Visualizing the Influence of Social Networks on Recovery: A Mixed-Methods Social Identity Mapping Study with Recovering Adolescents.

Background: Social recovery capital (SRC) refers to resources and supports gained through relationships and is vital to adolescent addiction recovery. Much is known about how substance use relates to social networks, but little is known about how other dimensions of social networks influence recovery (e.g., network size/exposure, degree of conflict). Methods: This mixed-methods study sampled 28 adolescents who received treatment for alcohol and other drug (AOD) use disorder (14-19 yrs.: 71% male; M = 17.32 yrs., SD = 1.33; White 82%): 20 were recovery high school (RHS) students. Adolescents completed a social identity map for addiction recovery (SIM-AR), survey, and interview. Qualitative data were content analyzed and the data from the SIM-AR were quantified. Results: On average, participants reported belonging to five distinct groups within their network (Range, 2-9; SD = 1.63; M = 27.89 people, SD = 20.09). Of their social network connections, 51% drank alcohol and 46% used other substances, on average. Larger networks involved more conflict (r = 0.57). Participants were more likely to spend more time with groups that had greater proportions of non-substance-using members. These linkages were stronger for RHS than for non-RHS students. Qualitative analyses revealed that youth reported their recovery-oriented groups as supportive, but some reported that their substance-using friends also supported their recovery. Discussion: SIM-AR was a useful measurement tool, and, through qualitative interviews, we identified unique aspects of youths' social networks important for further examination. Research with recovering youth should examine SRC-related elements within their networks including relationship quality, belonging, and conflict, alongside the substance use behaviors of network members.

The Role of Exercise in Statin-Associated Muscle Symptoms Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Objective: To provide a synthesis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) in adults who underwent exercise training intervention. Patients and Methods: We systematically searched 5 electronic databases for placebo-controlled RCTs through January 31, 2023. We included short-term and long-term exercise interventions that compared the efficacy and safety of exercise+statin vs exercise+placebo in healthy adults and reported SAMS preintervention and postintervention. Publication bias and methodological study quality assessments were performed. Results: Five of 454 potentially qualifying RCTs met the inclusion criteria, all short-term exercise RCTs. Participants were predominantly physically inactive young to middle-aged (M=37.2 y) men (57%), 252 (49%) who were on statin therapy, and 271 (53%) on placebo. Of the 3 RCTs providing qualitative SAMS results, 19 (9%) out of 220 participants reported SAMS on exercise+statin and 10 (4%) out of 234 reported SAMS on exercise+placebo. There was no difference between exercise+statin vs exercise+placebo for maximal oxygen consumption (d=-0.18; 95% CI, -0.37 to 0.00; P=.06) or creatine kinase after short-term exercise (d=0.59; 95% CI, -0.06 to 1.25; P=.08). Participants in the exercise+statin group reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol vs exercise+placebo (d=-1.84; 95% CI, -2.28 to -1.39; P<.001). Most of the RCTs exhibited low levels of risk of bias (k=4, 80%) and achieved moderate methodological study quality (75.0%±5.2%). Conclusion: Self-reported SAMs tended to be 5% greater after short-term exercise in statin users compared with placebo, although this difference did not achieve statistical significance. There remains an important need for placebo-controlled RCTs investigating the prevalence of statin-induced SAMS during exercise training.

Mental and Physical Health Impacts of Mindfulness Training for College Undergraduates: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Universities increasingly offer mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) to improve student health and reduce their impact on overburdened psychological services. It is critical for evidence-based policy to determine for what health outcomes mindfulness programs are effective and under what conditions. Objectives were to: (a) perform a comprehensive analysis of the effects of mindfulness interventions on physical, mental, and behavioral health outcomes in college undergraduate students, and (b) examine moderators of intervention effects to identify factors that may help improve existing university mindfulness programs and guide the design of new programs. Method: Systematic searches of five databases identified MBP randomized controlled trials for undergraduate students, measuring any health outcome. Analyses using robust variance estimation focused on standardized mean differences for outcomes between groups and modeled through coded study features. Results: The 58 studies in the review primarily focused on mental health with fewer assessments of physical health or health behaviors. Overall, mindfulness interventions significantly outperformed both active and inactive controls (ps<.05), with the most marked effects on anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and mindfulness; greater success appeared for clinical populations. Online programs performed equivalent to in-person, and non-MBP programs were equivalent to MBP programs after controlling for other factors. Publication bias and other quality issues also emerged. Conclusions: Mindfulness programs improve well-being in college students, with the strongest evidence for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms. More studies utilizing stronger methods are needed to evaluate mindfulness programs' effects on additional health outcomes and online interventions in clinical populations.

