Emotional Eating among Individuals with Concurrent Eating and Substance Use Disorders

Emotional eating occurs frequently in individuals with eating disorders and is an overlooked factor within addictions research. The present study identified the relationship between emotional eating, substance use, and eating disorders, and assessed the usefulness of the Emotional Eating Scale (EES) for individuals with concurrent eating disorders (ED) and substance use disorders (SUD). One hundred and ninety three individuals seeking specialized substance use and eating disorder treatment were administered substance use, mental health, and eating disorders measures. Results suggested that emotional eating predicted the ability to resist using drugs in high risk situations and the tendency to be over-absorbed in face of stressful situations. The EES is useful for assessing emotional eating among individuals with concurrent ED and SUD, although it would be improved by the inclusion of more items of positive affect. Emotional eating within populations with concurrent ED and SUD is worthy of further investigation.     

Reasons for Emergency Department Use among Patients with Mental Disorders

Psychiatric Quarterly - Disproportionate use of emergency departments (EDs) by patients with mental disorders suggests the need to evaluate factors associated with ED use. Based on the Andersen...     

Exploring the Psychometric Properties of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale Among Individuals with Substance Use Disorders

Although spirituality seems to be an important protective factor in the treatment of addiction, a serious limitation within the current literature involves a lack of research examining the psychometric properties of scales that measure spirituality among individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWB) among a sample of 305 individuals recruited from a residential substance abuse treatment center. Exploratory factor analyses supported the scale’s original structure. Validity and reliability tests suggested the SWB could be useful in assessing spiritual well-being among individuals with SUDs.     

Factors Influencing the Utilization of Empirically Supported Treatments for Eating Disorders

This study expands upon previous research investigating the use of empirically supported treatments (ESTs) for eating disorders by surveying a large sample of clinicians who specialize in treating eating disorders. Surveys developed for this study were sent to 698 members of a large, professional, eating disorder organization who were listed as treatment providers on the organization's website. Despite clinicians reporting frequently using CBT techniques, most identified something other than CBT or IPT as their primary approach to treatment. In contrast with previous research, the majority had received prior training in the use of manual-based treatments. However, consistent with previous investigations, most denied regular use of such treatments. Although manual-based CBT and IPT are referred to as “treatments of choice,” professional clinicians in the field are not consistently using them. Responses suggest several barriers to the utilization of ESTs in practice.     

A Profile on Emergency Department Utilization in Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

There has been an increase in utilization of the Emergency Department (ED) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) which may reflect a deficit of services (Green et al., Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 40(3):325–332, 2001; Gurney et al., Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 160:825–830, 2006; Leichtman et al., American Journal of Orthopsyhciatry 72(2):227–235, 2001). The current study examined the rates of ED utilization between 2005 and 2013 in ASD youth 12- to 21-years-old. Adolescents with ASD accessed ED services four times as often as adolescents without ASD. Older adolescents and those living in rural areas showed a significant increase in ED visits over time. Post hoc analysis revealed increased ED utilization for females and behavioral health ED services over time. Better access to and greater understanding of services for adolescents with ASD is a critical need.     

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Contemporaneous Use of Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Among Individuals Experiencing Both Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

This study examined whether the well-established racial/ethnic differences in mental health service utilization among individuals with mental illness are reflected in the treatment utilization patterns of individuals experiencing both mental illness and substance use disorders, particularly in regards to the use of contemporaneous mental health and substance abuse treatment. Using pooled data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2009–2013), the patterns of mental health and substance use treatment utilization of 8748 White, Black, or Latino individuals experiencing both mental illness and substance use disorders were analyzed. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to test the relationships among racial/ethnic groups and the receipt of contemporaneous treatment, mental health treatment alone, and substance use treatment alone as compared with no treatment utilization. Results indicated that Black and Latino respondents were less likely to receive contemporaneous treatment than Whites respondents. Also, significantly associated with outcomes were several interactions between race/ethnicity and predisposing, need and enabling factors known to be associated with service utilization. The findings suggest that an underlying mechanism of racial/ethnic differences among individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders in the treatment utilization may differ by the specific types of treatment and between Blacks and Latinos. Therefore, efforts to reduce these disparities should consider specialty in each treatment settings and heterogeneity within diverse racial/ethnic groups.     

Delay Discounting Interacts with Distress Tolerance to Predict Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders among Individuals Receiving Inpatient Substance Use Services

International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction -