Showing papers in "Psychology of Addictive Behaviors in 2019"

Types of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine co-use and associated outcomes in young adulthood.

Abstract: Cannabis and tobacco/nicotine use are highly comorbid. Given expanding access to cannabis through legalization for recreational use, it is important to understand how patterns of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine co-use are associated with young adult outcomes. A predominantly California-based sample of 2,429 young adults (mean age = 20.7) completed an online survey. Based on past-year reports of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine use, we defined 5 mutually exclusive groups: (a) single-product use; (b) concurrent use only (using both products, but only on separate occasions); (c) sequential use only (using both products on the same occasion, one right after the other, but not mixing them together); (d) coadministration only (using both products on the same occasion by mixing them in the same delivery device); and (e) both sequential use and coadministration. We examined group differences in use patterns, dependence, consequences of use, and psychosocial functioning. Fifty percent of respondents reported cannabis use, 43% tobacco/nicotine use, and 37% co-use of both substances. The most prevalent method of co-use involved smoking combustible products. Overall, individuals who co-used both substances on the same occasion in some way reported heavier use and greater problematic behaviors than those who did not. Sequential use (especially among those that also engaged in coadministration) was typically associated with worse physical and mental functioning overall compared to using each substance separately. Findings illuminate both prevalence and risks associated with co-use of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine products and can inform policies for states considering regulation of cannabis and tobacco/nicotine products. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Big Five personality traits and alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and gambling disorder comorbidity.

Abstract: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM; 5th ed.) reassignment of gambling disorder as an addictive disorder alongside the substance-related addictive disorders encourages research into their shared etiologies. The aims of this study were to examine: (a) the associations of Big Five personality dimensions with alcohol, nicotine, cannabis, and gambling disorders, (b) the comorbidity between these disorders, (c) the extent to which common personality underpinnings explain comorbidity, (d) whether results differed for men and women, and (e) the magnitude of personality differences corresponding to the 4 disorders. Participants were 3,785 twins and siblings (1,365 men, 2,420 women; Mage = 32 years, range = 21-46 years) from the Australian Twin Registry who completed psychiatric interviews and Big Five personality inventories. The personality profile of high neuroticism, low agreeableness, and low conscientiousness was associated with all 4 addictive disorders. All but 1 of the pairwise associations between the disorders were significant. After accounting for Big Five traits, the associations were attenuated to varying degrees but remained significant. The results were generally similar for men and women. The results suggest that the Big Five traits of neuroticism, agreeableness, and conscientiousness are associated with the general propensity to develop an addictive disorder and may in part explain their co-occurrence; however, they may be more broadly associated with the propensity for any psychiatric disorder. The effect sizes of the personality associations suggest that the diagnosis of gambling disorder as operationalized by the DSM may be more severe than the other addictive disorders. Calibration of the diagnosis of gambling disorder to the other addictive disorders may be warranted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10): Measurement invariance and cross-cultural validation across seven language-based samples.

Abstract: The Ten-Item Internet Gaming Disorder Test (IGDT-10) is a short screening instrument developed to assess Internet gaming disorder (IGD) as proposed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of MentalDisorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), adopting a concise, clear, and consistent item-wording. According to initial studies conducted in 2014, the instrument showed promising psychometric characteristics. The present study tested the psychometric properties, including language and gender invariance, in a large international sample of online gamers. In this study, data were collected from 7,193 participants comprising Hungarian (n = 3,924), Iranian (n = 791), English-speaking (n = 754), French-speaking (n = 421), Norwegian (n = 195), Czech (n = 496), and Peruvian (n = 612) online gamers via gaming-related websites and gaming-related social-networking-site groups. A unidimensional factor structure provided a good fit to the data in all language-based samples. In addition, results indicated both language and gender invariance on the level of scalar invariance. Criterion and construct validity of the IGDT-10 was supported by its strong association with the Problematic Online Gaming Questionnaire and moderate association with weekly gaming time, psychopathological symptoms, and impulsivity. The proportions of each sample that met the cut-off score on the IGDT-10 varied between 1.61% and 4.48% in the individual samples, except for the Peruvian sample (13.44%). The IGDT-10 shows robust psychometric properties and appears suitable for conducting cross-cultural and gender comparisons across seven languages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Reward-related attentional capture is associated with severity of addictive and obsessive–compulsive behaviors.

Abstract: A cue that signals reward can capture attention and elicit approach behaviors in people and animals. The current study examined whether attentional capture by reward-related cues is associated with severity of addiction-related and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Participants were recruited via Mechanical Turk and included 143 adults (Mage = 34 years, SD = 8.5; 43% female) who had endorsed at least 1 addiction-related or obsessive-compulsive behavior in the past month. All assessment components were delivered via the Internet and included questionnaires to assess severity of compulsivity-related problems across addiction-related and obsessive-compulsive behaviors, as well as a visual search task to measure reward-related attentional capture. Reward-related attentional capture was associated with severity of compulsivity, transdiagnostically. These findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms that underlie compulsive behaviors and suggest that reward-related attentional capture is a promising transdiagnostic cognitive risk marker for compulsivity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Positive and negative reinforcement are differentially associated with alcohol consumption as a function of alcohol dependence.