Sexuality and aging: Is it time for a new sexual revolution?

People in Western cultures live increasingly longer, and medical advancements, health care availability, and lifestyle changes have widened the possibilities of continued sexuality, sexual activity, and sexual diversity well into older adulthood. Yet, research studies have mainly eschewed discussions of sexual possibilities. Although studies have examined the benefits of sexual activity, often they focus purely on sexual function and sexual dysfunction, physical limitations, and the practicalities (such as finding a partner) of sex as persons age. This commentary posits that, in many instances, the social constraints around aging and sexuality inhibit sexuality in older adults in ways that may be more significant than functional or practical limitations. Portrayals in the media either reinforce social norms of the asexual older adult or portray images of the "sexy oldie" that may be unattainable for many older adults. We provide a brief review of sexuality research and prevailing sexual social norms. As Towler et al.'s (2021) elaborate study illustrates, many sexually active older adults struggle with ageism, stigma, and shame arising from the perceived social unacceptability of their sexuality. Studies of older adults from other Western countries reveal similar stories. Accordingly, achieving sexual well-being may be more dependent on changing social norms around sexuality and aging than on discovering new arousal medication to treat physical limitations. Moreover, we advocate for changing the social and academic dialogue from successful aging, which requires maintaining health and vitality-to the aging experience, which incorporates aspects of positive aging such as sexual wisdom, sexual experience, and the sexual diversity that comes with older adulthood. This "new sexual revolution" would elevate sexuality and aging as socially admirable and desirable.

Ensuring Prevention Science Research is Synthesis-Ready for Immediate and Lasting Scientific Impact.

When seeking to inform and improve prevention efforts and policy, it is important to be able to robustly synthesize all available evidence. But evidence sources are often large and heterogeneous, so understanding what works, for whom, and in what contexts can only be achieved through a systematic and comprehensive synthesis of evidence. Many barriers impede comprehensive evidence synthesis, which leads to uncertainty about the generalizability of intervention effectiveness, including inaccurate titles/abstracts/keywords terminology (hampering literature search efforts), ambiguous reporting of study methods (resulting in inaccurate assessments of study rigor), and poorly reported participant characteristics, outcomes, and key variables (obstructing the calculation of an overall effect or the examination of effect modifiers). To address these issues and improve the reach of primary studies through their inclusion in evidence syntheses, we provide a set of practical guidelines to help prevention scientists prepare synthesis-ready research. We use a recent mindfulness trial as an empirical example to ground the discussion and demonstrate ways to ensure the following: (1) primary studies are discoverable; (2) the types of data needed for synthesis are present; and (3) these data are readily synthesizable. We highlight several tools and practices that can aid authors in these efforts, such as using a data-driven approach for crafting titles, abstracts, and keywords or by creating a repository for each project to host all study-related data files. We also provide step-by-step guidance and software suggestions for standardizing data design and public archiving to facilitate synthesis-ready research.

You Are What You Repeatedly Do: Links Between Personality and Habit.

Several socio-cognitive theories of personality describe habit development as an integral process of personality development. Yet, no empirical research has rigorously examined linkages between personality traits and habits. In the present study, participants (N=459) reported perceived automaticity, intrinsic rewards, and extrinsic rewards for several of 25 total behaviors; they also self-reported two important traits: conscientiousness and neuroticism. Conditional multilevel mediation analyses were used to assess the effect of each conscientiousness and neuroticism on automaticity through intrinsic and extrinsic rewards for each behavior. Across behaviors, conscientiousness was negatively associated with behavioral automaticity, and neuroticism positively predicted it. Specifically, conscientiousness appeared to protect against automaticity for health risk behaviors but did not promote automaticity for behaviors performed frequently by those high in conscientiousness; conversely, neuroticism positively predicted automaticity even for behaviors not performed more frequently by those high on the trait. Perceived intrinsic and extrinsic rewards mediated the link between traits and automaticity for some behaviors (e.g., sugary drink consumption), but these effects were not consistent across all behaviors. These findings offer some of the first empirical insights into the links between personality and habits.

Best Practices for Meta-Reviews in Physical Activity and Health Research: Insights From the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Advisory Committee Scientific Report.

