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1.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken) ; 47(10): 1989-2001, 2023 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37864527

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Driving while intoxicated (DWI) is a serious public health problem. However, treatment for DWI arrestees is not readily available. This study examines the effectiveness of a contingency management (CM) procedure using transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) monitoring to reduce drinking among DWI arrestees. METHOD: The study participants were 216 DWI arrestees under pretrial and included both Mandated participants undergoing court-ordered TAC monitoring and Non-Mandated participants wearing a study-provided TAC monitor. Participants were randomly assigned to either a CM (Mandated = 35; Non-Mandated = 74) or a Control condition (Mandated = 37; Non-Mandated = 70) and completed the 8-week intervention. CM participants received $50/week for not exceeding a TAC of 0.02 g/dL during the previous week. Payments to Controls were yoked to the CM group. RESULTS: Among Non-Mandated participants, the probability of meeting the contingency was higher and remained stable (about 65%) over time in the CM group, whereas the probability was lower and declined in the Control group, widening the gaps in the probability between the study conditions (16.7%-24.1% greater in the CM group from visit 4 to 8, all p < 0.05). Among Mandated participants, the probability was not significantly different between conditions (p = 0.06-0.95). Furthermore, among Non-Mandated participants, the percentage of heavy drinking days remained low (9.16%-11.37%) in the CM group, whereas it was greater and increased over time (17.43%-26.59%) in the Control group. In Mandated participants, no significant differences in percent heavy drinking days were observed between conditions (p = 0.07-0.10). CONCLUSION: We found that contingency effects on alcohol use are more pronounced among frequent and heavy alcohol users, i.e., Non-Mandated DWI arrestees. However, for individuals whose drinking was already suppressed by existing contingencies (i.e., court-mandated TAC monitoring), our CM procedure did not produce additional reductions in drinking.

2.
J Res Adolesc ; 33(3): 1011-1022, 2023 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37208844

ABSTRACT

Adolescence is defined in part by heightened exposure and sensitivity to stressors. In a longitudinal cohort of youth at risk for substance use problems, we examined the age-varying relationship between stress exposure and traits that are central to the dual systems model. The positive associations between stress exposure, impulsivity, sensation seeking varied as function of age. Specifically, the influence of stress exposure on impulsivity strengthened during early adolescence and remained stable into early adulthood, while the influence of stress exposure on sensation seeking strengthened from early- to mid-adolescence and weakened thereafter. These findings suggest that the maturational imbalance between the capacity to regulate impulsive tendencies and sensation seeking may be exaggerated for youth who are exposed to a high number of stressors.


Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Substance-Related Disorders , Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Risk-Taking , Impulsive Behavior , Sensation
4.
Harm Reduct J ; 20(1): 37, 2023 03 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36964600

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Distribution of naloxone and training on its proper use are evidence-based strategies for preventing opioid overdose deaths. In-person naloxone training was conducted in major metropolitan areas and urban centers across Texas as part of a state-wide targeted opioid response program. The training program transitioned to a live, virtual format during the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration. This manuscript describes the impact of this transition through analyses of the characteristics of communities reached using the new virtual training format. CASE PRESENTATION: Training participant addresses were compared to county rates of opioid overdose deaths and broadband internet access, and census block comparison to health services shortages, rural designation, and race/ethnicity community characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The virtual training format reached more learners than the in-person events. Training reached nearly half of the counties in Texas, including all with recent opioid overdose deaths. Most participants lived in communities with a shortage of health service providers, and training reached rural areas, those with limited broadband internet availability, and majority Hispanic communities. In the context of restrictions on in-person gathering, the training program successfully shifted to a live, online format. This transition increased participation above rates observed pre-pandemic and reached communities with the need for equipping those most likely to witness an opioid overdose with the proper use of naloxone.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Drug Overdose , Opiate Overdose , Humans , Narcotic Antagonists/therapeutic use , Pandemics/prevention & control , Drug Overdose/prevention & control , Drug Overdose/drug therapy , Opiate Overdose/prevention & control , Opiate Overdose/drug therapy , Texas/epidemiology , COVID-19/prevention & control , Naloxone/therapeutic use , Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use
5.
BMC Prim Care ; 23(1): 77, 2022 04 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35421949

