Psychology of Addictive Behaviors via MedWorm.com

Language-based measures of mindfulness: Initial validity and clinical utility.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

This study examined relationships among language use, mindfulness, and substance-use treatment outcomes in the context of an efficacy trial of mindfulness-based relapse prevention (MBRP) for adults with alcohol and other drug use (AOD) disorders. An expert panel generated two categories of mindfulness language (ML) describing the mindfulness state and the more encompassing “mindfulness journey,” which included words describing challenges of developing a mindfulness practice. MBRP participants (n = 48) completed baseline sociodemographic and AOD measures, and participated in the 8-week MBRP program. AOD data were collected during the 4-month follow-up. A word count program assessed the frequency of ML and other linguistic markers in participants’ responses to open-ended questions abou...

Self-coded indirect memory associations in a brief school-based intervention for substance use suspensions.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

This study assessed the concurrent validity of self-generated and self-coded substance use associations for marijuana and alcohol use. Grades seven to twelve students were assessed as part of a brief intervention program in lieu of suspension for substance use infractions in school. During the cognitive assessment, students generated memory associations to probes for high-risk situations and desirable outcomes. Later, the participant rated their responses according to categories including both non-risk and substance use. Three different coding methods were compared: (1) conservative codes using clearly unambiguous responses, (2) liberal scores adding ambiguous, but likely responses, and (3) self-coded. Self-coded scores were higher, had stronger correlations with substance use, and were be...

Cue-specific reactivity in experienced gamblers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

To examine whether gambling cue reactivity is cue-specific, 47 scratch-off lottery players and 47 horse race gamblers were presented with video clips of their preferred and nonpreferred modes of gambling, and two control stimuli including an exciting car race and a mental stressor task while heart rates, excitement, and urge to gamble were being measured. Heart rates for both groups of gamblers were highest to the mental stressor and did not differ in response to the other three cues. Excitement for both groups was highest in response to the action cues (horse race and car chase). Urge to gamble was significantly higher for each group to their preferred mode of gambling. A post hoc exploratory analysis comparing social gamblers (n = 54) and probable pathological gamblers (n = 40) revealed ...

Acceptance and commitment therapy for smoking cessation: A preliminary study of its effectiveness in comparison with cognitive behavioral therapy.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

This controlled preliminary trial determined the feasibility and initial effectiveness of a promising behavioral intervention for smoking: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). In a quasi-experimental design, the ACT intervention condition used metaphors and experiential exercises focused on personal values to motivate quitting smoking and enhancing the willingness to experience internal cues to smoke (e.g., urges) and abstinence-related internal distress. The comparison condition was cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)—the current standard in behavioral intervention for smoking cessation. Each treatment was delivered in seven weekly 90-min sessions in a group format to 81 (43 in ACT; 38 in CBT) adult smokers. Results show that the ACT treatment was as feasible as the CBT treatment. Th...

Initiating moderate to heavy alcohol use predicts changes in neuropsychological functioning for adolescent girls and boys.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

This study prospectively examines the influence of alcohol on neuropsychological functioning in boys and girls characterized prior to initiating drinking (N = 76, ages 12–14). Adolescents who transitioned into heavy (n = 25; 11 girls, 14 boys) or moderate (n = 11; 2 girls, 9 boys) drinking were compared with matched controls who remained nonusers throughout the ~3-year follow-up period (N = 40; 16 girls, 24 boys). For girls, more past year drinking days predicted a greater reduction in visuospatial task performance from baseline to follow-up, above and beyond performance on equivalent measures at baseline (R²? = 10%, p < .05), particularly on tests of visuospatial memory (R²? = 8%, p < .05). For boys, a tendency was seen for more past year hangover symptoms to predict worsened sustaine...

Underage drinking among young adolescent girls: The role of family processes.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

Guided by family interaction theory, this study examined the influences of psychological, peer, and familial processes on alcohol use among young adolescent girls and assessed the contributions of familial factors. An ethnically diverse sample of 1,187 pairs of girls (M age = 12.83 years), and their mothers completed surveys online. Questionnaires assessed girls’ lifetime and recent alcohol use, as well as girls’ demographic, psychological, peer, and family characteristics. Hierarchical logistic regression models showed that although girls’ drinking was associated with a number of psychological and peer factors, the contributions of family domain variables to girls’ drinking were above and beyond that of psychological and peer factors. The interaction analyses further highlighted t...

Prospective associations among alcohol use-related sexual enhancement expectancies, sex after alcohol use, and casual sex.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

This study examined the concurrent and predictive associations among alcohol use-related sexual enhancement expectancies, drinking alcohol before engaging in sex, and casual sex during the transition into emerging adulthood and whether these associations differed for men and women. Data came from 590 men and women who were interviewed 3 times at 6-month intervals after high school. Growth curve analyses indicated that alcohol-related sexual enhancement expectancies were related to casual sex indirectly through drinking before sex but did not predict change in either of these behaviors. However, increases in drinking before sex predicted increases in casual sex over time. The findings provide some support for prevention programs that focus on alcohol-related sexual expectancies to reduce se...