BACKGROUND: Systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) have proliferated with a concomitant increase in reviews of SRs/MAs or "meta-reviews" (MRs). As uncovered by the 2018 US Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee (PAGAC), there is a paucity of best practice guidance on MRs on physical activity health-related research. This manuscript aims to fill this gap. METHODS: In total, the PAGAC conducted 38 literature searches across 3 electronic databases and triaged 20,838 titles, 4913 abstracts, and 2139 full texts from which 1130 articles qualified for the PAGAC Scientific Report. RESULTS: During the MR process, the following challenges were encountered: (1) if the SR/MA authors had limited experience in synthesis methodology, they likely did not account for risk of bias in the conclusions they reached; (2) many SRs/MAs reviewed the same primary-level studies; (3) many SRs/MAs failed to disclose effect modifier analyses; (4) source populations varied; (5) physical activity exposures were nonstandardized; and (6) dose-response effects or effect modification of the physical activity exposure could not be identified. CONCLUSIONS: Using examples from the PAGAC Scientific Report, we provide (1) a high-level introduction to MRs; (2) recommended steps in conducting a MR; (3) challenges that can be encountered; and (4) guidance in addressing these challenges.

Community-level factors and incidence of gun violence in the United States, 2014-2017.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: In the United States, gun violence claims thousands of lives each year and is a pressing public health issue. To gain a better understanding of this phenomenon, this study spatially analyzed county- and state-level predictors of yearly gun violence rates and gun-related casualty rates. METHODS: This study modeled hypothesized predictors of gun violence incidence and casualties across four years. Data sources included the Gun Violence Archive (gun violence data in the United States for 2014-2017), the U.S. Census Bureau (socioeconomic, demographic, geologic features), ICPSR (crime reports), the U.S. Geologic Survey (elevation data), and U.S. gun laws and ownership. Random forest analyses identified relevant additional interaction terms to include. RESULTS: The extent to which counties are urban was the most robust predictor of both gun violence incident and casualty rates. Similarly, places characterized by greater income disparity were also more likely to experience higher gun violence rates, especially when high income was paired with high poverty. CONCLUSIONS: Community- and state-level features are markedly associated with gun violence. Gun violence is higher in counties with both high median incomes and higher levels of poverty; poverty did not seem related to gun violence rates in counties with relatively low median incomes. Some of these findings may well be due to racial segregation and concentrated disadvantage, due to institutional racism, police-community relations, and related factors.

Postexercise hypotension due to resistance exercise is not mediated by autonomic control: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Changes in autonomic control have been suggested to mediate postexercise hypotension (PEH). We investigated through meta-analysis the after-effects of acute resistance exercise (RE) on blood pressure (BP) and autonomic activity in individuals with normal and elevated BP. Electronic databases were searched for trials including: adults; exclusive RE interventions; and BP and autonomic outcomes measured pre- and postintervention for at least 30 min. Analyses incorporated random-effects assumptions. Thirty trials yielded 62 interventions (N = 480). Subjects were young (33.6 ± 15.6 yr), with systolic BP (SBP)/diastolic BP (DBP) of 124.2 ± 8.9/71.5 ± 6.6 mm Hg. Overall, RE moderately reduced SBP (normal BP: ~1 to 4 mm Hg, p < 0.01; elevated BP: ~1 to 12 mm Hg, p < 0.01) and DBP (normal BP: ~1 to 4 mm Hg, p < 0.03; elevated BP: ~0.5 to 7 mm Hg, p < 0.01), which was in general parallel to sympathetic increase (normal BP: g = 0.49 to 0.51, p < 0.01; elevated BP: g = 0.41 to 0.63, p < 0.01) and parasympathetic decrease (normal BP: g = -0.52 to -0.53, p < 0.01; elevated BP: g = -0.46 to -0.71, p < 0.01). The meta-regression showed inverse associations between the effect sizes of BP vs. sympathetic (SBP: slope - 0.19 to -3.45, p < 0.01; DBP: slope - 0.30 to -1.60, p < 0.01), and direct associations vs. parasympathetic outcomes (SBP: slope 0.17 to 2.59, p < 0.01; DBP: slope 0.21 to 1.38, p < 0.01). In conclusion, changes in BP were concomitant to sympathetic increase and parasympathetic decrease, which questions the role of autonomic fluctuations as potential mechanisms of PEH after RE.

Toward a more transparent, rigorous, and generative psychology.