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Over 100 million Americans have chronic pain and most obtain their treatment in primary care clinics. However, evidence-based behavioral treatments targeting pain-related disability are not typically provided in these settings. Therefore, this study sought to: 1) evaluate implementation of a brief evidence-based treatment, Focused Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (FACT-CP), delivered by an integrated behavioral health consultant (BHC) in primary care; and 2) preliminarily explore primary (self-reported physical disability) and secondary treatment outcomes (chronic pain acceptance and engagement in valued activities). METHODS: This mixed-methods pilot randomized controlled trial included twenty-six participants with non-cancer chronic pain being treated in primary care (54% women; 46% Hispanic/Latino). Active participants completed a 30-min individual FACT-CP visit followed by 3 weekly 60-min group visits and a booster visit 2 months later. An enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU) control group received 4 handouts about pain management based in cognitive-behavioral science. Follow-up research visits occurred during and after treatment, at 12 weeks (booster visit), and at 6 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data after the last research visit. General linear mixed regression models with repeated measures explored primary and secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The study design and FACT-CP intervention were feasible and acceptable. Quantitative analyses indicate at 6-month follow-up, self-reported physical disability significantly improved pre-post within the FACT-CP arm (d = 0.64); engagement in valued activities significantly improved within both the FACT-CP (d = 0.70) and ETAU arms (d = 0.51); and chronic pain acceptance was the only outcome significantly different between arms (d = 1.04), increased in the FACT-CP arm and decreased in the ETAU arm. Qualitative data analyses reflected that FACT-CP participants reported acquiring skills for learning to live with pain, consistent with increased chronic pain acceptance. CONCLUSION: Findings support that FACT-CP was acceptable for patients with chronic pain and feasible for delivery in a primary care setting by a BHC. Results provide preliminary evidence for improved physical functioning after FACT-CP treatment. A larger pragmatic trial is warranted, with a design based on data gathered in this pilot. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT04978961 (27/07/2021).


Subject(s)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy , Chronic Pain , Chronic Pain/therapy , Female , Humans , Male , Pain Management , Pilot Projects , Primary Health Care
6.
Health Commun ; 36(5): 540-550, 2021 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32091242

ABSTRACT

Alcohol-impaired driving is a common and costly public health problem associated with alcohol misuse. This investigation aims to understand the role of social support and drinking motives in motivating alcohol-impaired drivers to reduce alcohol use. One hundred nineteen participants with a history of driving-while-intoxicated arrest were recruited from either a correctional treatment facility (n = 59) or the community (n = 60) and asked about their motivation to change alcohol use. Motivation to change was tested in relationships with two types of social support (i.e. Abstinence-Specific Social Support and General Social Support) and drinking motives (Coping, Enhancement, and Social Motives). The results showed: (1) only Abstinence-Specific Social Support was positively associated with motivation to change; (2) Coping and Social Motives had a negative association with motivation to change; (3) the impact of Abstinence-Specific Social Support on motivation to change was greater among those with a stronger Enhancement Motives. In other words, those who drink primarily for pleasure showed a greater increase in motivation to change when more Abstinence-Specific Social Support is available, compared to those with lower Enhancement Motives. The findings of this investigation contribute to our knowledge of the roles of communication in the rehabilitation of alcohol-impaired drivers.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism , Motivation , Adaptation, Psychological , Alcohol Drinking , Humans , Social Support
7.
J Res Adolesc ; 30(4): 1051-1066, 2020 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32951266

ABSTRACT

We investigated if the dual systems model could explain the increased rates of substance use among at-risk youth. This study sampled 365 adolescents, 289 of which had a family history of substance use disorder, assessed biannually between the ages 13-16 years old. Growth curve analyses revealed that higher levels of impulsivity were related to higher levels of sensation seeking and a slower rate of decline in impulsivity was related to a faster rate of increase in sensation seeking. Only family history status and sensation seeking were directly associated with substance use (marijuana, alcohol) at age 16, though family history status was also indirectly related to substance use through higher levels of impulsivity to higher levels of sensation seeking.


Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Substance-Related Disorders , Adolescent , Humans , Impulsive Behavior , Risk-Taking , Sensation , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology
8.
Addict Disord Their Treat ; 19(1): 7-15, 2020 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33424458

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This program evaluation examined rates of treatment initiation and alcohol related violations among adults who completed a brief motivational interviewing (BMI) session after a driving while intoxicated arrest. METHOD: Adults attending orientation for pretrial bond supervision were assessed for eligibility to receive services by counselors in an outpatient clinic. A total of 118 male and female adults with DWI arrests completed a single BMI session. Treatment initiation was assessed one-week after the BMI session and alcohol-related violations were assessed 6-months later. RESULTS: Fifty-three percent of those with DWI arrests who received the BMI session-initiated treatment and of those who initiated treatment, alcohol-related violations were significantly lower than for those who did not initiate treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide preliminary support that a single session BMI delivered soon after arrest and before pretrial conditions are implemented has promise for spurring clients to take steps to initiate treatment and is related to better rates of compliance with alcohol-related pretrial conditions.

9.
Traffic Inj Prev ; 20(1): 15-22, 2019.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30715916

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is used to assess the level of alcohol use/misuse and to inform the intensity of intervention delivered within screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) programs. Policy initiatives are recommending delivery of SBIRT within health care settings to reduce alcohol misuse and prevent alcohol-impaired driving. Recent reports are considering extending delivery of SBIRT to criminal justice settings. One consideration in implementing SBIRT delivery is the question of resource utilization; the amount of effort required in delivering the 4 different intensities of intervention in SBIRT: Alcohol education, simple advice, brief counseling and continued monitoring, and brief counseling and referral to specialist (from least to most intense in terms of delivery time, the skill level of the provider, and personnel resources). METHODS: In order to inform expectations about intervention intensity, this article describes the AUDIT scores from 982 adults recently arrested for alcohol-impaired driving. The distribution of scores is extrapolated to state rates for individuals arrested for alcohol-impaired driving by intervention level. RESULTS: Though alcohol education was the most common intervention category, about one quarter of the sample scored in a range corresponding with the more intensive interventions using the brief counseling, continued monitoring for ongoing alcohol use, and/or referral to specialist for diagnostic evaluation and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This article provides local distribution of AUDIT scores and state estimates for the number of individuals scoring in each level of risk (AUDIT risk zone) and corresponding intervention type. Routine criminal justice practice is well positioned to deliver alcohol screening, education, simple advice, and continued alcohol monitoring, making delivery of SBIRT feasible for the majority of alcohol-impaired drivers. Challenges to implementing the full range of SBIRT services include resource demands of brief counseling, identifying the appropriate providers within a criminal justice context, and availability of community providers for referral to diagnostic and specialty care. Solutions may vary by state due to differences in population density and incidence rates of alcohol-impaired driving.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism/diagnosis , Alcoholism/rehabilitation , Early Medical Intervention/organization & administration , Health Plan Implementation/organization & administration , Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Automobile Driving , Female , Humans , Interdisciplinary Communication , Male , Research , Risk Assessment , Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis , Substance-Related Disorders/therapy , United States
10.
Alcohol ; 81: 101-110, 2019 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30179708

