The Mediating Role of Impulsivity Between Psychological Distress and Alcohol Misuse Among College Students at a Historically Black University

Objective: Alcohol misuse is prevalent and clinically significant among college students. Psychological distress is one factor that has been found to predict alcohol misuse in this population. However, relatively few investigations examined the association of psychological distress to alcohol misuse or its underlying mechanisms among students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The present study examined whether impulsivity explains the relation between psychological distress and alcohol misuse in this population using structural equation modeling. Methods: Participants were 287 undergraduate students attending an HBCU in the southern United States (M_age = 22.5, 66.3% female, 93.7% Black). Results: Impulsivity was found to significantly mediate the association of psychological distress to alcohol misuse, such that higher levels of psychological distress were associated with greater impulsivity which, in turn, was related to more alcohol misuse. Further analyses indicated that attentional impulsivity significantly mediated the association of psychological distress to alcohol misuse. Conclusions: These findings suggest the utility of targeting impulsivity in interventions aimed at preventing and reducing alcohol misuse among college students attending HBCUs who experience psychological distress.     

Combined Use of Alcohol and the Internet: Associated Features

Background: With the potentiality of excessive Internet usage being associated with adverse consequences, the current study assessed adverse outcomes of combined Internet and alcohol misuse. Objective: We hypothesized that participants who simultaneously engage in both alcohol and Internet use would experience adverse outcomes from their actions, compared to those who just misuse the Internet in the absence of alcohol. Methods: The current study deployed an anonymous online survey comprised of scales measuring several domains such as impulsivity, neglect of responsibilities, depression, frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, as well as Internet usage. From a large (N?=?550) sample of college student surveys, we compared the 39 Internet drinkers with a randomly selected sampled of 39 non-drinking counterparts. Results: Relative to their non-drinking counterparts, Internet Drinkers were elevated on measures of alcohol misuse and some features of Internet addiction, but not depression. Conclusion: Of the final sample, 64.7% of those who drank alcohol while using the Internet indicated doing something they later regretted while online. Further exploration is warranted to more fully understand how non-substance compulsive behaviors can be misused and how they interact with substance misuse and co-occurring mental health issues.     

Predicting Students’ Intention to use Stimulants for Academic Performance Enhancement

Background: The non-medical use of stimulants for academic performance enhancement is becoming a more common practice among college and university students. Objective: The objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of students’ intention to use stimulant medication for the purpose of enhancing their academic performance. Based on an extended model of Ajzen's theory of planned behavior, we examined the predictive value of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, psychological distress, procrastination, substance use, and alcohol use on students’ intention to use stimulants to improve their academic performance. Methods: The sample consisted of 3,589 Flemish university and college students (mean age: 21.59, SD: 4.09), who participated anonymously in an online survey conducted in March and April 2013. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the relationships among the study variables. Results: Our results indicate that subjective norm is the strongest predictor of students’ intention to use stimulant medication, followed by attitude and perceived behavioral control. To a lesser extent, procrastinating tendencies, psychological distress, and substance abuse contribute to students’ intention. Conclusions/ Importance: Based on these findings, we provide several recommendations on how to curtail students’ intention to use stimulant medication for the purpose of improving their academic performance. In addition, we urge researchers to identify other psychological variables that might be related to students’ intention.