Alcohol use by undergraduate students on their 21st birthday: Predictors of actual consumption, anticipated consumption, and normative beliefs.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

Recent research has identified celebration of a 21st birthday as an environmental event during which many college students engage in risky levels of alcohol consumption. The current study examined the relationship between personality and different aspects of alcohol use during 21st birthday celebrations: actual amount consumed for those who had turned 21, anticipated amount consumed for those under the age of 21, and normative beliefs regarding the amount other students consume on their 21st birthdays. Sensation seeking and impulsivity both displayed significant bivariate relationships with all three aspects of 21st birthday drinking. Personality traits did not contribute unique variance to actual 21st birthday drinking after the effects of typical alcohol consumption were accounted for in...

Preliminary examination of Spring Break alcohol use and related consequences.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:13 +0100

The authors examined the extent to which college student drinkers are at risk for experiencing negative alcohol-related consequences during Spring Break. A sample of first-year college student drinkers (N = 726) participated by completing an online survey assessing typical drinking, as well as Spring Break drinking and related consequences. Findings suggest Spring Break drinking was positively associated with alcohol-related consequences during Spring Break, even after controlling for sex and typical drinking. Furthermore, results indicated that typical drinking moderated the relationship between Spring Break drinking and expected zero-values (i.e., not reporting any Spring Break consequences), such that the association between Spring Break drinking and the likelihood of being a zero-score...

Thinking about drinking: Need for cognition and readiness to change moderate the effects of brief alcohol interventions.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:12 +0100

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of brief motivational interventions (BMI) and alcohol expectancy challenge (AEC) in reducing alcohol use and/or problems among college students. However, little is known about variables that may qualify the effectiveness of these approaches. The present analyses tested the hypothesis that need for cognition (NFC), impulsivity/sensation seeking (IMPSS) and readiness to change (RTC) would moderate the effects of BMI and AEC. Participants (N = 335) were heavy drinking college students enrolled in a randomized 2 × 2 factorial study of BMI and AEC. Latent growth curve analyses indicated significant interactions for BMI × NFC and AEC × RTC on alcohol use but not problems. Simple slopes analyses were used to probe these relationships and revealed that hig...

Randomized controlled trial of a cognitive–behavioral motivational intervention in a group versus individual format for substance use disorders.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:12 +0100

Although group therapy is widely used for individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs), randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing the same treatment in a group versus individual format are rare. This paper presents the results of a RCT comparing guided self-change (GSC) treatment, a cognitive–behavioral motivational intervention, conducted in a group versus individual format with 212 alcohol abusers and 52 drug abusers who voluntarily sought outpatient treatment. Treatment outcomes demonstrated significant and large reductions in clients’ alcohol and drug use during treatment and at the 12-month follow-up, with no significant differences between the group and individual therapy conditions. A therapist time ratio analysis found that it took 41.4% less therapist time to treat client...

Surfing the urge: Brief mindfulness-based intervention for college student smokers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

The current study investigates effects of a brief mindfulness-based instruction set, based on Marlatt’s “urge surfing” technique (Marlatt & Gordon, 1985), on smoking-related urges and behavior. Undergraduate smokers (N = 123) who were interested in changing their smoking, but not currently involved in a cessation program, participated in a cue exposure paradigm designed to elicit urges to smoke. They were randomly assigned either to a group receiving brief mindfulness-based instructions or to a no-instruction control group. Results suggest that groups did not differ significantly on measures of urges. However, those in the mindfulness group smoked significantly fewer cigarettes over a 7-day follow-up period as compared to those in the control group. These findings suggest that the mi...

The Autonomy Over Smoking Scale.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

Our goal was to create an instrument that can be used to study how smokers lose autonomy over smoking and regain it after quitting. The Autonomy Over Smoking Scale was produced through a process involving item generation, focus-group evaluation, testing in adults to winnow items, field testing with adults and adolescents, and head-to-head comparisons with other measures. The final 12-item scale shows excellent reliability (as = .91–.97), with a one-factor solution explaining 59% of the variance in adults and 61%–74% of the variance in adolescents. Concurrent validity was supported by associations with age of smoking initiation, lifetime use, smoking frequency, daily cigarette consumption, history of failed cessation, Hooked on Nicotine Checklist scores, and Diagnostic and Statistical M...

Effects of transdermal nicotine on symptoms, moods, and cardiovascular activity in the everyday lives of smokers and nonsmokers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

The aim of the study was to test the self-medication hypothesis by examining the effects of nicotine in the everyday lives of smokers and nonsmokers with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Fifty-two adults with ADHD (25 abstinent smokers and 27 nonsmokers) participated in a double-blind placebo controlled study with one nicotine patch condition and one placebo patch condition in counterbalanced order. Each condition continued for two consecutive days in which patches were administered each morning. The effects of nicotine on ADHD symptoms, moods, and side effects were assessed with electronic diaries. Cardiovascular activity was recorded with ambulatory blood pressure monitors and physical activity was monitored with actigraphs. Nicotine reduced reports of ADHD symptoms by 8%...

Similarity in cigarette smoking attracts: A prospective study of romantic partner selection by own smoking and smoker prototypes.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

In the current research, we used a multiwave longitudinal design to examine how young adults’ own smoking and smoker prototypes are associated with selection of romantic partners over time. Results indicate that participants who smoke, versus participants who do not smoke, and participants who have a more positive prototype of the typical smoker are more likely to initiate a romantic relationship with someone who smokes and who has greater perceived approval for smoking. Among participants who smoke, higher levels of smoking are associated with initiating a relationship with a romantic partner who smokes more and approves of smoking more. The findings suggest some important aspects of romantic partner selection effects in terms of what is selected for, partner smoking and approval, and k...