Abstract: A multistage model of drug addiction in which individuals' motivations for use change as they develop problems is widely accepted; however, the evidence for this model comes mostly from animal work and cross-sectional studies. We used longitudinal data to test whether positive and negative reinforcement associated with alcohol consumption differed as a function of alcohol dependence (AD). Specifically, we tested whether (a) positive reinforcement is more strongly associated with alcohol consumption than is negative reinforcement among individuals without AD, (b) negative reinforcement is more strongly associated with AD than is positive reinforcement, and (c) in the presence of AD, the association between positive reinforcement and alcohol consumption becomes weaker, whereas the association with negative reinforcement becomes stronger. We included assessments between Ages 18 and 30 years from participants who indicated they ever had a drink (N = 2,556; 51.6% female) from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism Prospective Study. Results from generalized estimating equations indicated that positive, but not negative, reinforcement was associated with alcohol consumption among individuals without AD. Both positive and negative reinforcement were associated with AD, but the association was stronger with negative reinforcement. Results from the multilevel growth model indicated that the association between negative reinforcement and alcohol consumption became stronger with the presence of AD, whereas the association between positive reinforcement and alcohol consumption did not differ as a function of AD. We provide empirical evidence that positive and negative reinforcement are differentially associated with alcohol consumption as a function of AD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Anhedonia as a phenotypic marker of familial transmission of polysubstance use trajectories across midadolescence.

Abstract: Psychopathologic traits that arise in adolescence may increase proneness to substance use uptake as well as channel the familial transmission of substance use. Poly use is a common pattern of substance use in youth. To identify a parsimonious model of familial transmission of substance use, the current study tested whether anhedonia-a psychopathologic endophenotype manifested as the inability to experience pleasure-mediates the association of family history of substance use (FHS) with polysubstance use patterns across midadolescence. High school students (N = 3,392) in Los Angeles, CA, completed 4 semiannual surveys of mental health and substance use from ages 14- to 16-years-old. Use and co-use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana across the 4 waves were reduced to 4 homogenous classes using parallel process growth mixture modeling: (a) abstainers (N = 1,629, 48.0%); (b) experimenters (N = 1,293, 38.1%); (c) polysubstance using marijuana escalators (N = 210, 6.2%); and (d) heavy polysubstance using cigarette escalators (N = 126, 3.7%). FHS was positively associated with membership in each of the three substance using trajectory groups (vs. the abstainers group). After adjusting for depressive symptoms and other covariates, associations of FHS with membership in the polysubstance using marijuana escalators group and with the heavy polysubstance using cigarette escalators group (in comparison with the abstainers or experimenters groups) were each significantly mediated by anhedonia in youth age 14 (the proportion mediated by anhedonia: 0.33-0.42). Etiology research and intervention addressing anhedonia may have value for understanding and preventing the familial transmission of adolescent polysubstance use patterns. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Subjective experiences of highly processed food consumption in individuals with food addiction.

Abstract: Highly processed foods (e.g., pizza, chocolate) have been more associated with indicators of food addiction than have minimally processed foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables), although findings have been primarily self-reported. The present study utilized behavioral methods from the addiction literature to assess whether (a) foods differ in their associations with subjective experience indicators of abuse liability and (b) individual differences in subjective experiences and eating behavior emerge using the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (YFAS 2.0). Women (n = 44) with overweight or obesity, 38.6% with YFAS 2.0 food addiction, rated facets of subjective experience (e.g., craving) during a taste test task and ad libitum consumption period. A hierarchical linear model assessed whether foods were differentially associated with each subjective experience (Level 1) and individual differences by food addiction (Level 2). Associations between subjective experiences and eating behavior were also examined. Highly processed, relative to minimally processed, foods were more associated with indicators of abuse liability, although individuals with food addiction reported decreased enjoyment for and intentions to consume highly processed foods. Subjective experiences were associated with greater consumption of highly processed foods for participants with food addiction. The present work provides further support for the rewarding nature of highly processed foods, evidenced by closer associations with subjective experiences reported for drugs of abuse compared to minimally processed foods. In addition, highly processed food intake was related to elevated subjective experience reports for these foods for those with food addiction, paralleling findings in individuals with a substance-use disorder for the relevant drug. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluating the temporal relationships between withdrawal symptoms and smoking relapse

