Bullying Victimization Among College Students: Negative Consequences for Alcohol Use

This study reports the prevalence of bullying victimization at school and work among college freshmen and the relationships between victimization and changes in alcohol consumption and alcohol problems. Web survey data at 2 time points from a sample of 2118 freshmen from 8 colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States indicated that 43% of students experienced bullying at school and that 33% of students experienced bullying at work. Bullying, particularly at school, consistently predicted alcohol consumption and problematic drinking, after controlling for baseline drinking and other school and work stressors.     

Surveying the Literature on Acculturation and Alcohol Use among Hispanic College Students: We're Not All on the Same Page

During the past several years, a steadily growing body of literature examining acculturation and alcohol use among Hispanic college students has emerged. A review of this literature suggests that there have been (and continues to be) mixed findings regarding the association between acculturation and alcohol use in this population. Thus, the exact nature of this association is not clear. This paper provides an overview of this literature and outlines recommendations for future research that will help to elucidate the complexities inherent in this line of work.     

The Role of Alcohol Expectancies in the Associations Between Close Friend,Typical College Student,and Personal Alcohol Use

Background Perceptions of peer drinking and alcohol expectancies have been consistently associated with alcohol use among college students. There is evidence that perceived peer drinking also shapes alcohol expectancies. Research has yet to address the potential differential impact of perceived drinking by close friends versus by typical college students on alcohol use among first-semester college students. Relatedly, mediation of these associations by specific domains of alcohol expectancies has yet to be examined. Objectives: The first aim of the present study was to investigate whether perceptions of close friend drinking were more strongly associated with alcohol expectancies, alcohol use, and consequences of alcohol use than perceptions of typical college student drinking. The second aim focused on which alcohol expectancy domains partially accounted for the association between close friend drinking, typical college student drinking, and alcohol use and consequences. Method: Participants (n = 400 first-semester college students) completed survey questionnaires, which included measures of perceived close friend/typical student alcohol use, alcohol expectancies, and drinking behaviors. Results: Results showed that close friend alcohol use was more strongly associated with alcohol use and consequences compared to typical college student use both directly and indirectly through expectancies about alcohol enhancing social behaviors. Conclusions/Importance: These findings suggest that first-semester college student drinking is more influenced by perceived alcohol use among close friends than typical college students. Future intervention efforts for alcohol use on college campuses may benefit from including close friend network components along with targeting alcohol expectancies regarding social behaviors.     

The Prospective Effects of Impulsivity on Alcohol and Tobacco Use in a College Sample

Abstract

Alcohol and tobacco use are strongly associated, particularly in younger populations, and concurrent use may encourage progression toward dependence on both substances. Impulsivity has been linked to the use of alcohol and tobacco individually, but has not been studied in terms of its association with use of both. This study tested the hypothesis that the effects of impulsivity (sensation seeking and negative urgency) on smoking initiation in a sample of college students (n = 400) would be mediated by alcohol consumption. We also predicted that sensation seeking and negative urgency would predict alcohol and cigarette use and overlap among initiators.

Sensation seeking and negative urgency both predicted smoking initiation, but only the former effect was mediated by alcohol use. Among initiators, sensation seeking was associated with more frequent alcohol use as well as more frequent overlap between alcohol and tobacco use but not with smoking frequency. Higher negative urgency was associated with more frequent smoking, but not with alcohol use or alcohol/tobacco overlap. Findings are consistent with previous research in college samples and suggest the existence of multiple pathways to alcohol and tobacco use and co-use in college students.     

Implications of DSM-IV to DSM-5 Substance Use Disorder Diagnostic Changes in Adolescents Enrolled in a School-Based Intervention

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine (a) the impact of the change in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) from a categorical to dimensional classification of substance use diagnoses, (b) the elimination of the legal criterion, and (c) the inclusion of a craving criterion in the DSM-5. Specifically, we aimed to compare the differential diagnostic outcomes among high-risk substance-using adolescents enrolled in a school-based Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) intervention. We explored the alterations of diagnoses of adolescents in this sample and the prevalence of diagnostic promotions and demotions. We hypothesized that the dimensional approach of the DSM-5 would improve the utility of diagnosis in predicting severity of consequences and treatment outcomes in our sample. Method: Participants included 273 adolescents enrolled in a school-based intervention and were primarily male (76%) and Caucasian (47%), with 17% Asian/Pacific Islander, 17% Hispanic, 7% African-American, and 1% American Indian/Alaska Native. Results: We found that adolescents who lost diagnoses in the DSM-5 generally used substances less frequently and had fewer non-diagnostic negative consequences than those who remained consistently diagnosed across systems. Those who gained a diagnosis via the dimensional system tended to show higher use patterns and have more negative consequences than those who were never diagnosed. These findings indicate that the changes in the DSM are appropriate in this school-based clinical sample, at least in matching diagnostic status with substance use topography and negative consequences.     