Tobacco, marijuana, and sensation seeking: Comparisons across gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual groups.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

This study examined patterns of smoked substances (cigarettes and marijuana) among heterosexuals, gays, lesbians, and bisexuals based on data from the 2000 National Alcohol Survey, a population-based telephone survey of adults in the United States. We also examined the effect of bar patronage and sensation seeking/impulsivity (SSImp) on tobacco and marijuana use. Sexual orientation was defined as lesbian or gay self-identified, bisexual self-identified, heterosexual self-identified with same-sex partners in the past 5 years, and exclusively heterosexual (heterosexual self-identified, reporting no same-sex partners). Findings indicate that bisexual women and heterosexual women reporting same-sex partners had higher rates of cigarette smoking than exclusively heterosexual women. Bisexual wom...

A stress-coping profile of opioid dependent individuals entering naltrexone treatment: A comparison with healthy controls.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

Conclusion: Opioid dependent individuals entering naltrexone treatment experience higher levels of stress and report less use of adaptive coping strategies when compared with controls. Group membership, maladaptive/avoidant coping, and social support independently contribute to perceived stress. Findings suggest that novel treatment approaches that decrease maladaptive/avoidant coping and improve social support are important aspects of decreasing stress during early recovery from opioid addiction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychology of Addictive Behaviors)

What makes group MET work? A randomized controlled trial of college student drinkers in mandated alcohol diversion.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:11 +0100

Nationally, college drinkers exhibit the highest rates of alcohol consumption and represent the largest percentage of problem drinkers. Group motivational enhancement therapy (GMET) has been found to catalyze problem drinking reductions among college student samples. Although research supporting the use of single-session GMET in college samples (general and mandated) is emergent, no studies have evaluated a comprehensive model of the potential active ingredients of this group intervention. College students (N = 206; 88% White; 63% men; M age = 18.6) mandated to a university alcohol diversion program were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 conditions: the standard-of-care 2-session “Focus on Alcohol Concerns” education group (FAC), a single GMET, or a single alcohol information-only control gr...

Refining measurement in the study of social anxiety and student drinking: Who you are and why you drink determines your outcomes.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:10 +0100

This study investigated inconsistencies in the literature regarding social anxiety and problematic drinking among college students. One hundred eighteen students (61% women) who experience anxiety in social or performance situations completed measures of social anxiety and a modified Timeline Followback that assessed the psychological context of drinking episodes and alcohol-related consequences. Results suggest that men who experience severe social anxiety drink less alcohol than men with lower levels of anxiety, whereas women high in social anxiety are likely to experience more alcohol-related consequences per drinking episode than women low in social anxiety, despite drinking similar amounts of alcohol. In addition, women with high social anxiety were found to experience more alcohol-re...

Drink less or drink slower: The effects of instruction on alcohol consumption and drinking control strategy use.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:10 +0100

Brief alcohol interventions often involve recommendations to use drinking control strategies. However, little is known about the functional effect of these strategies on alcohol use. This prospective study employed an experimental design to evaluate the relationship between strategy use and alcohol consumption. The differential effects of instructions to increase the use of strategies or to reduce alcohol consumption were compared to self-monitoring (SM) only. Undergraduate drinkers were randomized into 3 conditions: SM plus strategy increase (SI; n = 61), SM plus alcohol reduction (AR; n = 60), and SM control (SM; n = 56). Participants in the AR group reduced their alcohol use over 2 weeks, while those in the SI group did not drink less. Participants in the SI group increased strategy use...

Academic and social motives and drinking behavior.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:10 +0100

This longitudinal study of 1,447 first-time college students tested separate time-varying covariate models of the relations between academic and social motives/behaviors and alcohol use and related problems from senior year of high school through the end of the second year in college. Structural equation models identified small but significant inverse relations between academic motives/behaviors and alcohol use across all time points, with relations of somewhat larger magnitude between academic motives/behaviors and alcohol-related problems across all semesters other than senior year in high school. At all time points, there were much larger positive relations between social motives/behaviors and alcohol use across all semesters, with smaller but significant relations between social motive...

"The Gambling Craving Scale: Psychometric validation and behavioral outcomes": Correction to Young and Wohl (2009).

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:10 +0100

This article reports the development of the Gambling Craving Scale (GACS). In Study 1 (N = 220), a factor analysis revealed the emergence of a 9-item scale with 3 factors: Anticipation, Desire, and Relief. An important finding was that the GACS predicted problem gambling severity, depression, and positive and negative affect. In Study 2 (N = 145), the factor structure of the GACS was confirmed using a community sample of gamblers. In Study 3 (N = 46), GACS scores significantly predicted persistence at play on a virtual slot machine in the face of continued loss. Specifically, the more participants craved to gamble, the longer they engaged in play. The implications of craving for the development and maintenance of problem gambling severity are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 A...

Alcohol-induced disinhibition expectancies and impaired control as prospective predictors of problem drinking in undergraduates.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:29:10 +0100

Trait disinhibition is associated with problem drinking and alcohol drinking can bring about a state of disinhibition. It is unclear however, if expectancies of alcohol-induced disinhibition are unique predictors of problem drinking. Impaired control (i.e., difficulty in limiting alcohol consumption) may be related to disinhibition expectancies in that both involve issues of control related to alcohol use. Data from a prospective survey of undergraduates assessed during freshman (N = 337) and senior year (N = 201) were analyzed to determine whether subscales of the Drinking-Induced Disinhibition Scale (Leeman, Toll, & Volpicelli, 2007) and the Impaired Control Scale (Heather et al., 1993) predicted unique variance in heavy episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. In Time 1 cross-sec...