Abstract: Smokers attempting to quit often attribute smoking relapse to negative affect, craving, and other nicotine withdrawal symptoms. In addition, there is evidence that smoking relapse can increase these symptoms, particularly negative affect. To address this issue, we analyzed data from an 11-week smoking cessation clinical trial in which smokers (n = 1,246) were randomized to receive either nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), varenicline, or placebo, combined with behavioral counseling. Using cross-lagged analyses, we examined the temporal bidirectional relationships between self-reported measures of affect, craving, and composite withdrawal symptoms and biochemically verified smoking abstinence. The relative strength of these temporal relationships was examined by comparing the explained variances of the models. The results showed that higher negative affect, craving, and composite withdrawal symptoms increased the likelihood of subsequent smoking relapse, and that smoking relapse led to subsequent increases in these same symptoms. A comparison of the explained variances found symptom predicting subsequent relapse models to be stronger than those where relapse predicted subsequent symptoms. Although the explained variance findings generally support a negative reinforcement conceptualization of nicotine dependence, the bidirectional relationship between symptoms and smoking relapse suggests that struggling with quitting smoking leads to significant negative affect, craving, and other withdrawal symptoms that do not quickly resolve. These findings highlight the importance of addressing specific symptoms within the context of smoking cessation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Do misperceptions of peer drinking influence personal drinking behavior? Results from a complete social network of first-year college students.

Abstract: This study considered the influence of misperceptions of typical versus self-identified important peers' heavy drinking on personal heavy drinking intentions and frequency utilizing data from a complete social network of college students. The study sample included data from 1,313 students (44% male, 57% White, 15% Hispanic/Latinx) collected during the fall and spring semesters of their freshman year. Students provided perceived heavy drinking frequency for a typical student peer and up to 10 identified important peers. Personal past-month heavy drinking frequency was assessed for all participants at both time points. By comparing actual with perceived heavy drinking frequencies, measures of misperceptions of heavy drinking (accurately estimate, overestimate, underestimate) were constructed for both general and important peers. These misperceptions were then used as predictors of concurrent and prospective personal heavy drinking frequency and intentions using network autocorrelation analyses. The majority of students (84.8%) overestimated, 11.3% accurately estimated, and 3.9% underestimated heavy drinking among their general peers, whereas 42.0% accurately estimated, 36.9% overestimated, and 21.1% underestimated important peers' heavy drinking. For both referents, overestimation of peer heavy drinking was associated with more frequent heavy drinking and higher drinking intentions at both time points. Importantly, the effects of underestimating and overestimating close peers' drinking on personal alcohol use were significant after controlling for the influence of misperceptions of general peers' heavy drinking. Close peers are a critical referent group in assessments related to social norms for young adult alcohol use. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

An examination of consequences among college student drinkers on occasions involving alcohol-only, marijuana-only, or combined alcohol and marijuana use.

Abstract: This event-level study examined within-person differences in consequences for college students who engaged in alcohol-only, marijuana-only, or simultaneous alcohol and marijuana (SAM) use across 18 weekend days. Participants (n = 451) were asked to report consequences they experienced on each occasion across five different types of events: (a) heavier alcohol combined with marijuana; (b) lighter alcohol combined with marijuana; (c) heavier alcohol only; (d) lighter alcohol only; and (e) marijuana only. Occasions involving heavy drinking, alone and in combination with marijuana, were associated with higher rates of consequences relative to lighter alcohol-only occasions, lighter alcohol combined with marijuana occasions, and marijuana-only occasions. Light alcohol-only occasions did not significantly differ on consequences from lighter alcohol combined with marijuana occasions or marijuana-only occasions. Past research has shown SAM use is associated with more consequences compared with alcohol-only use. The current findings suggest that SAM use is not necessarily riskier than drinking or using marijuana alone. Results suggested that on heavy drinking occasions, the number of consequences did not significantly change by also using marijuana. Findings suggest the benefit of targeted intervention strategies to reduce harms associated with heavy drinking occasions with and without SAM use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Mindfulness problems and depression symptoms in everyday life predict dark flow during slots play: Implications for gambling as a form of escape

Abstract: Slot machine players refer to a state of absorption that researchers have labeled dark flow. Players become completely occupied by the game and forget everything else (leading to "dark" consequences such as spending more money than intended). We propose that players who experience dark flow have difficulty staying on task in everyday life, but, the reinforcing sights and sounds of slot machines rein in these otherwise wandering minds and induce these flow-like states. We assessed 129 gamblers for mindfulness problems (using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale), gambling problems (using the Problem Gambling Severity Index), and depressive symptoms (using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale). Participants played a slot machine simulator and were periodically interrupted with thought probes to assess whether they were thinking about the game or about something else. After playing, we retrospectively assessed dark flow and positive affect during play. Our key results were that mindfulness problems outside of the gambling context were positively correlated with depression, problem gambling status, and most importantly, dark flow within the gambling context. Dark flow was positively correlated with positive affect during play and the combination of dark flow and depression predicted gambling problems. The picture that emerges is that individuals with mindfulness problems in everyday life find their attention locked in by slot machines inducing dark flow, which in turn leads to a state of positive affect. For depressed players especially, this state may be enjoyable because it provides an escape from the negative mentation linked to depression that characterizes the everyday lives of these troubled players. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana expectancies as predictors of substance use initiation in adolescence: A longitudinal examination.