Performance of the AUDIT in Detecting DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorders in College Students

Background: It is critical that our alcohol screening instruments maintain their accuracy at detecting DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) symptomatology. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is one of the most widely used alcohol screening instruments, despite no studies evaluating its performance for detecting DSM-5 AUDs. Objectives: The present study evaluated the performance of the AUDIT in the screening of DSM-5 AUDs in non-treatment seeking college students. Methods: Participants (N = 251) were undergraduate students who had at least one binge drinking occasion in the past 90-days. Results: The AUROC value for DSM-5 AUD status in the overall sample was.779 (SE =.029; 95% CIs =.721 to.837). The AUROC values for the reference groups of any DSM-IV AUD and any binge drinker were.798 (SE =.028; 95% CIs =.742 to.853) and.827 (SE =.03; 95% CIs.768 –.886), respectively. A similar pattern of findings emerged between males and females. Gender differences emerged in the identification of AUDIT cut-off scores. A score of ≥ 8 and ≥ 9 had the best balance of sensitivity and specificity for females and males in college, respectively. Conclusion: Findings indicate that the AUDIT has a reasonable degree of diagnostic proficiency in screening for DSM-5 AUDs in college students.     

Alcohol Use,Daily Hassles,and Religious Coping Among Students at a Religiously Affiliated College

Objective: This article presents empirical findings which suggest that religious coping moderates the relationship between daily hassles stress and alcohol use among female college students. Method: This study utilized a cross-sectional data collection strategy and convenience sampling to examine the relationship between alcohol use, daily hassles stress, and religious coping among 423 undergraduate students (269 females and 154 males) at a religiously affiliated college in the Midwestern USA. Data were collected in 2008. Instruments utilized for data collection included the Inventory of College Student Recent Life Experiences, the Brief RCOPE, and quantity/frequency measures of alcohol use. Results: Involvement in positive religious coping was significantly related to lower rates of alcohol use. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that among women, positive religious coping moderated the relationship between two types of daily hassles stress (academic alienation and romantic problems) and alcohol use. Conclusions: This study found that among female college students, the relationship between daily hassles stress and alcohol use weakened with increased participation in religious coping. This finding suggests that religious coping may protect against alcohol use among female college students. The results of this study also suggest that it may be important for university-based treatment and prevention practitioners to assess involvement in religious coping practices and to include such practices in the treatment planning process, when culturally appropriate and desired by consumers. Study limitations and areas for further research are also discussed.     

Tailgating and Pregaming by College Students with Alcohol Offenses: Patterns of Alcohol Use and Beliefs

Research indicates that pregaming (drinking before a social event) and tailgating (drinking before a sporting event) are two culturally ingrained alcohol use behaviors by college students. We examined the prevalence of these two activities in a sample of college students (N = 354) who violated campus alcohol policy and were mandated to receive an alcohol intervention in fall 2010. Results indicated that alcohol consumption and other risk factors were related to pregaming and tailgating. These findings are discussed in the context of clinical implications and future directions for research. This study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.     

Correlates of High-Risk and Low-Risk Alcohol Use among College Students in Kerala,India

This study describes the prevalence and correlates of alcohol use among college students in Ernakulam, Kerala State, India. A total of 5784 students from 58 colleges selected by stratified random sampling completed a questionnaire incorporating standardized instruments. The prevalence of lifetime alcohol use was 21.4% with a male predominance. Among users, low-risk, hazardous, and dependent use were 80.2%, 18.3% and 0.9% respectively. Initiation was mostly with friends (45.3%). Both low-risk and high-risk alcohol users (hazardous and dependent users), in comparison to abstainers, had higher odds of being older, non-Muslim, having a part-time job, using other substances, and exposure to sexual abuse. Students who reported low-risk use also had an urban background, more severe psychological distress and suicidal thoughts, while high-risk users had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Students who reported high-risk use compared to low-risk users had higher odds of having a part-time job, tobacco use, and ADHD symptoms. Alcohol use among college students is common, with both low- and high-risk drinking associated with significant morbidity. This study highlights the need to promote public health policies to target and prevent all patterns of alcohol use among young people.     

Patterns of Substance Use among Students Meeting Lifetime DSM-III Criteria for Alcohol Misuse

A cross-sectional survey of 989 college students was conducted to investigate substance use patterns between students meeting lifetime DSM-III alcohol misuse criteria and students not meeting misuse criteria. Students meeting alcohol misuse criteria (n = 294) reported a significantly greater history of lifetime substance use and were more likely to have used marijuana in the 6 months prior to the receipt of the questionnaire. No significant differences in the frequency of substance use within the 6-month period were indicated between the two student groups with the exception of marijuana. Students meeting lifetime DSM-III alcohol misuse criteria also reported having experimented with marijuana at an earlier age.     

Age Cohort Differences in the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Zolpidem: Findings from a Nationally Representative Sample

Background

Recent warnings from the FDA have highlighted the potential risks associated with zolpidem use. These risks may be especially acute in nonmedical users of zolpidem, but little work has examined the characteristics of such nonmedical users. This study aims to investigate the correlates of nonmedical use of zolpidem (NUPZ) across the lifespan and potential age cohort-based differences in NUPZ correlates.

Methods

Data from the 2009–2011 versions of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were used (n = 174,667). Analyses used weighted design-based logistic regressions to examine a set of substance use and mental health correlates within five separate age cohorts and differences in correlate magnitude between these cohorts.

Results

Most examined substance use and mental health variables were significant correlates of NUPZ, though odds ratio (OR) magnitude tended to drop with increasing age. Age-based differences were most apparent for substance use correlates of both lifetime and past year NUPZ, with significantly higher ORs in adolescent nonmedical users. Mental health variables operated more consistently across age, with OR magnitudes that were generally in the same range, regardless of age cohort.

Conclusions

Age-based differences in NUPZ correlates suggest motives may change for NUPZ through the lifespan, though this cannot be established with the cross-sectional data used in this work. Clinicians screening for NUPZ should emphasize such screening in high-risk individuals with substance use and/or mental health problems.     

Interpersonal Guilt and Substance Use in College Students

Background: The college years are a time for developing independence and separating from one's family, and they are also a time in which substance use often escalates. This study examined the relationships between use of substances and interpersonal guilt, an emotion that can arise from feelings about separation among college students. Methods: In total, 1865 college students completed a survey evaluating substance use and interpersonal guilt. Regular users of alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis, and other illicit drugs were compared with nonregular users of each substance. Sequential linear regression, controlling for confounding variables, examined relationships between regular use of each substance and scores on a guilt index. Results: Risky drinkers and daily smokers had significantly more interpersonal guilt than their peers who did not regularly use these substances. In contrast, regular cannabis users had significantly less guilt than nonregular cannabis users. Conclusions: These data suggest that substance use among college students may be related to interpersonal guilt and family separation issues, and this relationship may vary across substances.     

Nonmedical Opioid Use in Relation to Recency of Heroin Use in a Nationally Representative Sample of Adults in the United States

Nonmedical opioid use has been linked to lifetime heroin use; however, research is needed to examine associations between nonmedical opioid use and current or recent heroin use, as current users appear to be at highest risk for harm. Data were from a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized adults (age 18–64) in households participating in the National Survey of Drug Use and Health who reported lifetime heroin use (2005–2014, N = 7,111). We examined associations between frequency and recency of nonmedical opioid use and recency of heroin use. Most (86.7%) lifetime heroin users reported no heroin use in the last 12 months, while 6.1% reported current use (use in the last 30 days). The majority of the sample (69.3%) reported lifetime nonmedical opioid use; 14.3% reported nonmedical use in the last 30 days. Adjusted odds for current heroin use increased as frequency of past-year nonmedical opioid use increased, with a quarter (24.7%) of current heroin users reporting nonmedical opioid use on 157–365 days in the last year. Over half (54.7%) of current heroin users reported current nonmedical opioid use. Prevention efforts should consider that high-frequency and current nonmedical opioid use is a robust correlate of continued heroin use.     

Association Between Using Smartphone Dating Applications and Alcohol and Recreational Drug Use in Conjunction With Sexual Activities in College Students

Background: The association between using smartphone dating applications (apps) and substance use in conjunction with sexual activities was only examined in homosexual men. This association was poorly understood in heterosexual samples. Objective: To explore the association between using dating apps and alcohol, and use of recreational drug in conjunction with sexual activities in college students. Design: 666 students from four universities in Hong Kong were recruited in this cross-sectional study in the year 2015. Outcome measures included the use of dating apps, sexual history, and drug and alcohol use. Multivariable logistic regressions were employed. Results: The use of dating apps for more than 1 year was found to be associated with recreational drug use in conjunction with sexual activities (adjusted odds ratio: 7.23). Other risk factors of recreational drug use in conjunction with sexual activities included being bisexual/homosexual male, a smoker, and having one's first sexual intercourse at the age of less than 16 years. The use of dating apps was not a risk factor for alcohol consumption in conjunction with sexual activities. Risk factors for alcohol consumption in conjunction with sexual activities included being older, having monthly income more than HKD5,000, and a smoker. Furthermore, risk factors for alcohol consumption in conjunction with the last sexual activity included currently being in a dating relationship, a smoker, and having sex with a casual partner. Conclusions: Using dating apps is an emerging risk factor of drug misuse. Interventions for practising safe sex and preventing drug use should be targeted at dating app users.     