Depression moderates smoking behavior in response to a sad mood induction.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

This study investigated the effects of two induced moods on smoking behavior. Depression scores were examined as a potential moderator and mood changes were tested as a potential mediator. Smokers (N = 121) were randomly assigned to receive either a sad induction or a neutral induction via standardized film clips. Among participants with higher depression scores, smoking duration and the number of cigarette puffs were greater in response to the sad condition. There was also a marginal interactive effect on the change in expired air carbon monoxide among this subsample; however, no differences in smoking latency or craving were observed. Changes in positive mood partially mediated the effect of condition on smoking behavior among participants with high depression scores. There was no modify...

Gender-specific normative perceptions of alcohol-related protective behavioral strategies.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

The present research aimed (a) to determine whether students underestimate gender-specific descriptive normative perceptions for protective behavioral strategies; (b) to evaluate the relationships among perceived gender-specific descriptive and injunctive drinking norms and perceived gender-specific descriptive norms for protective behavioral strategies; and (c) to examine whether normative perceptions for protective behavioral strategies relate to use of these strategies when controlling for relevant drinking behavior factors (i.e., alcohol consumption, negative consequences, and attitude toward drinking behavior) and social norms factors (i.e., perceived descriptive and injunctive norms). Students (N = 666; 56.6% men) completed measures assessing drinking behavior and attitudes toward dr...

Alcohol primes, expectancies, and the working self-concept.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

Previous research has shown that alcohol consumption can lead to momentary changes in the self-concept (e.g., Steele & Josephs, 1990). In two studies (n = 150), we examined whether the implicit activation of alcohol expectancies (i.e., sociability-related expectancies) would also lead to changes in self-perception. To test this idea, participants first completed a measure of sociability-related alcohol expectancies. In a subsequent laboratory session, participants were exposed to either alcohol-related primes (i.e., pictures or words associated with alcohol) or neutral primes. After the priming task, participants completed an ostensibly unrelated self-concept survey that contained words related to sociability (e.g., “outgoing”) and nonsociability related words (e.g., “clever”). For...

Gambling problem symptom patterns and stability across individual and timeframe.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

Few studies investigate gambling problems at the symptom level; even fewer investigate how symptom patterns change throughout the course of a gambling disorder. The current study utilized the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; Grant et al., 2004) to investigate how the specific symptoms of disordered gambling relate to its severity and course. Results demonstrated that symptom patterns and stability changed as the number of symptoms endorsed increased. Symptom patterns varied considerably from prior to past year (PPY) to past year (PY) timeframes. Certain symptoms were more stable than others and held predictive value as markers of emerging pathological gambling (PG). In particular, gambling to escape problems was one of the most stable symptoms and ...

The Gambling Craving Scale: Psychometric validation and behavioral outcomes.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

Caffeine expectancy: Instrument development in the Rasch measurement framework.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

Although caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world, the mechanisms associated with consumption are not well understood. Nonetheless, outcome expectancies for caffeine use are thought to underlie caffeine’s reinforcing properties. To date, however, there is no available, sufficient measure by which to assess caffeine expectancy. Therefore, the current study sought to develop such a measure employing Rasch measurement models. Unlike traditional measurement development techniques, Rasch analyses afford dynamic and interactive control of the analysis process and generate helpful information to guide instrument construction. A 5-stage developmental process is described, ultimately yielding a 37-item Caffeine Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ) comprised of 4 factors repre...

Evidence for a putative biomarker for substance dependence.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

Electrodermal response modulation (ERM) reflects the reduction in skin conductance response to an aversive stimulus that is temporally predictable relative to when it is unpredictable. Poor ERM is associated with substance dependence (SD). It was hypothesized that ERM is a putative biomarker for SD rather than for externalizing disorders generally. Participants included 83 controls (no SD, antisocial personality disorder [PD] or borderline PD), 52 participants with SD only (SD and no PD), 12 with PD only (antisocial and/or borderline PD and no SD), and 35 comorbid (having SD and PD). Diagnoses at definite and probable certainty levels were used and were determined by semistructured clinical interviews. ERM was calculated from skin conductance responses to predictable and unpredictable 2-s ...

Longitudinal association between frequency of substance use and quality of life among adolescents receiving a brief outpatient intervention.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

This study evaluated the longitudinal association between frequency of use and QOL among adolescent substance abusers receiving a brief outpatient intervention. Participants were 106 adolescents, aged 13 to 21 years, who met criteria for substance abuse or dependence and completed 4 assessments over a 12 month period. Results of a parallel-process latent growth curve model indicated a moderate longitudinal association, such that reduced frequency of use was associated with QOL improvement. Elaboration of the temporal ordering of this association via a cross-lagged panel model revealed that frequency of substance use predicted subsequent QOL, but that QOL did not predict subsequent frequency of use. Implications pertaining to the assessment of comprehensive outcomes and the setting of treat...

