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...on substance abuse and the college campus |
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www.ProjectCork.org |
Summer 2005 |
Motivational interventions for heavy drinking college students: Examining the role of discrepancy-related psychological processes.
McNally AM; Palfai TP; Kahler CW. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors19(1): 79-87, 2005. (39 refs.)The authors examined the effects of a brief motivational intervention for heavy, episodic alcohol use on discrepancy-related psychological processes. Heavy-drinking college students (N = 73) were randomly assigned to a motivationally based intervention (MBI) or an assessment-only control (AC) condition. Cognitive (actual-ideal discrepancy) and affective (2 forms of cognitive dissonance) discrepancy processes were assessed at baseline and immediately following the experimental manipulation. At 6-week follow-up, MBI participants demonstrated significantly greater reductions in problematic drinking than AC participants. Moreover, actual-ideal discrepancy and negative, self-focused dissonance were significantly increased following the intervention (discomfort-related dissonance was not) and were correlated with outcome alcohol involvement. These discrepancy processes did not, however, mediate the relationship between condition and outcome. The findings lend some support to the role of discrepancy enhancement in drinking-related behavior change among college students.
Copyright 2005, American Psychological Association.
A review of interventions to reduce tobacco use in colleges and Universities. (review).
Murphy-Hoefer R; Griffith R; Pederson LL; Crossett L; Iyer SR; Hiller MD. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 28(2): 188-200, 2005. (57 refs.)Background: Interventions have been designed to reduce the prevalence of smoking in college/ university students. This review presents a summary and synthesis of the interventions published in English from 1980 to the present. Methods: Seven databases were searched for relevant published articles, and reference lists were examined for additional published studies. The studies were categorized as (1) individual approaches, such as on-campus cessation programs, and (2) institutional approaches, such as smoke-free policies. The studies were categorized by type of institution and geographic location, study design, sample demographics, and outcomes. Results: Fourteen studies were identified; only five received a "satisfactory" rating based on evaluation criteria. Most studies were based on convenience samples, and were conducted in 4-year institutions. Seven studies used comparison groups, and three were multi-institutional. Individual approaches included educational group sessions and/or individual counseling that were conducted on campus mostly by healthcare personnel. None used nicotine replacement or other medications for cessation. The quit rates for both smokeless tobacco, and cigarette users varied, depending on definitions and duration of follow-up contact. Institutional interventions focused mainly on campus smoking restrictions, smoke-free policies, antitobacco messages, and cigarette pricing. Results: indicated that interventions can have a positive influence on student behavior, specifically by reducing tobacco use (i.e., prevalence of cigarette smoking and use of smokeless products, amount smoked) among college students, and increasing acceptability of smoking policies and campus restrictions among both tobacco users and nonusers. Conclusions: While some promising results have been noted, rigorous evaluations of a wider range of programs are needed, along with studies that address cultural and ethnic diversity on campuses.
Copyright 2005, American College of Preventive Medicine.
A prospective investigation of relations between social influences and alcohol involvement during the transition into college.
Read JP; Wood MD; Capone C. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 66(1): 23-34, 2005. (50 refs.)Objective: The present study used structural equation modeling to test whether prospective relations between prematriculation social influences and alcohol involvement in college were most consistent with peer selection, peer socialization or reciprocal determinism explanations and to determine if observed relations varied according to measurement interval. We tested the hypotheses that "active" (alcohol offers) and "passive" (social modeling, perceived norms) social influences would be uniquely and reciprocally associated with alcohol use and alcohol-related consequences across two and three waves of assessment. Method: Prospective undergraduates (N = 388) completed self-report assessments in the summer before matriculation (Wave 1), in the spring of their freshman year (Wave 2) and in the spring of their sophomore year (Wave 3). Results: Reciprocal effects were observed between social influences and alcohol use in both two- and three-wave models. Some evidence was observed for reciprocal associations for social modeling with alcohol use and alcohol problems. Overall, however, only modest support was found for a reciprocal influence conceptualization of social influences in alcohol problems. For alcohol problems, the results were more consistent with selection effects. No significant reciprocal associations were observed for perceived norms. Conclusions: Findings generally support the Social Learning Theory concept of reciprocal determinism but suggest the relationship between individual drinking behaviors and the social environment varies when distinguishing between alcohol use and alcohol problems. These findings also point to the importance of distinguishing among different types of social influences when delineating processes that result from and lead to heavy drinking in college.
Copyright 2005, Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc. Used with permission.
Alcohol use disorders among US college students and their non-college-attending peers.