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Several studies have objectively quantified drinking through the use of Alcohol Monitoring System's (AMS) transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) device known as SCRAM CAM. Criteria that AMS uses to detect drinking are known to be conservative and only reliably detect heavy drinking equivalent to 5 or more standard drinks. Our group has developed Research Rules used to process TAC data in a manner that will detect low-level and moderate drinking even though it is below the AMS criteria for detection. METHODS: Sixteen male and 14 female paid research volunteers wore TAC monitors for 28 days in their natural environments and responded daily to text message prompts to self-report the previous day's drinking. Current analyses describe the Research Rules that we developed and how use of those rules impacts the detection of self-reported drinking treated as the standard in sensitivity/specificity analysis. RESULTS: We observed 606 occurrences of positive TAC events over a total of 867 days and processed the TAC data to retain 345 as possible drinking events, even though AMS criteria confirmed drinking for only 163 of these events. The kinds of TAC events removed or retained by our rules are illustrated as cases of low and moderate drinking days that were detected by our rules but not by the conservative AMS criteria. AMS-confirmed TAC events have a high specificity (99.8%) to detect primarily heavy drinking, but have a poor sensitivity to detect lower-level drinking and a poor specificity as an indicator of alcohol abstinence. In contrast, our Research Rules detected 100% of TAC events detected by AMS but also detected 31% of the lower-level drinking events not detected by AMS, with 91% specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Reliance upon the AMS criteria for alcohol detection affords a high specificity for detection of heavy drinking but is a poor indicator of abstinence rates. In contrast, use of our Research Rules provides more sensitive means to quantify either any drinking or low-moderate levels of drinking while still maintaining good specificity.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/metabolism , Ethanol/analysis , Wearable Electronic Devices , Adult , Female , Humans , Male
11.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 43(1): 123-134, 2019 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30431660

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Social support has been linked to many therapeutic benefits (e.g., treatment retention, reduced posttreatment relapse) for individuals with alcohol use disorder. However, the positive impacts of social support have not been well understood in the context of alcohol-impaired driving. This article examines the role of social support in motivating those with histories of driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest to reduce alcohol use by testing 3 major models of social support: the Main-Effects model, the Buffering model, and the Optimal Matching model. METHODS: One hundred and nineteen participants with histories of DWI arrest were recruited from a correctional treatment facility (n = 59) and the local community (n = 60). Participants completed interviews to assess alcohol consumption, psychiatric/physical conditions, and psychosocial factors associated with drinking behavior (e.g., social support, alcohol-related problems, and motivation to change). Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the 3 models. Additionally, the relative magnitude of the effects of general and recovery-specific social support was compared based on the approach of statistical inference of confidence intervals. RESULTS: Overall social support was positively associated with some motivation to change (i.e., importance of change, confidence in change) among alcohol-impaired drivers, supporting the Main-Effects model. However, the impact of overall social support on motivation to change was not moderated by alcohol-related problems of individuals arrested for DWI, which did not confirm the Buffering model. Last, recovery-specific social support, rather than general social support, contributed to increasing motivation to reduce alcohol use, which supported the Optimal Matching model. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the benefits of social support (i.e., increased motivation to change alcohol use) for alcohol-impaired drivers. Regardless of the severity of alcohol-related problems of alcohol-impaired drivers, social support had direct positive impacts on motivation to change. In particular, the results underscore that social support can be more effective when it is matched to the recovery effort of individuals, which is consistent with the Optimal Matching model.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Driving Under the Influence/psychology , Models, Psychological , Motivation , Social Support , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Male , Young Adult
12.
Pain Med ; 20(8): 1509-1518, 2019 08 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30590737