Does drinking lead to sex? Daily alcohol–sex behaviors and expectancies among college students.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

A within-person multilevel approach was used to model the links between alcohol use and sexual behavior among first-year college students, using up to 14 days of data for each person with occasions (Level 1, N = 2879 days) nested within people (Level 2, N = 218 people; 51.4% male). Between-persons (Level 2) effects were gender, relationship status, person means of alcohol use, and alcohol-sex expectancies for sexual affect and sexual drive. Within-person (Level 1) effects were weekend days, number of drinks consumed, and the interaction between drinks consumed and alcohol-sex expectancies. Independent of average alcohol use, consuming more drinks on a given day was associated with a greater likelihood of oral sex and with experiencing more positive consequences of sex that day. Significant...

A new decisional balance measure of motivation to change among at-risk college drinkers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

This study’s goal was to examine the convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity of the DBP as a measure of motivation to change. Participants were college students (N = 143) who reported having engaged in weekly heavy, episodic drinking and who had participated in a larger randomized clinical trial of brief motivational interventions (K. B. Carey, M. P. Carey, S. A. Maisto, & J. M. Henson, 2006). Findings indicated partial support for convergent and discriminant validity of the DBP. Compared with Likert scale measures of decisional balance and readiness to change, DBP scores reflecting greater movement toward change best predicted reductions in heavy drinking quantity and frequency and experience of alcohol-related consequences, although some of these effects decayed by the 12-mon...

ALDH2, ADH1B and alcohol expectancies: Integrating genetic and learning perspectives.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

The present study evaluated associations of ALDH2 and ADH1B genotypes with alcohol expectancies and drinking behavior in a sample of Asian American young adults. In addition to assessing global alcohol expectancies, the authors developed a measure of physiological expectancies to evaluate an expectancy phenotype specific to the mechanism by which ALDH2 and ADH1B variations presumably influence drinking behavior. Compared with individuals with the ALDH2*1/*1 genotype, those with the ALDH2*2 allele reported greater negative alcohol expectancies, greater expectancies for physiological effects of alcohol and lower rates of alcohol use. ADH1B was not associated with alcohol expectancies or drinking behavior. Hierarchical models showed that demographic factors, ALDH2 genotype, and expectancy var...

Drinking to cope as a statistical mediator in the relationship between suicidal ideation and alcohol outcomes among underage college drinkers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:31 +0100

Etiological models of alcohol use that highlight the role of negative affect and depression have not been applied to the association of suicidality and alcohol use. The authors examined whether a motivational model of alcohol use could be applied to understand the relationship between suicidal ideation and alcohol outcomes in a sample of underage college drinkers who had a history of passive suicidal ideation (n = 91). In this cross-sectional study, regression analyses were conducted to examine whether drinking to cope with negative affect statistically mediated or was an intervening variable in the association between suicidal ideation and alcohol outcomes. Results revealed that drinking to cope was a significant intervening variable in the relationships between suicidal ideation and alco...

Reasons for abstaining or limiting drinking: A developmental perspective.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:30 +0100

The cross-sectional and longitudinal relations between reasons for abstaining or limiting drinking (RALD) and abstention were examined in a 16-year longitudinal study (N = 489) of college students with and without a family history of alcohol problems. Results indicated that RALD based upon upbringing or religiosity were associated with increased rates of abstention, whereas RALD based upon perceived or experienced negative consequences of drinking were associated with lower rates of abstention and increased alcohol consumption among drinkers. In addition, changes in RALD over time coincided with alcohol consumption transitions. Abstainers who began drinking after turning 21 reported a decrease in the importance of RALD associated with loss of control and upbringing or religiosity compared ...

Alcohol abuse and dependence symptoms: A multidimensional model of common and specific etiology.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:30 +0100

This study tested a theoretical model hypothesizing differential pathways from 5 predictors to alcohol abuse and dependence symptoms. The participants were college students (N = 2,270) surveyed on 2 occasions in a 6-month prospective design. Social norms, perceived utility of alcohol use, and family history of alcohol problems were indirectly associated with Time 2 abuse and dependence symptoms through influencing level of alcohol consumption. Poor behavioral control had a direct effect on alcohol abuse but not on dependence symptoms at Time 2, whereas affective lability exhibited a direct prospective effect on alcohol dependence but not on abuse symptoms. A multigroup analysis showed that high levels of poor control increased the strength of paths from both consumption level and affective...

Selection and socialization of risky drinking during the college transition: The importance of microenvironments associated with specific living units.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:30 +0100

Risky drinking among college students differs as a function of living types, with living at Greek houses as a major risk factor. Both self-selection based on prior drinking and socialization through living environments have been shown to account for this association. However, it is not clear whether selection and socialization processes occur as a function of specific living units within living types. Multilevel models using a prospective sample of incoming college students (N = 2,392) demonstrated that (1) precollege drinking based selection into specific living units occurred within both fraternity houses and residence halls (beyond selection into the Greek system in general) and (2) socialization of extremely risky drinking among certain fraternity houses was greater than other houses (...

Executive functioning, irritability, and alcohol-related aggression.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:52:30 +0100

The purpose of this investigation was to examine (a) whether irritability mediates the relation between executive functioning (EF) and alcohol-related aggression and (b) whether the alcohol-aggression relation is better explained by the interactive effects of EF and irritability above and beyond the effects of either variable alone. EF was measured using seven well-established neuropsychological tests. Irritability was assessed with the Caprara Irritability Scale. Participants were 313 male and female social drinkers between 21 and 35 years of age. Following the consumption of an alcohol or a placebo beverage, participants were tested on a laboratory aggression task in which electric shocks were given to and received from a fictitious opponent under the guise of a competitive reaction-time...