Abstract: Outcome expectancies have been found to be predictive of substance use. While development of expectancies may be dynamic during adolescence, it is unknown whether the rate of change (slope) in substance use expectancies is a risk factor for use onset across multiple substance use domains. The present study tested the hypothesis that the slope of positive and negative alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use expectancies during mid-adolescence (9th-10th grade) would predict use onset of each respective substance during late adolescence (11th-12th grade). Data from 3,396 ethnically diverse high school students were collected across eight waves of assessment and analyzed within a latent growth modeling framework. Results revealed that the slopes of positive substance use expectancies among never-users of each respective substance predicted increased odds of onset (Alcohol: ORB = 7.73, p < .001; Tobacco: ORB = 5.58, p < .001; Marijuana: ORB = 2.49, p = .001). Only the slope of negative marijuana expectancies predicted increased odds of onset (Marijuana: ORB = .44, p = .04). Baseline level of positive and negative substance use outcome expectancies were also generally found to be associated with onset. For three common drugs used by adolescents, change in substance use expectancies during the first two years of high school may be a marker of risk propensity for substance use onset. Change in expectancies may be an important target in substance use prevention, with research indicating that expectancy challenge and life skills interventions being potentially efficacious. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Reaching out to big losers: A randomized controlled trial of brief motivational contact providing gambling expenditure feedback.

Abstract: Gambling disorder is a public health issue in many countries, and expectations that the gambling industry protects individuals from harm are increasing. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of providing personalized feedback on gambling intensity among high consumers of venue-based and online gambling in Norway. A randomized controlled trial design was used to evaluate how behavioral feedback by telephone or letters sent via surface mail affects subsequent gambling expenditure and use of responsible gambling tools and whether a follow-up contact increases the effect. Gambling expenditure, the primary outcome, was measured using theoretical loss, which is the actual cost to the player, adjusted for the house advantage. From the top .5% of customers based upon annual expenditure, a sample of 1,003 statistical triplets, matched on sex, age, and net losses, were randomly assigned to the feedback intervention by telephone, letter, or a no-contact control condition. Participants assigned to the phone call or letter were also randomly assigned to receive or not receive a subsequent follow-up contact. The results showed that over 12 weeks, theoretical loss decreased 29% for the phone and 15% for the letter conditions, compared with 3% for the control group. A positive effect of the follow-up contact was limited to participants who at the initial call indicated an interest in receiving a follow-up call. Contacting high consumers about their gambling expenditure appears to be an effective method for gambling companies to meet their duty to care for customers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Problematic alcohol use and acute intoxication predict anger-related attentional biases: A test of the alcohol myopia theory.

Abstract: Previous research has demonstrated a significant association between alcohol and aggression. However, the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship have yet to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we examined alcohol's effects on an attentional bias toward aggressogenic cues as the first step in a possible mediation model of alcohol-facilitated intimate partner aggression. More specifically, we tested an interactive effect of problematic alcohol use and acute alcohol intoxication on an attentional bias toward anger words. Participants in this study were 249 male and female heavy drinkers from the community with a history of past-year intimate partner aggression perpetration who participated in an alcohol-administration laboratory study assessing the effect of alcohol intoxication on cognitive biases. Multiple linear regression was used to test the proposed moderation model. Acute alcohol intoxication moderated the effect of problematic alcohol use on an attentional bias toward anger, with this effect being stronger for individuals in the alcohol compared to no-alcohol control condition. These findings suggest that problematic drinkers may be more likely to attend to aggressogenic stimuli while acutely intoxicated, relative to when they are sober. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Explaining sexual minority young adult cigarette smoking disparities.

Abstract: Sexual minority (SM) young adults, such as those who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB), have well documented smoking disparities compared to heterosexual young adults. However, no studies have simultaneously tested the role of three risk factors (depressive symptoms, recalling tobacco marketing in bars, and cigarette-related social norms) to explain SM tobacco use disparities. Longitudinal structural equation modeling was used to explore if the association between SM identity and past 30-day cigarette smoking one year later was mediated by these three risk factors. Starting in fall 2015, three surveys were administered every 6 months to 3,972 young adult college students. Surveys assessed SM identity, depressive symptoms, tobacco marketing in bars, normative perceptions of cigarettes, and tobacco use behaviors. Greater depressive symptoms, recalling more tobacco marketing in bars, and more accepting cigarette-related social norms were each hypothesized to explain a unique portion of the association between SM identity and subsequent cigarette use. SM young adults reported higher prevalence of cigarette use, depressive symptom scores reflecting elevated risk for major depressive disorder, and more accepting cigarette-related social norms than their heterosexual peers. Results indicated that only cigarette-related social norms mediated the association between SM identity and subsequent past 30-day smoking, while controlling for depressive symptoms, recalling tobacco marketing in bars, sociodemographic factors, and previous tobacco use. Findings reflect a need for tailored tobacco control messaging that shift the more accepting cigarette-related norms of SM young adults, as doing so may ultimately lead to decreased smoking for this high-risk subgroup. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol consumption, interpersonal trauma, and drinking to cope with trauma-related distress: An auto-regressive, cross-lagged model.