Psychological Bulletin has long enjoyed a reputation as a source for what research has revealed about psychological phenomena; it maintains a prestigious position of leadership in psychological science and for science at large; it publishes evidence syntheses that are the most comprehensive and rigorous reviews available; it informs theorists and practitioners. I am duly honored to be selected as its editor; accordingly, my goal is to guard this tradition and, to the greatest extent possible, improve the rigor and transparency of submissions. Incorporating advances in evidence synthesis methods will help ensure that the Bulletin retains its esteemed position. Thus, I encourage the strongest possible scholarly evidence syntheses addressing central psychological issues. It is important to use contemporary methods for evidence synthesis because evidence syntheses are a form of metascience, using science to understand trends in science. Stronger methods have the potential to reduce error and the play of chance, making conclusions more trustworthy. Importantly, therefore, carefully conducted evidence syntheses offer the hope of transforming particular domains of research. Accordingly, this editorial will focus on some strategies that deserve, in my opinion, greater use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Tai Ji Quan as antihypertensive lifestyle therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Professional health organizations are not currently recommending Tai Ji Quan alongside aerobic exercise to treat hypertension. We aimed to examine the efficacy of Tai Ji Quan as antihypertensive lifestyle therapy. METHODS: Tai Ji Quan interventions published in English and Chinese were included when they involved healthy adults, reported pre- and post-intervention blood pressure (BP), and had a non-exercise/non-diet control group. We systematically searched 11 electronic databases for studies published through July 31, 2018, yielding 31 qualifying controlled trials. We (1) evaluated the risk of bias and methodological study quality, (2) performed meta-regression analyses following random-effects assumptions, and (3) generated additive models representing the largest possible clinically relevant BP reductions. RESULTS: Participants (n = 3223) were middle-aged (56.6 ± 15.1 years of age, mean ± SD) adults with prehypertension (systolic BP (SBP) = 136.9 ± 15.2 mmHg, diastolic BP (DBP) = 83.4 ± 8.7 mmHg). Tai Ji Quan was practiced 4.0 ± 1.4 sessions/week for 54.0 ± 10.6 min/session for 22.3 ± 20.2 weeks. Overall, Tai Ji Quan elicited significant reductions in SBP (-11.3 mmHg, 95%CI: -14.6 to -8.0; d+ = -0.75) and DBP (-4.8 mmHg, 95%CI: -6.4 to -3.1; d+ = -0.53) vs. control (p < 0.001). Controlling for publication bias among samples with hypertension, Tai Ji Quan trials published in English elicited SBP reductions of 10.4 mmHg and DBP reductions of 4.0 mmHg, which was half the magnitude of trials published in Chinese (SBP reductions of 18.6 mmHg and DBP reductions of 8.8 mmHg). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that Tai Ji Quan is a viable antihypertensive lifestyle therapy that produces clinically meaningful BP reductions (i.e., 10.4 mmHg and 4.0 mmHg of SBP and DBP reductions, respectively) among individuals with hypertension. Such magnitude of BP reductions can lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease by up to 40%.

Therapeutic Effects of Meditation, Yoga, and Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Symptoms of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Chronic symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) vary greatly and are difficult to treat; we investigate the impact of meditation, yoga, and mindfulness-based interventions on this treatment group. METHOD: Search included four databases, allowing studies of any design containing pre/post outcomes for meditation, yoga, or mindfulness-based interventions in people suffering from brain injury acquired by mechanical force. Analyses used robust variance estimation to assess overall effects and random-effects models for selected outcomes; we evaluated both between- and within-group changes. RESULTS: Twenty studies (N = 539) were included. Results revealed significant improvement of overall symptoms compared to controls (d = 0.41; 95% CI [0.04, 0.77]; τ2  = 0.06), with significant within-group improvements in mental health (d = 0.39), physical health (d = 0.39), cognitive performance (d = 0.24), quality of life (d = 0.39), and self-related processing (d = 0.38). Symptoms showing greatest improvement were fatigue (d = 0.96) and depression (d = 0.40). Findings were homogeneous across studies. Study quality concerns include lack of randomisation, blinding, and recording of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: This first-ever meta-analysis on meditation, yoga, and mindfulness-based interventions for chronic symptoms of mTBI offers hope but highlights the need for rigorous new trials to advance clinical applications and to explore mechanistic pathways.

Spatial Lifecourse Epidemiology Reporting Standards (ISLE-ReSt) statement.