Slutske WS. Archives of General Psychiatry 62(3): 321-327, 2005. (25 refs.)Background: Heavy/binge drinking among college students has become a major public health problem. There is consistent evidence suggesting that young adults in college are drinking more than their non-college-attending peers, but it is still not clear whether they are more likely to suffer from clinically significant alcohol use disorders. Objective: To compare the 'prevalence of alcohol use disorders and alcohol use disorder symptoms in college-attending young adults with their non-college-attending peers within the same study in a large and representative US national sample. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Civilian, noninstitutionalized US population. Participants: Young adults (n=6352) from the 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (19-21 years of age, 51% female, 66% white, 14% African American, 14% Hispanic). Main Outcome Measures: Lifetime, past-year, and past-month drinking, past-year and past-month weekly drinking, past-month weekly binge drinking, past-month daily drinking, typical quantity consumed in the past month, and past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence and abuse diagnoses. Results: Eighteen percent of US college students (24% of men, 13% of women) suffered from clinically significant alcohol-related problem's in the past year, compared with 15% of their non-college-attending peers (22% of men, 9% of women; overall odds ratio = 1.32). The association between past-year alcohol use disorder and college attendance was stronger among women (odds ratio = 1. 70) than men (odds ratio = 1. 14). College students were more likely to receive a diagnosis of DSM-IV alcohol abuse than their peers not attending college; despite the fact that those in college were drinking more, they were not more likely to receive a diagnosis of DSM-IV alcohol dependence. Conclusions: College students suffer from some clinically significant consequences of their heavy/binge drinking, but they do not appear to be at greater risk than their non-college-attending peers for the more pervasive syndrome of problems that is characteristic of alcohol dependence.
Copyright 2005, American Medical Association.
Oral piercings among first-year university students.
Venta I; Lakoma A; Haahtela S; Peltola J; Ylipaavalniemi P; Turtola L. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology and Endodontics 99(5): 546-549, 2005. (21 refs.)Objective. The aim of the study was to examine oral piercings among first-year university students. Study design. First-year university students in 2002 were invited to a dental examination (n = 234; 49 men and 185 women). Students with piercings formed the study group and the rest served as controls. The methods included decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMF) index, stimulated salivary flow rates, panoramic tomograms, and questionnaires including the Depression Inventory of Beck. Fisher's 2-sided exact test was used for statistical analysis. Results. The prevalence of oral piercings was 3.4%. In the DMF indices, no statistically significant differences existed between the groups. Increased salivary flow rates were noted among students with piercings (63% vs 26%, P < .05). Use of tobacco and illicit drugs, and also depression, were more prevalent in the study group than in the controls. Conclusion. Because of the possibility of oral implications, follow-up of oral piercings is essential.
Copyright 2005, Mosby Inc.
Selection and socialization effects of fraternities and sororities on US college student substance use: A multi-cohort national longitudinal study.
McCabe SE; Schulenberg JE; Johnston LD; O'Malley PM; Bachman JG; Kloska DD. Addiction 100(4): 512-524, 2005. (33 refs.)Aims: To examine how membership in fraternities and sororities relates to the prevalence and patterns of substance use in a national sample of full-time US college students. Design: Nationally representative probability samples of US high school seniors (modal age 18 years) were followed longitudinally across two follow-up waves during college (modal ages 19/20 and 21/22). Setting Data were collected via self-administered questionnaires from US high school seniors and college students. Participants The longitudinal sample consisted of 10 cohorts (senior years of 1988-97) made up of 5883 full-time undergraduate students, of whom 58% were women and 17% were active members of fraternities or sororities. Findings: Active members of fraternities and sororities had higher levels of heavy episodic drinking, annual marijuana use and current cigarette smoking than non-members at all three waves. Although members of fraternities reported higher levels than non-members of annual illicit drug use other than marijuana, no such differences existed between sorority members and non-members. Heavy episodic drinking and annual marijuana use increased significantly with age among members of fraternities or sororities relative to non-members, but there were no such differential changes for current cigarette use or annual illicit drug use other than marijuana. Conclusions The present study provides strong evidence that higher rates of substance use among US college students who join fraternities and sororities predate their college attendance, and that membership in a fraternity or sorority is associated with considerably greater than average increases in heavy episodic drinking and annual marijuana use during college. These findings have important implications for prevention and intervention efforts aimed toward college students, especially members of fraternities and sororities.
Copyright 2005, Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and Other Drugs.
The American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA), Spring 2003 Reference Group Report.
American College Health Association. Journal of American College Health 53(5): 199-210, 2005. (23 refs.)Assessing and understanding the health needs and capacities of college students is paramount to creating healthy campus communities. The American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) is a survey instrument developed by the American College Health Association (ACHA) in 1998 to assist institutions of higher education in achieving this goal. The ACHA-NCHA contains approximately 300 questions assessing student health status and health problems, risk and protective behaviors, access to health information, impediments to academic performance, and perceived norms across a variety of content areas, including injury prevention; personal safety and violence; alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use; sexual health; weight, nutrition, and exercise; and mental health. Twice a year, ACHA compiles aggregate data from institutions using the ACHA-NCHA to provide a reference group for data comparison. A portion of the data from the Spring 2003 Reference Group is provided in this article for use by professionals, researchers, institutions, departments, and organizations invested in advancing the health of college students.