Abstract: Alcohol consumption and interpersonal trauma (IPT) co-occur at high rates, particularly in college populations. Two non-mutually-exclusive theories of this comorbidity are the risky behavior model, suggesting that substance use increases likelihood of IPT, and the self-medication model, suggesting that individuals use substances to cope with trauma-related symptoms. Few have simultaneously tested these theories in a sample of college students. Thus, the overarching aim of this longitudinal study (n = 1320) was to identify whether alcohol consumption and IPT are associated with one another, and if IPT and/or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts use of alcohol to cope with trauma-related distress. Data were collected from a longitudinal study of college students attending a large public university. Participants in the current study were on average 18.46 years old at study entry, primarily female (70%), and of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds (e.g., 49.4% White, 19.7% Black, 17.2% Asian). Results from auto-regressive, cross-lagged models indicated that alcohol consumption preceded IPT exposure. In contrast, IPT was not prospectively associated with alcohol consumption. Those reporting probable PTSD, but not IPT, reported more use of alcohol to cope with trauma-related distress. These findings provide support for the risky behavior model, indicating that those with higher levels of alcohol consumption may be a vulnerable group in terms of likelihood of IPT. Findings also suggest that those reporting probable PTSD may be at risk for use of alcohol to cope with trauma-related distress. Implications of these findings, in light of study limitations, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations between dispositional mindfulness, craving, and drinking in alcohol-dependent patients: An ecological momentary assessment study.

Abstract: Hazardous alcohol use remains a significant global public health problem. A better understanding of relapse may assist the development of new interventions. Low levels of dispositional mindfulness may be a risk factor for craving and alcohol use, but few studies have examined these associations prospectively in an alcohol-dependent sample. In an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study, Dutch alcohol dependent patients (N = 43) carried around a personal digital assistant for 4 weeks while trying to maintain abstinence. Participants completed assessments at random times 3 times per day, and when they felt a strong urge to drink or came to the brink of drinking without doing so. At each assessment, stress, negative affect, craving, recent drinking, and attentional or approach bias were assessed. Dispositional mindfulness was assessed at baseline with the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). More mindful individuals (higher MAAS scores) reported lower craving than less mindful individuals. There was no evidence that stress, negative affect, attentional bias, or approach bias mediated the association between MAAS and craving. However, there was evidence for an indirect path from MAAS to drinking such that higher mindfulness was associated with lower craving ratings that in turn were associated with less drinking. There was no evidence that MAAS significantly moderated associations between stress/negative affect/cognitive biases and craving, or between craving and drinking. In sum, more mindful recovering alcohol dependent patients reported lower craving ratings than less mindful patients, and this association appeared to be independent of stress/negative affect and cognitive biases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The phenotype of recovery III: Delay discounting predicts abstinence self-efficacy among individuals in recovery from substance use disorders.

Abstract: Abstinence self-efficacy (ASE) and delay discounting predict treatment outcomes and risk of relapse. Associations between delay discounting and ASE among individuals in recovery from substance use have not been investigated. Data from 216 individuals in recovery from substance abuse recruited from The International Quit & Recovery Registry, an ongoing online data collection program used to understand addiction and how people succeed in recovery, were included in the analysis. Discounting rates were assessed using an adjusting-delay task, and ASE was assessed using the Relapse Situation Efficacy Questionnaire (RSEQ). Delay discounting was a significant predictor of ASE, even after controlling for age, gender, race, ethnicity, annual income, education level, marital status, and primary addiction. Context-specific factors of relapse included Negative Affect, Positive Affect, Restrictive Situations (to drug use), Idle Time, Social-Food Situations, Low Arousal, and Craving. A principal component analysis of RSEQ factors in the current sample revealed that self-efficacy scores were primarily unidimensional and not situation specific. The current study expands the generality of delay discounting and indicates that discounting rates predict ASE among individuals in recovery from substance use disorders. This finding supports the recent characterizations of delay discounting as a candidate behavioral marker of addiction and may serve as a basis to better identify and target subgroups that need unique or more intensive interventions to address higher risks of relapse and increase their likelihood of abstinence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

A positive screen for military sexual trauma is associated with greater risk for substance use disorders in women veterans.

Abstract: Military sexual trauma (MST) is a significant public health issue associated with adverse psychiatric outcomes, including heightened risk for suicide, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance use disorders. Recently, research has begun exploring gender-linked disparities in mental health outcomes for individuals who experience MST. The current study assessed whether women who screened positive for MST were at disproportionately higher risk for diagnoses of alcohol-use disorder (AUD) or drug-use disorder (DUD) relative to men. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinical data were extracted for 435,690 military veterans who separated from the military between 2004 and 2011 and had at least 5 years of follow-up data after their initial VHA visit until the end of fiscal year 2014. Logistic regression models examined the main and interactive effects of gender and screening positively for MST as predictors of AUD and DUD. MST positive screens were associated with increased rates of both AUD and DUD across genders. Although rates of both AUD and DUD were higher among men, the increased rate of diagnosis associated with MST positive screens was proportionally higher for women than men (interaction adjusted odds ratios = 1.43 and 1.17 for AUD and DUD, respectively), indicating the presence of a gender-linked health risk disparity. This disparity was more pronounced for AUD than DUD (p < .01). The current study adds to previous literature documenting increased risk for women exposed to MST. These findings support efforts to reduce the occurrence of MST and continued use of MST screening measures within the VHA. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

The impact of recreational marijuana legalization on rates of use and behavior: A 10-year comparison of two cohorts from high school to young adulthood.