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pain severity on activity levels and physical disability in the context of high pain acceptance. We hypothesized that pain acceptance moderates the effect of pain severity on general activity and physical disability, such that at higher levels of acceptance, the deleterious effect of pain is mitigated. METHODS: Two hundred seven patients with chronic pain were recruited from three clinics in a large southwestern military treatment facility. Participants completed an anonymous self-report battery of standardized measures, including the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire, modified Oswestry Disability Index, and Pain Severity and General Activity subscales of the West Haven-Yale Multidimensional Pain Inventory. RESULTS: Chronic pain acceptance was found to significantly moderate relations between pain severity and general activity (b = 0.0061, t(198) = 2.75, P = 0.007, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.002 to 0.011) and pain severity and disability (b = 0.036, t(193) = -2.564, P = 0.011, 95% CI = -0.063 to -0.008). In the context of higher acceptance, the negative effect of pain on activity and disability appeared reduced. Conversely, in the context of low acceptance, the effect of pain on disability appeared accentuated at all levels of pain severity. CONCLUSIONS: Higher acceptance mitigated both activity level and disability in a military-affiliated clinical sample of patients with chronic pain. Results further establish the role of acceptance in relation to functioning in a unique sample of people with chronic pain. These findings have implications for understanding and enhancing functioning in chronic pain populations.


Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living , Attitude to Health , Chronic Pain/psychology , Chronic Pain/physiopathology , Family , Female , Humans , Male , Military Personnel , Pain Management , Pain Measurement , Severity of Illness Index , Veterans
13.
Addict Behav ; 85: 147-152, 2018 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29910035

ABSTRACT

Alcohol consumption is typically assessed via self-report methods, though there are concerns over the accuracy of this information. Transdermal alcohol monitoring can passively and continuously measure alcohol consumption with minimal interference in daily life. The current study examines the correspondence between daily self-reported alcohol consumption and transdermal alcohol monitors. Thirty-two healthy men (n = 16) and women (n = 16) wore a transdermal alcohol monitor for 28 days. Participants were instructed to drink as they usually do and prompted daily with a survey link to report yesterday's drinking. Data analyses focused on the following comparisons: (1) the overall correspondence between self-reported drinking and TAC readings; (2) the sensitivity of various TAC criteria thresholds to detect self-reported drinking (TAC thresholds of none, low, moderate, and heavy); and (3) the risks of false positive TAC findings using self-reported drinking as the Gold Standard. Participants self-reported drinking a total of 324 days, of which, TAC events were detected on 212 days (65.4%). When participants self-reported not drinking (399 days), zero TAC was also found on 366 days (92%). The correspondence between self-reported drinking and transdermal concentrations tended to be good: overall, when self-reported drinking was reported, TAC also detected drinking 65.4% of the time.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking , Ethanol/analysis , Self Report , Skin/metabolism , Sweat/chemistry , Adult , Female , Healthy Volunteers , Humans , Male , Young Adult
14.
Psychol Assess ; 30(7): 847-856, 2018 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29431454

ABSTRACT

The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) is the most widely administered trait impulsiveness questionnaire. Recently a shorter, unidimensional version of the instrument was developed for adults (BIS-Brief). While psychometric characteristics of the BIS-Brief support its use among adults, it also may be more appropriate for youth samples than the complete BIS-11 because it less burdensome and omits items about activities not usually encountered by children and adolescents. This article describes a test of psychometric characteristics of the BIS-Brief among youth. To measure a sufficiently wide range of scores, analyses were conducted based on secondary data analysis of data sets pooled from 3 distinct youth cohorts aged 10-17: healthy controls (Control; n = 356); those who had a family history of substance use disorder (FH+; n = 302); and psychiatric inpatients (Patients; n = 322). Model fit for the BIS-Brief was good but varied somewhat depending on the respondent cohort. There was a strong correlation between test and re-test BIS-Brief both within a single day and at 6 months, and also a strong correlation between BIS-Brief and BIS-11 scores. Concurrent validity was supported by correlation with questionnaire measures, which tended to be more robustly associated with BIS-Brief than behavioral measures. Both BIS-Brief and BIS-11 forms were similarly associated with other convergent measures. In conclusion, the BIS-Brief is a shorter version of the BIS-11 that reduces participant burden and with psychometric properties that support its use among youth populations. (PsycINFO Database Record


Subject(s)
Impulsive Behavior , Personality Assessment/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adolescent , Age Factors , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Psychometrics , Puberty/psychology , Reproducibility of Results
15.
Addict Behav ; 83: 56-63, 2018 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29397211