Does a permissive workplace substance use climate affect employees who do not use alcohol and drugs at work? A U.S. national study.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

The goal of this study was to begin exploring the relations of multiple dimensions of workplace substance use climate (substance availability, workplace descriptive norms, and workplace injunctive norms) to perceived workplace safety, work strain, and employee morale among employees who do not use alcohol or drugs at work. Data were collected from a probability sample of employed adults in the United States (N = 2,051) who do not engage in workplace alcohol or drug use. The results showed that all three dimensions of workplace substance use climate were negatively related to workplace safety, positively related to work strain, and negatively related to employee morale. These results suggest that a permissive substance use climate at work may have broader relevance for the majority of emplo...

Smokers’ expectancies for abstinence: Preliminary results from focus groups.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

This study provides a preliminary step in understanding smokers’ expectancies for abstinence from cigarettes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: Psychology of Addictive Behaviors)

Beliefs and attitudes about bupropion: Implications for medication adherence and smoking cessation treatment.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

Beliefs about medication are associated with treatment adherence and outcome. This is a secondary analysis of the role of beliefs and attitudes about bupropion in treatment adherence and smoking cessation outcomes using data from a smoking cessation trial of open-label sustained-release (SR) bupropion therapy reported previously (Toll et al., 2007). Positive beliefs and attitudes were positively correlated with intentions, desire, confidence, and motivation to quit smoking; expectation of quitting success; perceived benefits of quitting; and perceived disadvantages of smoking. Positive beliefs were also associated with greater medication adherence, an increased likelihood of completing treatment and being continuously abstinent, and a delayed latency to smoking lapse. These findings provid...

Timeline follow-back versus global self-reports of tobacco smoking: A comparison of findings with nondaily smokers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

This study compared 2 self-reported smoking measures for nondaily smokers. A total of 389 college students (48% women, 96% White, mean age = 19 years) smoking between 1 and 29 days out of the past 30 completed computer assessments in 3 cohorts, with the order of administration of the measures counterbalanced. Values from the 2 measures were highly correlated. Comparisons of timeline follow-back (TLFB) with the global questions for the total sample of nondaily smokers yielded statistically significant differences (p < .001), albeit small, between measures with the TLFB resulting on average in 2.38 more total cigarettes smoked out of the past 30 days, 0.46 fewer smoking days, and 0.21 more cigarettes smoked per day. Analyses by level of smoking showed that the discordance between the measure...

Situational temptation scores and smoking cessation in general care.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

The construct of self-efficacy, which is assessed either in confidence- or temptation-related instruments, presumably predicts transitions between the transtheoretical model stages of change and ultimately smoking cessation outcome. To elucidate its predictive potential for smoking cessation in a general care setting, we examined the association of baseline scores of the situational temptations inventory with month 12 smoking status in 577 heavy smokers participating in a cluster-randomized study of physician training and financial incentives for smoking cessation in Germany. At follow-up, abstinence could be validated in 56 patients. The temptation sub- and total scores were not bivariately associated with altered odds of smoking cessation, in contrast to established predictors like the F...

Changes in tobacco use among adolescent smokers in substance abuse treatment.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

We examined whether receiving SUD treatment had a differential impact on cigarette smoking behaviors of mild ( (Source: Psychology of Addictive Behaviors)

Positive urgency predicts illegal drug use and risky sexual behavior.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

There are several different personality traits that dispose individuals to engage in rash action. One such trait is positive urgency: the tendency to act rashly when experiencing extremely positive affect. This trait may be relevant for college student risky behavior, because it appears that a great deal of college student risky behavior is undertaken during periods of intensely positive mood states. To test this possibility, the authors conducted a longitudinal study designed to predict increases in risky sexual behavior and illegal drug use over the course of the first year of college (n = 407). In a well-fitting structural model, positive urgency predicted increases in illegal drug use and risky sexual behavior, even after controlling for time 1 (T1) involvement in both risky behaviors,...

Family conflict and depression in HIV-negative heterosexuals: The role of methamphetamine use.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

This study examined relationships between family conflict, substance use, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 104 heterosexual methamphetamine users in San Diego, California. Eighty-nine percent of the sample reported conflict with a family member in the past year. Conflict was reported most often with parents and siblings. Sources of conflict included drug use, lifestyle issues, interpersonal and communication issues, and concern for other family members. In regression analyses, being female, being a polydrug user, and facing social and legal stressors were associated with higher levels of family conflict. Multiple regression analyses also revealed a positive association between family conflict and depressive symptoms. Contrary to expectation, methamphetamine dose did not moderate the ...

Drinking and desired self-images: Path models of self-image goals, coping motives, heavy-episodic drinking, and alcohol problems.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

Coping motives for drinking initiate alcohol-related problems. Interpersonal goals, which powerfully influence affect, could provide a starting point for this relation. Here we tested effects of self-image goals (which aim to construct and defend desired self-views) and compassionate goals (which aim to support others) on heavy-episodic drinking and alcohol-related problems. Undergraduate drinkers (N=258) completed measures of self-image and compassionate goals in academics and friendships, coping and enhancement drinking motives, heavy-episodic drinking, and alcohol-related problems in a cross-sectional design. As predicted, self-image goals, but not compassionate goals, positively related to alcohol-related problems. Path models showed that self-image goals relate to coping motives, but ...

