Bullies were in the middle. Results also suggest that most cyber bullies belong to a group of highly aggressive adolescents who conduct all types of bullying. This finding does not only improve our understanding of the relation between cyber bullying and traditional bullying, but it also suggests that prevention and intervention efforts could target cyber bullies as a high-risk group for elevated externalizing problems. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

Background: This study examined the moderating role of gender and the mediating role of perceived peer support in the association between peer victimization and academic adjustment. Methods: Data were obtained from adolescents in grades 7 and 8 in the US 2005/2006 Health Behavior in School-aged Children study (N = 3436; mean age = 13.6 years). Results: The magnitude of correlation between victimization and academic adjustment was -0.155 for males and -0.337 for females. After controlling for the socio-demographic variables, victimization had a significantly stronger influence on academic adjustment in females than in males. For both genders, perceived classmate support was negatively associated with peer victimization and positively associated with academic adjustment. Classmate support mediated the association between victimization and academic adjustment in males and was a partial mediator for females. Conclusion: These results provide support for efforts reducing victimization of female adolescents and fostering peer support in the school setting. (Contains 2 figures and 3 tables.)