ABSTRACT

Recent developments in alcohol monitoring devices have made it more feasible to use contingency management (CM) procedures to reduce alcohol use. A growing body of literature is demonstrating the effectiveness of CM to reduce alcohol use among community recruited adults wearing transdermal alcohol concentration (TAC) monitoring devices. This article describes the quality improvement process aimed at adapting TAC-informed CM aimed at minimizing alcohol use and maximizing treatment completion. This extends literature to a high-risk population; adults arrested and awaiting trial (pretrial) for criminal charge of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Participants were enrolled during their orientation to pretrial supervision conditions of DWI bond release. At enrollment, participants completed a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment; those with high risk alcohol histories were enrolled in an 8-week CM procedure to avoid TAC readings. Four Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality improvement cycles were conducted where the TAC cutoff for determining alcohol use, the quantity of reinforcer, and handling of tampers on the transdermal alcohol monitor were manipulated. Across four PDSA cycles, the retention for the full 8-weeks of treatment was increased. The proportion of weeks with alcohol use was not decreased across cycles, the peak TAC values observed during drinking weeks were significantly lower in Cycles 1 and 4 than 3. CM may be developed as a tool for pretrial supervision to be used to increase bond compliance of those arrested for DWI and for others as a method to identify the need for additional judicial services.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/metabolism , Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control , Driving Under the Influence/prevention & control , Monitoring, Ambulatory/instrumentation , Monitoring, Ambulatory/methods , Skin/metabolism , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Reproducibility of Results
17.
Brain Behav ; 7(2): e00615, 2017 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28239525

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In preparation for longitudinal analyses of white matter development in youths with family histories of substance use disorders (FH+) or without such histories (FH-), we examined the reproducibility and reliability of global and regional measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) values, measured using the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics Through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA)-diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) protocol. Highly reliable measures are necessary to detect any subtle differences in brain development. METHODS: First, we analyzed reproducibility data in a sample of 12 healthy young adults (ages 20-28) imaged three times within a week. Next, we calculated the same metrics in data collected 1-year apart in the sample of 68 FH+ and 21 FH- adolescents. This is a timeframe where within subject changes in white matter microstructure are small compared to between subject variance. Reproducibility was estimated by examining mean coefficients of variation (MCV), mean absolute differences (MAD), and intraclass correlations (ICC) for global and tract-specific FA values. RESULTS: We found excellent reproducibility for whole-brain DTI-FA values and most of the white matter tracts, except for the corticospinal tract and the fornix in both adults and youths. There was no significant effect of FH-group on reproducibility (p = .4). Reproducibility metrics were not significantly different between adolescents and adults (all p > .2). In post hoc analyses, the reproducibility metrics for regional FA values showed a strong positive correlation (r = .6) with the regional FA heritability measures previously reported by ENIGMA-DTI. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study demonstrated an excellent reproducibility of ENIGMA-DTI FA, positing it as viable analysis tools for longitudinal studies and other protocols that repeatedly assess white matter microstructure.


Subject(s)
Brain/diagnostic imaging , Clinical Protocols/standards , Diffusion Tensor Imaging/standards , Substance-Related Disorders/diagnostic imaging , White Matter/diagnostic imaging , Adolescent , Adult , Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods , Family , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Reproducibility of Results , Young Adult
18.
Addict Behav ; 69: 1-7, 2017 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28095339