Alcohol expectancy priming and drinking behavior: The role of compatibility between prime and expectancy content.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

According to information-processing models of alcohol use, alcohol expectancies constitute representations in long-term memory that may be activated in the presence of drinking-related cues, thereby influencing alcohol consumption. A fundamental implication of this approach is that primed expectancies should affect drinking only for those individuals who possess the specific expectancies primed. To test this notion, in the present study, participants were initially assessed on 3 distinct domains of positive alcohol expectancies. Approximately 1 week later, they completed an ad libitum drinking study during which only a single expectancy domain (sociability) was primed in the experimental condition. Consistent with predictions, following exposure to sociability primes but not control primes...

Behavioral inhibition and activation systems: Differences in substance use expectancy organization and activation in memory.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

We used multidimensional scaling to model the semantic network of alcohol and marijuana expectancies (N = 897). Preference mapping was used to estimate vectors representing patterns of activation through the network as a function of levels of behavioral inhibition (BIS) and behavioral activation (BAS). Individuals with low BIS combined with high BAS levels exhibited patterns of activation emphasizing behavioral activation similar to heavier drug users in previous research. High BIS, low BAS individuals exhibited activation patterns with greater emphasis on inhibitory expectancies similar to low-level users. Differences in expectancy activation patterns were maintained after controlling for substance use and gender. Individual differences in BIS/BAS are associated with the organization of s...

Substance use after residential treatment among individuals with co-occurring disorders: The role of anxiety/depressive symptoms and trauma exposure.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

This longitudinal study examined the contribution of anxiety/depressive symptoms and lifetime and recent trauma exposure to substance use after residential substance abuse treatment among individuals with co-occurring disorders. Data were collected from adults at treatment entry and 6 and 12 months later. At treatment entry, nearly all participants reported lifetime trauma exposure, and over one third met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Over the follow-up, nearly one third of the participants were exposed to trauma. Lifetime trauma exposure and a diagnosis of PTSD at treatment entry were not associated with substance use over the follow-up. Trauma exposure and anxiety/depressive symptoms over the follow-up were associated with an increased likelihood of substance use. Ge...

Gambling, gambling activities, and problem gambling.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

This research examined similarities and differences between gambling activities, with a particular focus on differences in gambling frequency and rates of problem gambling. The data were from population-based surveys conducted in Canada between 2001 and 2005. Adult respondents completed various versions of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI), including the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). A factor analysis of the frequency with which different gambling activities were played documented the existence of two clear underlying factors. One factor was comprised of Internet gambling and betting on sports and horse races, and the other factor was comprised of lotteries, raffles, slots/Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), and bingo. Factor one respondents were largely men; factor two resp...

Winning and positive affect can lead to reckless gambling.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

Experiments 1 and 2 examined whether winning versus losing led to reckless betting for real prize money. Experiment 2 also assessed whether positive or negative emotions were linked to such reckless betting. College students were randomly assigned to experience primarily either wins or losses during the rigged first round of a computerized card tournament that had 2 independent rounds. For the second round, participants’ chip totals were reset and cards were dealt randomly. In Experiment 1 (N = 107), participants in the Initial-Winning, as compared with the Initial-Losing, condition bet more recklessly (i.e., bet too many chips when a loss was likely). Experiment 2 (N = 72) again showed that Initial-Winning participants bet significantly more recklessly than did Initial-Losing participan...

The effect of body image threat on smoking motivation among college women: Mediation by negative affect.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

This study intended to replicate and extend these experimental findings by examining the role of negative affect as a mediator of the relationship between body dissatisfaction and smoking urges. Female college smokers (N = 133) were randomly assigned to a body image challenge (trying on a bathing suit) or a control condition (evaluating a purse). State levels of urge to smoke, mood, and body dissatisfaction were assessed both pre- and postmanipulation. Trying on a bathing suit increased body dissatisfaction and reported urges to smoke, particularly those urges related to reducing negative affect. Additionally, state negative affect mediated the relationship between the body image manipulation and smoking urge. This study provides additional support, through an experimental design, that sit...

Validation of scales measuring attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention related to smoking among middle school students.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:28:00 +0100

We examined the factorial, discriminate, and convergent validity of these scales among sixth to eighth graders from a convenience sample of 22 Texas middle schools (51.2% female; 51.21% White, 32.1% Hispanic, 16.9% African American, and 8.8% Other; 67.8% nonsmokers, 21.9% experimental smokers; 3.3% former smokers; and 7.6% current smokers). Confirmatory factor analysis and invariance testing suggest that smoking attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention have evidence of construct validity in this multiethnic sample, and the scales are appropriate to assess these constructs among middle school adolescents. Additional studies are needed to establish additional evidence of validity of these constructs in other middle school samples and other subgroups (e.g. current, experimental, and former smo...

Facilitating outpatient treatment entry following detoxification for injection drug use: A multisite test of three interventions.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

A multisite, randomized trial within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) was conducted to test 3 interventions to enhance treatment initiation following detoxification: (a) a single session, therapeutic alliance intervention (TA) added to usual treatment; (b) a 2-session, counseling and education, HIV/HCV risk reduction intervention (C&E), added to usual treatment; and (c) treatment as usual (TAU) only. Injection drug users (n = 632) enrolled in residential detoxification at 8 community treatment programs were randomized to 1 of the 3 study conditions. TA participants reported entering outpatient treatment sooner and in greater numbers than TAU participants. Reported treatment entry for C&E fell between TA and TAU with no significant differences between C&E and ...