Abstract: Although many states' policies and laws concerning marijuana use have recently become more permissive, little is known about the impact of recreational marijuana legalization (RML) on rates of use, risk factors associated with use, and patterns of use over time. We compared samples from 2 longitudinal studies focused on understanding risk and protective factors related to substance use from adolescence to young adulthood (N = 1,468). The samples were collected 10 years apart from the same neighborhoods in an urban area, and the same measures, research design, and data collection procedures were used in each study. As such, the samples are matched on many demographic variables and provide a unique opportunity to compare rates of use and other associated risk factors before and after RML in Oregon. Our results suggest increased marijuana use in a 30-day time frame among Sample 2 during the young adult years, the time at which RML went into effect in Oregon. In Sample 2, young adults had 2.12 times the odds in Sample 1 of using marijuana at age 24, and they were more likely than those in Sample 1 to report use over multiple time points in young adulthood. Overall, our results suggest that young adults after RML are more likely to use marijuana than young adults were before RML 10 years earlier. Implications for prevention and education are discussed in light of rising rates of daily and 30-day use patterns among this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Probing gambling urge as a state construct: Evidence from a sample of community gamblers.

Abstract: Little effort has been made to systematically test the psychometric properties of the Gambling Craving Scale (GACS; Young & Wohl, 2009). The GACS is adapted from the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges (Tiffany & Drobes, 1991) and thus measures gambling-related urge. Crucially, the validation of scales assessing gambling urge is complex because this construct is better conceptualized as a state (a transient and context-determined phenomenon). In the present study, we tested the psychometric properties of the French version of the GACS with 2 independent samples of community gamblers following an induction procedure delivered through an audio-guided imagery sequence aimed at promoting gambling urge. This procedure was specifically used to ensure the assessment of gambling urge as a state variable. Participants also completed measures of gambling severity, gambling cognitions and motives, impulsivity, and affect. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the original 3-factor solution (anticipation, desire, relief) did not fit the data well. Additional exploratory factor analysis suggested instead a 2-factor solution: an intention and desire to gamble dimension and a relief dimension. The factorial structure resulting from the exploratory factor analysis was tested with confirmatory factor analysis in a second independent sample, resulting in an acceptable fit. The 2 dimensions presented good internal reliability and correlated differentially with the other study's variables. The current study showed that, similar to what has been reported for substance-related urges, gambling urges are adequately probed with a bidimensional model. The findings suggest that the French GACS has good psychometric properties, legitimizing its use in research and clinical practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Understanding pathways between PTSD, homelessness, and substance use among adolescents.

Abstract: Youth experiencing homelessness have been shown to experience high levels of both trauma and substance use. However, prior work has yet to consider how substance use, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and homelessness are temporally, or reciprocally, associated over time. The current study uses symptom-driven and experience-driven models to examine the reciprocal relationships between substance use, PTSD symptoms, and homelessness among a large sample of adolescents receiving substance use treatment in the United States. Adolescents (n = 20,069; Mage = 15.6; 74% male) completed baseline, 3-, 6-, and 12-month assessments. Autoregressive latent trajectory with structured residual (ALT-SR) models were used to examine within- and between-person relationships. We found continued support for prior work at the between-person level of analysis. At the within-person level, during the treatment phase, PTSD emerged as a key mechanism predicting both return to use and increased days of homelessness posttreatment. Further, greater substance use at treatment completion was associated with greater PTSD symptoms and homelessness, prospectively. The current study extends the previous work to consider individual level processes in conjunction with overarching event level predictors of homelessness. We found that PTSD symptomology is a driving factor that influences, both directly and indirectly, experiences of homelessness posttreatment. Interventions may wish to incorporate trauma informed approaches for youth entering treatment as this may mitigate long-term experiences of homelessness and return to substance use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of a brief cognitive reappraisal intervention on reductions in alcohol consumption and related problems.