Spatial lifecourse epidemiology is an interdisciplinary field that utilizes advanced spatial, location-based, and artificial intelligence technologies to investigate the long-term effects of environmental, behavioural, psychosocial, and biological factors on health-related states and events and the underlying mechanisms. With the growing number of studies reporting findings from this field and the critical need for public health and policy decisions to be based on the strongest science possible, transparency and clarity in reporting in spatial lifecourse epidemiologic studies is essential. A task force supported by the International Initiative on Spatial Lifecourse Epidemiology (ISLE) identified a need for guidance in this area and developed a Spatial Lifecourse Epidemiology Reporting Standards (ISLE-ReSt) Statement. The aim is to provide a checklist of recommendations to improve and make more consistent reporting of spatial lifecourse epidemiologic studies. The STrengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement for cohort studies was identified as an appropriate starting point to provide initial items to consider for inclusion. Reporting standards for spatial data and methods were then integrated to form a single comprehensive checklist of reporting recommendations. The strength of our approach has been our international and multidisciplinary team of content experts and contributors who represent a wide range of relevant scientific conventions, and our adherence to international norms for the development of reporting guidelines. As spatial, location-based, and artificial intelligence technologies used in spatial lifecourse epidemiology continue to evolve at a rapid pace, it will be necessary to revisit and adapt the ISLE-ReSt at least every 2-3 years from its release.

Semi-Automated evidence synthesis in health psychology: current methods and future prospects.

The evidence base in health psychology is vast and growing rapidly. These factors make it difficult (and sometimes practically impossible) to consider all available evidence when making decisions about the state of knowledge on a given phenomenon (e.g., associations of variables, effects of interventions on particular outcomes). Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and other rigorous syntheses of the research mitigate this problem by providing concise, actionable summaries of knowledge in a given area of study. Yet, conducting these syntheses has grown increasingly laborious owing to the fast accumulation of new evidence; existing, manual methods for synthesis do not scale well. In this article, we discuss how semi-automation via machine learning and natural language processing methods may help researchers and practitioners to review evidence more efficiently. We outline concrete examples in health psychology, highlighting practical, open-source technologies available now. We indicate the potential of more advanced methods and discuss how to avoid the pitfalls of automated reviews.

Self-regulation mechanisms in health behavior change: a systematic meta-review of meta-analyses, 2006-2017.

Self-regulation is one primary mechanism in interventions for health behavior change and has been examined in numerous recent meta-analyses. This pre-registered meta-review (PROSPERO CRD42017074018) examined Mmeta-analyses of any intervention and health behavior/outcome were eligible if they quantitatively assessed self-regulation and appeared between January 2006 and August 2017. In total, 66 meta-analyses were ultimately eligible; 27% reported a protocol, 11% used GRADE; 58% focused on RCTs. Reviews satisfied only a moderate number of items on the AMSTAR 2 (M = 45.45%, SD = 29.57%). Only 6% of meta-analyses directly examined whether changes in self-regulation predicted the behavior change (i.e., self-efficacy and physical activity, l = 2; frequency of self-monitoring and goal attainment, l = 1; cognitive bias modification and addiction, l = 1). Meta-analyses more routinely assessed self-regulation by comparing the efficacy of intervention components (97%), such as those from behavior change taxonomies. Meta-analyses that focused on intervention components identified several as successful, including personalized feedback, goal setting, and self-monitoring; however, none were consistently successful in that each worked only for some health behaviors and with particular populations. Some components had inconclusive evidence, given that they were only examined in low- quality reviews. Future reviewers should utilize advanced methods to assess mechanisms, and study authors should report hypothesized mechanisms to facilitate synthesis.

Examining overlap of included studies in meta-reviews: Guidance for using the corrected covered area index.

Overlap in meta-reviews results from the use of multiple identical primary studies in similar reviews. It is an important area for research synthesists because overlap indicates the degree to which reviews address the same or different literatures of primary research. Current guidelines to address overlap suggest that assessing and documenting the degree of overlap in primary studies, calculated via the corrected covered area (CCA) is a promising method. Yet, the CCA is a simple percentage of overlap and current guidelines do not detail ways that reviewers can use the CCA as a diagnostic tool while also comprehensively incorporating these findings into their conclusions. Furthermore, we maintain that meta-review teams must address non-independence via overlap more thoroughly than by simply estimating and reporting the CCA. Instead, we recommend and elaborate five steps to take when examining overlap, illustrating these steps through the use of an empirical example of primary study overlap in a recently conducted meta-review. This work helps to show that overlap of primary studies included in a meta-review is not necessarily a bias but often can be a benefit. We also highlight further areas of caution in this task and potential for the development of new tools to address non-independence issues.