Alcohol outcome expectancies as socially shared and socialized beliefs.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

Alcohol expectancies are important predictors of alcohol involvement in both adolescents and adults, yet little research has examined the social origins and transmission of these beliefs. This paper examined alcohol outcome expectancies collected in a cohort-sequential longitudinal study of 452 families with children followed over seven waves. Children completed interviews every 6 months, and parents completed interviews annually. Eighteen of 27 alcohol expectancies were highly consensual, being endorsed by significantly more than 67% of the mothers and fathers. These consensual expectancies were also highly stable over a 3-year period. Over the same period, children increased their adoption of both the positive and negative consensual alcohol expectancies. Unconditional latent growth mode...

Acute alcohol tolerance on subjective intoxication and simulated driving performance in binge drinkers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

High rates of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems, including drinking and driving, occur among college students. Underlying reasons for the heightened impaired driving rates in this demographic group are not known. The authors hypothesized that acute tolerance to the interoceptive cues of intoxication may contribute to these maladaptive decisions to drive in binge drinkers. Groups of binge-drinking and non-binge-drinking college students (N = 28) attended sessions during which they received a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg) or a placebo. The development of acute tolerance to subjective ratings of intoxication and simulated driving performance was assessed by comparing measures taken during the ascending phase and descending phases of the blood alcohol curve. Compared with plac...

Coping-anxiety and coping-depression motives predict different daily mood-drinking relationships.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

Individuals with different drinking motives show distinctive patterns of alcohol use and problems. Drinking to cope, or endorsing strong coping motives for alcohol use, has been shown to be particularly hazardous. It is important to determine the unique triggers associated with coping drinking. One limitation of past research has been the failure to contend with the complexities inherent in coping motives. Using the Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire–Revised (Grant, Stewart, O’Connor, Blackwell, & Conrod, 2007), which separates coping-anxiety and coping-depression motives, we investigated whether these motives moderated relationships between daily mood and subsequent drinking (statistically controlling for sex, baseline anxious and depressive symptomatology, initial alcohol proble...

Body mass index and alcohol consumption: Family history of alcoholism as a moderator.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

Recent research suggests that excess food consumption may be conceptualized as an addictive behavior. Much of the evidence comes from neurobiological similarities between drug and food consumption. In addition, an inverse relation between alcohol consumption and body mass index (BMI) has been observed. Previous research has hypothesized that this inverse relation is attributable to competition between food and alcohol for similar neurotransmitter receptors. The current study explored this neurobiological hypothesis further by examining the influence of an indicator of biological risk associated with alcohol problems (family history of alcoholism) on the relationship between alcohol and food intake. Data from 37,259 participants in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Co...

Interpersonal problems and negative mood as predictors of within-day time to drinking.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

Using data collected via handheld electronic diaries (EDs), we examined within-day associations between early-day negative moods and stress and subsequent time to drinking. A sample of 97 (n = 48 women) adults recruited to participate in a drinking-reduction intervention study used EDs to record mood and interpersonal problems at randomly selected times during each of 3 reporting intervals and drinking as it occurred each day for 21 days. Using multilevel hazard models, we tested associations between early-day stress/negative mood ratings and time to drinking as well as potential moderating effects of drinking to cope (DTC) motives on these associations. Whereas previous analyses of these data showed no associations between early-day negative moods and number of drinks consumed later in th...

Gender differences in acute alcohol effects on self-regulation of arousal in response to emotional and alcohol-related picture cues.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:59 +0100

This study examined gender differences in the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on psychophysiological and self-reported arousal in response to emotionally negative, positive, and neutral, and alcohol-related, picture cues. Thirty-six social drinkers (16 women) were randomly assigned to an alcohol, placebo, or control beverage group and exposed to picture cues every 10 s (0.1 Hz presentation frequency). Psychophysiological arousal was assessed via a 0.1-Hz heart rate variability (HRV) index. A statistically significant beverage group-by-gender interaction effect on psychophysiological, but not self-reported, arousal was found. The 0.1-Hz HRV responses to picture cues were suppressed by alcohol only in men. This gender-specific suppression pattern did not differ significantly across pic...

Readiness to change as a mediator of the effect of a brief motivational intervention on posttreatment alcohol-related consequences of injured emergency department hazardous drinkers.

Psychology of Addictive Behaviors — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 12:27:57 +0100

We examined readiness to change drinking as a mediator of the effects of BMI on alcohol-related consequences. Participants were randomized into three conditions: (a) standard care plus assessment (SC), (b) SC plus BMI (BI), and (c) BI plus a booster session (BIB). At 12-month follow-up BIB patients had significantly reduced alcohol consequences more than had SC patients. Patients receiving BI or BIB maintained higher readiness scores 3 months after treatment than did patients receiving SC. However, readiness mediated treatment effects only for those highly motivated to change prior to the intervention but not for those with low pre-intervention motivation. BI and BIB for these patients decreased alcohol consequences in part because they enhanced and maintained readiness for those highly mo...

Disclosure of sexual orientation and subsequent substance use and abuse among lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths: Critical role of disclosure reactions.