Abstract: Research has shown links between interpersonal conflict and problematic drinking behaviors as a way to cope. The present research examined the effects of a brief interpersonal conflict cognitive reappraisal intervention on short-term reductions in alcohol-related problems in a sample of college student drinkers. Undergraduates who were regular drinkers (N = 190) participated in a randomized control online study, completing self-reported measures of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems at baseline and 2 weeks later. After completing the baseline survey, participants completed a brief writing intervention during which they were asked to reflect on a recent interpersonal conflict and write about it from 1 of 3 possible perspectives, 2 of which were targeting cognitive reappraisal (i.e., a neutral, third-party perspective and the other party's perspective), their own perspective, or to reflect on their activities that day (control). Results from negative binomial regression models supported both reappraisal conditions: Compared with control, those who thought about the conflict from a neutral third-party perspective and those who thought about the conflict from the other party's perspective reported significantly fewer drinking problems at follow-up. Results from this study suggest preliminary efficacy of a single-session writing intervention aimed at reappraising interpersonal conflict. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

A longitudinal investigation of racial discrimination, drinking to cope, and alcohol-related problems among underage Asian American college students.

Abstract: Few studies have investigated alcohol-related problems among Asian American college students, perhaps because of the model minority myth, or the false stereotype that Asian Americans are academically and economically successful and thus do not experience significant physical or mental health problems. However, drinking patterns among Asian Americans are complex and there is evidence that alcohol use may be increasing among Asian American college students. One potential risk factor for alcohol-related problems among Asian American college students is racial discrimination. Although past research has revealed a link between experiences of racial discrimination and alcohol use, few studies have examined the psychological processes underlying this association. Furthermore, only a few studies have examined the association between discrimination and alcohol-related problems using longitudinal designs. The present study longitudinally examined the direct and indirect effect of discrimination on alcohol-related problems through the frequency in which they engaged in drinking to cope within a sample of 311 underage Asian American college students. Controlling for alcohol use and baseline alcohol-related problems, Wave 2 drinking-to-cope motives were directly associated with Wave 3 (1 year later) alcohol-related problems. Wave 1 discrimination was indirectly associated with Wave 3 alcohol-related problems through drinking to cope. These findings have important implications for the prevention of alcohol-related problems among an understudied group, Asian American college students. They highlight the necessity of considering how sociocultural factors such as racism contribute to alcohol-related problems as well as examining how psychological processes such as drinking to cope put certain students at increased risk. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Emotion dysregulation and smoking outcome expectancies among Spanish-speaking Latinx adult cigarette smokers in the United States.

Abstract: Although smoking expectancies are associated with numerous aspects of smoking among non-Latinx Whites, far less is known about how individual differences in emotion dysregulation relate to smoking expectancies among Latinx smokers. The present investigation therefore evaluated the role of emotion dysregulation in smoking outcome expectancies among Latinx adult smokers. Participants were 363 Spanish-speaking Latinx daily smokers (58.7% female, Mage = 33.3 years, SD = 9.81). Emotion dysregulation was significantly related to both negative reinforcement and negative personal consequences for smoking. These effects were moderate in magnitude and evident after adjusting for the variance associated with a wide range of factors. Unexpectedly, emotion dysregulation was also related to expectancies of appetite control and positive reinforcement. This study provides the first empirical evidence that emotion dysregulation is associated with a broad range of smoking outcome expectancies among Latinx smokers. Emotion dysregulation may be an important, yet underrecognized, smoking-cessation treatment target for Latinx smokers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Not all alcohol use disorder criteria are equally severe: Toward severity grading of individual criteria in college drinkers.

Abstract: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) diagnosis in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) contains a severity gradient based on number of criteria endorsed, implicitly assuming criteria are interchangeable. However, criteria vary widely in endorsement rates, implying differences in the latent severity associated with a symptom (e.g., Lane, Steinley, & Sher, 2016) and demonstrating criteria are not interchangeable (Lane & Sher, 2015). We evaluated whether variation in the severity of criteria could be resolved by employing multiple indicators of each criterion varying in item-level severity. We assessed 909 undergraduate students aged 18 years or older with at least 12 drinking occasions in the past year. Participants self-administered questions on alcohol consumption and past year AUD symptoms via an online survey. For each of the 11 AUD criteria, we selected three indicators based on the difficulty values of the one-parameter logistic item response theory model ranging from low to high. We first tested a higher order AUD factor defined by 11 lower order criterion factors, χ2(551) = 2,959.35, p < .0001; root mean square error of approximation = 0.09. The 33 items were used to create severity scores: a criterion count (0-11), symptom count (0-33), and factor scores derived from a bifactor model. Though our new scores resulted in incremental validity over DSM-5 across a range of external validators, when the standardized regression estimates were compared, the new scores did not consistently outperform the DSM-5 suggesting this approach is viable for developing more sensitive diagnostic instruments but needs further refinement. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

A meta-analytic investigation of the associations between cannabis use and cannabis-related negative consequences.