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Substance use during adolescence can lead to the development of substance use disorders and other psychosocial problems. These negative outcomes are especially likely for individuals who use substances at earlier ages and those who engage in heavier use during adolescence, behaviors which are both more common among youth at higher risk for developing a substance use disorder, such as those with a family history of substance use disorders (FH+). Factors such as increased sensation seeking and greater exposure to stressors among FH+ youth may influence these associations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the relative and unique contributions of sensation seeking during preadolescence and exposure to stressors during early to mid-adolescence to cumulative substance use by mid-adolescence among FH+ youth. METHODS: A total of 167 mostly Hispanic FH+ youth (ages 12-15) who were participating in an ongoing longitudinal study were included in these analyses. Participants' data from biennial waves covering approximately 2.5years were used. Self-reported sensation seeking, exposure to stressors, and substance use were compared. RESULTS: Higher sensation seeking during preadolescence and greater exposure to stressors during early to mid-adolescence were both associated with substance use by age 15. These factors differentiated Substance Users from Non-Users, and also related to level of substance use. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated sensation seeking and exposure to stressors are both associated with substance use by age 15 among high-risk youth. Additionally, these factors can distinguish youth who develop heavier substance use during this important developmental period.


Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Child Behavior/psychology , Impulsive Behavior , Risk-Taking , Stress, Psychological/epidemiology , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Adolescent , Child , Comorbidity , Female , Hispanic or Latino/psychology , Hispanic or Latino/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Risk Factors , Sensation , Southwestern United States/epidemiology , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Substance-Related Disorders/psychology
19.
Clin Neuropsychol ; 31(2): 459-470, 2017 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28079460

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Working memory is a fundamental cognitive function and is predictive of outcomes and achievement in a wide range of domains from an early age. The focus of this study was to develop a computerized Brazilian version of the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT) for preschoolers and to provide initial normative and validation data for this task. METHODS: The sample of the present study was composed of 248 children aged 3 (n = 41), 4 (n = 88) and 5 (n = 119) years from 13 private and public schools in Belo Horizonte. Children were evaluated with the SOPT and the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale (CMMS), a measure of intelligence, and their parents completed the Brazilian Criterion of Economic Classification (CCEB) to assess their SES. A subsample of parents of 184 children also filled the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 11/2-5 years (CBCL 11/2-5), a measure of psychopathology. RESULTS: A multiple regression analysis found chronological age, intelligence, and SES to be predictive of performance on the SOPT. Furthermore, five-year olds performed better than three- and four-year olds in the task. A difference between children in private and public kindergartens also emerged. Additionally, SOPT performance was negatively correlated with Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total psychopathological problems, as well as to several other psychopathological measures as accessed by the CBCL, although the correlations were small. CONCLUSION: Taken together, this study provides initial normative and validation data for the SOPT, but further validation studies are needed.


Subject(s)
Memory, Short-Term , Neuropsychological Tests , Aging/psychology , Brazil , Child, Preschool , Cognition , Female , Humans , Intelligence Tests , Male , Mental Disorders/psychology , Parents , Predictive Value of Tests , Reproducibility of Results , Socioeconomic Factors
20.
J Adolesc ; 53: 222-230, 2016 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27816696

ABSTRACT

Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Conduct Disorder (CD) experience deficits in neuropsychological measures of attention, inhibition, and reward processes. Methylphenidate treatment for ADHD and CD has acute effects on these processes. Some of these same aspects of performance are separately described in the Behavioral Model of Impulsivity, which uses a modified approach to measurement. This study characterized the acute effects of methylphenidate attention, initiation, inhibition, and reward processes described in this model of impulsivity. Thirty-one adolescents from the United States of America with comorbid ADHD and CD completed measures of impulsivity (response initiation, response inhibition, and consequence) and attention following placebo, 20 mg, and 40 mg of a long-acting dose of methylphenidate. Methylphenidate effects on attentional performance was more robust than on any of the measures of impulsivity. Adolescent performance from this behavioral perspective is interpreted in the context of divergence from previous neuropsychological tests of acute methylphenidate effects.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/drug therapy , Attention/drug effects , Central Nervous System Stimulants/pharmacology , Conduct Disorder/drug therapy , Impulsive Behavior/drug effects , Methylphenidate/pharmacology , Adolescent , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/complications , Conduct Disorder/complications , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Inhibition, Psychological , Male
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