Social Support, Relationship Power, and Knowledge of HIV+ Serostatus in Sexual Risk Behavior Among Women in Psychiatric Treatment.

This study examined social support, perceived relationship power, and knowledge of HIV+ serostatus in relation to frequency of unprotected sex acts and number of partners among women with comorbid psychiatric illness receiving treatment. Data were drawn from an initial assessment of participants enrolled in an HIV risk reduction intervention (N = 284), and two generalized linear models were used to examine the potential associations. Relationship power was significantly associated with fewer unprotected sex acts. This relationship was stronger among those with greater social support. Knowledge of HIV+ serostatus was linked with fewer sexual partners and less unprotected sex. Findings also revealed that the protective nature of support varies by level of perceived relationship power, with higher power indicative of a stronger protective relationship. Study findings suggest that the potential protective benefits of social support may depend on one's perceived relationship power. Implications for HIV prevention intervention for this at-risk group are discussed.

Structure of Problem Recognition Questionnaire with Hispanic/Latino Adolescents.

Motivation is a prominent target for substance use interventions because it is theorized to increase engagement in therapy and predict treatment outcomes. Establishing the validity of measures relevant to motivation among Hispanic/Latino adolescents will improve the resources available for screening and measuring change processes in a multicultural population. We examined the structure of the Problem Recognition Questionnaire (PRQ; Cady, Winters, Jordan, Solberg, & Stinchfield, 1996) with Hispanic/Latino adolescents. Participants were adolescents (n=191) in a randomized controlled trial for substance abuse. Data were collected during a baseline pre-treatment time point and post-treatment time point that was four-months post-baseline. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the three-factor structure proposed by Cady et al. (1996) had a poor fit with pre-treatment data. Follow-up exploratory analyses with principal axis factoring identified an alternate three-factor structure with pre-treatment data (problem recognition, readiness, and treatment resistance). A second CFA showed this three-factor model fit data from participants at the post-treatment time point (n=155). The results provide preliminary evidence for using our proposed factor structure for the PRQ subscales with Hispanic/Latino adolescents. We discuss the dimensions we identified in the context of similar measures and the implications for measuring problem recognition, readiness, and treatment resistance.

HIV risk behavior and internalizing/externalizing psychopathology among adolescents in court-ordered treatment.

BACKGROUND: The confluence of drug use behaviors, sexual risk, and psychopathology may complicate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention intervention for adolescents engaging in substance use and criminal behavior. However, few studies have examined these risk associations. OBJECTIVE: This study identified HIV risk behavior subgroups among adolescents in court-ordered substance abuse treatment and examined linkages with dimensions of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. METHODS: Internalizing and externalizing behaviors were assessed with the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI). Latent class analysis was used to identify subgroups on the basis of involvement in substance use proximal to sex, number of partners, and consistency of condom use. RESULTS: Participants (n = 301) were identified as demonstrating high, medium, or low levels of sexual risk behavior. Greater externalizing psychopathology distinguished the high risk class from the medium risk class and from the low risk class. CONCLUSION: Detained youth with particularly serious oppositional-defiant behavioral characteristics, substance use, and sex risk behavior likely require intensive interventions that address the multiple systemic factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of this pattern.

Correlates of engaging in drug distribution in a national sample.

In this study, we examined self-reported behaviors and characteristics of individuals involved in drug distribution to identify correlates of engaging in drug-distribution behaviors. Correlates of interest included demographic characteristics, substance-use patterns, psychological impairment, and criminal involvement. Data from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, 2013) were used for analyses (N = 55,108). A logistic regression analysis distinguished those who have sold drugs from those who have not sold drugs to identify correlates of engaging in drug distribution. Results showed that recency of substance use, severity of substance use, criminal activity, mental health diagnoses, substance-use treatment, and arrest history were all significantly associated with distribution behaviors. Findings indicate the importance of accounting for the heterogeneous characteristics of individuals involved in distribution behaviors when considering treatment options or criminal proceedings.