Copyright 2005, Heldref Publications.
Nonmedical use of prescription opioids among U.S. college students: Prevalence and correlates from a national survey.
McCabe SE; Teter SJ; Boyd CJ; Knight JR; Wechsler H. Addictive Behaviors 30(4): 789-805, 2005. (43 refs.)Objectives: This study examined the prevalence rates and correlates of nonmedical use of prescription opioid analgesics among U.S. college students in terms of student and college characteristics. Methods: This study analyzed data from a nationally representative sample of 10,904 randomly selected students attending 119 four-year colleges in 2001. Results: The lifetime prevalence of nonmedical prescription opioid use was 12% and the past year prevalence was 7%. Approximately one in every four colleges had a prevalence of 10% or higher for past year nonmedical use of prescription opioids. Multivariate regression analyses indicated nonmedical use was more likely to occur among college students who were white, residents of fraternity and sorority houses, attended more competitive colleges, earned lower grade point averages, and reported higher rates of substance use and other risky behaviors. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the nonmedical use of prescription opioids represents a problem on college campuses. These findings have important implications for developing prevention efforts and therapeutic strategies aimed at reducing the nonmedical use of prescription opioid analgesics among college students while not hindering necessary medication management for pain.
Copyright 2005, Elsevier Science Ltd.
Determinants of positive and negative consequences of alcohol consumption in college students: Alcohol use, gender, and psychological characteristics.
Park CL; Grant C. Addictive Behaviors 30(4): 755-765, 2005. (19 refs.)To examine the influence of alcohol consumption, gender, and psychological risk and protective factors on college students' experiences of negative and positive consequences, the present study of 181 students assessed frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, negative and positive consequences of alcohol use, positive alcohol expectancies, constructive thinking, and positive and negative affect. Results indicated that men and women differed in their experience of some consequences and that while alcohol consumption was generally more strongly related to consequences for women than for men, it was unrelated to most consequences. Further, when controlling for alcohol consumption, positive alcohol expectancies and negative affect were positively related to experiencing positive and negative consequences while constructive thinking was related to fewer positive and fewer negative consequences. Results indicate that consequences are much more strongly related to psychological risk and protective factors than to alcohol consumption. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for intervention efforts.
Copyright 2005, Elsevier Science Ltd.
Drinking like a guy: Frequent binge drinking among undergraduate women.
Young AM; Morales M; McCabe SE; Boyd CJ; D'Arcy H. Substance Use & Misuse 40(2): 241-267, 2005. (39 refs.)The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine why there has been an increase in frequent binge drinking among the most recent generation of female undergraduate students. Specifically, we examined whether female undergraduate women associated being able to "drink like a guy" (e.g., drink large amounts of alcohol, drinking competitively) with gender equality. Focus groups were conducted in March of 2003 with 42 female undergraduate women who consumed alcohol. Participants were recruited from respondents of a random sample survey of undergraduate students attending a large, public university and reflected the demographic characteristics of this population: traditional-age college students (i.e., attending college between 18 and 22 years of age). who were primarily white from middle or upper middle class families and living on or near the college campus. Focus groups were based on drinking trajectories during college (Stable High, Stable Low, Decreasers, Increasers) and sorority status. While women of all drinking levels reported feeling pressure to drink "heavily" because of the favorable impression they could make on their male peers, primarily women who were frequent binge drinkers throughout college felt that "drinking like a guy" described their own drinking behaviors. While women reported that being able to "drink like a guy" provided them with a sense of equality with their male peers, analysis of the transcripts suggests that "drinking like a guy" had less to do with gender equality and more to do with emphasizing women's (hetero)sexuality. Findings are discussed in terms of how "heavy alcohol consumption" affords college women positive attention from their male peers, but likely increases their vulnerability to sexual assault and alcohol use related health problems.
Copyright 2005, Marcel Dekker, Inc.
Hard drugs in a soft context: Managing trouble and crack use on a college campus.
Jackson-Jacobs C. Sociological Quarterly 45(4): 835-856, 2004. (59 refs.)This paper presents ethnographic data on the social world of a group of four college-student crack-cocaine users. A comparative theory of modes of crack using is developed, grounded in strategic comparisons among these data and previously published accounts of the lives of impoverished "street" users. Two social-organizational conditions shielded the campus users from the kinds of crack-related trouble observed in other settings: the security of their social, economic, and physical environment and the boundedness of the spheres of their social lives. Additionally, two related ways of understanding crack served to limit trouble: orienting to crack as a social object to be used only in leisure rituals and the understanding that crack should not impinge on spheres of life outside the using group.
Copyright 2005, University of California Press.