Changes Over One Semester in Drinking Game Playing and Alcohol Use and Problems in a College Student Sample

One-hundred ninety-five alcohol-using college students completed a questionnaire in early September, at the beginning of the fall semester, then completed a follow-up questionnaire in mid-November, near the end of the semester. The questionnaires included items on levels of alcohol use, the Eysenck I.7 measure of impulsiveness and venturesomeness, alcohol expectancies, perceived norms for alcohol use, reasons for drinking, and aspects of drinking game playing. As predicted, those students who were 18 years of age and younger, nearly all of them 1st-year students, significantly increased their levels of alcohol use during their first semester in college. While increases in reasons for drinking were significantly predictive of increased alcohol use and problems in first-year and older students, increases in expectancies of alcohol effects and in frequencies of drinking game playing were significantly predictive of increases in alcohol use and problems only for first-year students. The present results provide further evidence of the importance of drinking games in the socialization of college students into problematic alcohol use.     

A Preliminary Investigation of Caffeinated Alcohol Use During Spring Break

Background: Caffeinated alcoholic beverages (e.g., Red Bull and vodka) are popular but associated with negative consequences. CABs may be particularly popular during Spring Break, a potentially risky social event. Objectives: We aimed to identify the prevalence of Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use, determine how caffeinated alcohol use Spring Break drinking habits differ from usual, and examine the association between Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Methods: Data were collected from 95 college students during March of 2013 and 2014. Students completed questionnaires of their alcohol and caffeinated alcohol use before and during Spring Break and Spring Break alcohol-related problems. Results: Approximately 54% of students used caffeinated alcohol during Spring Break. Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use was associated with more alcohol-related problems, even after controlling for other alcohol consumed and Spring Break vacation status. Conclusions/Importance: Caffeinated alcoholic beverages are commonly consumed during Spring Break and their use uniquely predicted harms. Prevention efforts placed on caffeinated alcoholic beverage users may be helpful in reducing Spring Break-related harms.     

Bidirectional Relations of Impulsive Personality and Alcohol Use Across Three Waves of Data Collection

Objective: To explore the bidirectional relations between alcohol use and three impulsive personality traits, to advance understanding of risk processes. Participants: 525 college students (mean age = 18.95 years) recruited in August 2008 and 2009 and followed up annually for three years. Methods: Personality and past/current substance use were assessed. Results: T2 sensation seeking mediated the predictive relationship between T1 and T3 alcohol use, and T2 alcohol use mediated the predictive relationship between T1 and T3 sensation seeking. In addition, T2 alcohol problems mediated the predictive relationship between T1 alcohol use and T3 negative urgency. Conclusions: Findings support a bidirectional relationship between sensation seeking and alcohol use, and drinking anticipates drinking problems, which predict increases in negative urgency. For some individuals, there appears to be an ongoing process of increased risk in the form of increases in both drinking and high-risk personality traits.     

Predicting an Alcohol Use Disorder in Urban American Indian Youths

This study examines predictors of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) among an urban American Indian cohort who were followed from approximately age 11 to age 20. Approximately 27% of the sample had a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence. The results indicated that externalizing, but not internalizing, behaviors, family conflict, and school liking served as significant predictors of an AUD. Neither having an alcoholic mother nor an alcoholic father was found to be significantly predictive of an alcohol use disorder at ages 19 and 20. Finally, early alcohol initiation was a substantial predictor of an AUD and acted as a partial mediator.     

Parents Still Matter: The Role of Parental Attachment in Risky Drinking among College Students

This study longitudinally assessed the effects of parental attachment on alcohol-related risks across the first year of college. Greater attachment to mother was associated with lower alcohol risk while weaker attachment to mother was related to more drinking and consequences near the end of the first year, even when controlling for baseline drinking. Furthermore, gender moderated the relationship between attachment and consequences such that first-year men with weaker attachment reported experiencing more consequences than females or males with stronger attachment. Findings highlight the role of parental attachment in reducing risk and identify first-year males with low maternal attachment as a potential high-risk group.