Abstract: In the current climate of policy change regarding cannabis (i.e., decriminalization, medicalization, and legalization), various stakeholders have a strong interest in determining the associations between cannabis use and important outcomes. The present study sought to quantify the association between indicators of cannabis use and the experience of cannabis-related negative consequences. We found 19 unique studies that examined the associations between cannabis use and negative consequences as measured by 1 of 4 measures: the Marijuana Problems Scale, the Rutgers Marijuana Problem Index, the Cannabis Problems Questionnaire, or the Marijuana Consequences Questionnaire. We used random effects meta-analytic techniques to estimate the average strength of association between cannabis use and negative consequences, determine the level of heterogeneity in effect sizes, and examine possible moderators of these associations (measure of consequences, gender/sex distribution). We found that cannabis use had a medium-sized association with consequences, rw = .367, with high levels of heterogeneity that depended to some extent on the specific consequence measure used. Similar to a meta-analytic integration of the alcohol use-consequences association, we found that most of the variance in cannabis-related negative consequences was not explained by any single indicator of cannabis use, pointing to the fact that additional factors need to be examined to explain the experience of negative consequences from cannabis use and that additional indicators of cannabis use may be needed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Prevention of alcohol use in older teens: A randomized trial of an online family prevention program.

Abstract: This study examines effects of a randomized controlled trial for an online, family-based prevention program for older teens, Smart Choices 4 Teens, on alcohol use and related outcomes. Families (N = 411; teen age M = 16.4, SD = 0.5) were randomly assigned to the intervention or control condition in 2014-2015. Both intent to treat (ITT) and dosage models were conducted. ITT models: At the 6-month follow-up, teens in the experimental condition reported fewer friends who had been drunk, and parents in the experimental group reported more communication about social host laws. At the 12-month follow-up, parents in the experimental condition reported consuming fewer drinks than parents in the control group. Dosage models: At the 6-month follow-up, dosage was inversely related to teen drinking in the past 6 months or 30 days, frequency of teen drinking during the past 6 months and 30 days, drinks consumed by teens over the past 6 months, teen drunkenness and binge-drinking during the past 30 days, teen reported communication about safe drinking and positively related to parent and teen reported communication about social host laws. At 12 months, dosage was inversely related to teen alcohol use, frequency of teen drinking over the past 30 days, drinks consumed by teens over the past 6 months and 30 days, and teen drunkenness over the past 6 months. Results suggest that Smart Choices 4 Teens is beneficial for families. Dissemination and implementation strategies that motivate completion of program content will improve outcomes related to older teens' alcohol use. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Real-time social stress response and subsequent alcohol use initiation among female adolescents.

Abstract: Adolescents who are particularly sensitive to social stress may be vulnerable to earlier alcohol consumption and related problems. Although a small literature supports this contention, previous studies mostly relied on retrospective self-report. The current study used discrete-time survival analysis (DTSA) to test whether real-time social stress responding (via laboratory induction) and social anxiety symptoms predicted 12-month alcohol onset in an alcohol-naive sample of young female adolescents. Anxiety elicited by the task was expected to predict greater and earlier rates of alcohol incidence, particularly among girls with higher levels of self-reported social anxiety symptoms. Participants were 104 community-recruited girls (ages 12-15 years) who completed a modified Trier Social Stress Test and questionnaires; follow-up calls were conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the laboratory visit. Self-reported anxiety was assessed in response to the stressor following acclimation (baseline), instruction (anticipation), and speech (posttask). By 12 months, 30.8% of the sample had consumed a full alcoholic beverage. The DTSA revealed that girls with higher levels of social anxiety and greater elevations in anticipatory (but not posttask) anxiety compared to baseline had earlier alcohol initiation. This is the first study to examine the role of both laboratory-induced anxious responding and retrospective reports of social anxiety as prospective predictors of alcohol incidence. These preliminary findings suggest that adolescent girls who are more sensitive to social stress may be at risk for experimenting with alcohol earlier than their peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Alcohol administration reduces attentional bias to alcohol-related but not food-related cues: Evidence for a satiety hypothesis.

Abstract: Attentional bias to alcohol is a well-documented effect whereby drinkers allocate greater visual attention toward alcohol-related stimuli rather than nonappetitive, neutral stimuli. Some recent research has shown that acute administration of alcohol temporarily reduces attentional bias to alcohol cues, possibly because alcohol consumption satiates the motivation to drink. However, the specificity of this effect has not been tested, and so it is unclear whether reduced attentional bias following alcohol is specific to alcohol-related stimuli or whether attention to other appetitive stimuli is also reduced (e.g., food). This study tested the degree to which acute alcohol administration selectively reduced attentional bias to alcohol-related but not to food-related cues in a group of 23 healthy young adults who reported consuming alcohol roughly twice per week. Attentional bias to alcohol-related and food-related cues was tested using visual dot probe tasks following 2 active doses of alcohol, .30 g/kg and .65 g/kg, and a placebo. Results showed that attentional bias, measured as fixation time to stimuli on the visual probe tasks, to alcohol cues declined in a dose-dependent manner, whereas attentional bias to food cues was unaffected by the doses. The evidence suggests that alcohol consumption specifically reduces attentional bias to alcohol-related stimuli whereas bias to other appetitive stimuli remains intact. Evidence that alcohol consumption reduces attentional bias specifically to alcohol cues lends further credibility to the satiation theory and to the utility of attentional bias as an indicator of acute and transient changes in an individual's motivation to use alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).