How best to reduce unhealthy risk-taking behaviours? A meta-review of evidence syntheses of interventions using self-regulation principles.

Self-regulation is a key antecedent of health and behaviour-change interventions have utilised self-regulation approaches to promote health. The present study used a novel methodology, a nested meta-review, to: (a) integrate and summarise information from evidence syntheses of diverse self-regulation interventions to reduce risk-taking, in the behavioural domains of smoking, alcohol and drug use, unhealthy eating, externalising problem behaviours, and sexual risk-taking; (b) identify intervention features implicated in risk-taking prevention or reduction; and (c) provide recommendations for future research and practice. Searches of eight databases yielded 21 eligible evidence syntheses, 15 taking a primarily social-cognitive strategy (k = 1,103 total studies), and 6 taking a primary trait/developmental strategy (k = 119); total N > 650,000. Intervention features most frequently associated with reduced risk-taking included: delivery of multiple components through (either, or a mix of) group, individual, computer, and one-one-one delivery; screening and pharmacotherapy, where relevant; targeting only one behavioural outcome; provision of counselling, stress-management, skills-training, self-monitoring, self-control and impulsivity training, and personalised feedback; identification of barriers and 'resolution' of barriers; tailoring to age and ethnicity; and, also, incorporating social support by peers. Some of these patterns were more visible in meta-analyses with higher methodological quality. Recommendations for research and practice are offered.

Alcohol Consumption, Risky Sexual Behaviors, and HIV in Nigeria: A Meta-Analytic Review.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is associated with risky sex, which increases the risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of, and associations among alcohol, risky sex, and HIV, in Nigeria. METHODS: We searched electronic databases and reviewed reference sections of relevant papers to locate studies that sampled people living in Nigeria and assessed both alcohol and sexual risk behavior. We calculated effect sizes to determine (a) prevalence of alcohol and sex behaviors and (b) associations between alcohol consumption and risky sex, and examined moderators to determine if sample characteristics predicted behavioral or biological outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 696 unique records identified, 35 manuscripts reporting on 42 separate studies met the inclusion criteria. Participants in these studies (N = 83,350; M age = 26 years; 48% women; 10% HIV-infected) reported high rates of heavy drinking (63%) and low rates of consistent condom use (24%). One-third of participants (30%) also reported using alcohol before sexual activity. Participants who consumed alcohol were more likely to report sexual activity (OR = 3.66, 95% CI = 3.09, 4.33), multiple partners (OR = 3.22, 95% CI = 2.38, 4.36), and condomless sex or inconsistent use of condoms (OR = 2.30, 95% CI = 1.54, 3.43). CONCLUSION: High rates of heavy drinking and low rates of condom use have been well-documented in Nigeria. Results from this meta-analysis can be used to inform critically needed alcohol-related HIV interventions.

Habits, Quick and Easy: Perceived Complexity Moderates the Associations of Contextual Stability and Rewards With Behavioral Automaticity.

BACKGROUND: Habits have been proposed to develop as a function of the extent to which a behavior is rewarded, performed frequently, and executed in a stable context. The present study examines how each of these factors are associated with behavioral automaticity across a broad variety of behaviors drawn from previous habits research. This study further assesses how perceived complexity of the behavior influences the associations of rewards, frequency, and contextual stability with automaticity. METHODS: Participants (N = 459) completed an online survey assessing their experiences and engagement with 25 different behaviors, including exercise, handwashing, smoking, and medication adherence, among others. Exploratory factor analysis validated a short, relatively novel scale of perceived behavioral complexity, and multilevel analyses grouped by participant were used to examine the factors that contribute to automaticity. RESULTS: Across behaviors, frequency, contextual stability, and perceived rewards were positively associated with automaticity. Perceived complexity was negatively associated with automaticity and moderated the influence of contextual stability and rewards, but not frequency, on automaticity. Both contextual stability and rewards were stronger predictors of automaticity when behavioral complexity was high rather than low, as predicted; in addition, when contextual stability was high, more complex behaviors showed greater automaticity than simpler behaviors. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm that behavioral frequency, rewards, and contextual stability are each independently associated with automaticity across a spectrum of behaviors. This study further demonstrates that perceived complexity of a behavior moderates the extent to which contextual stability and rewards are associated with automaticity. The results affirm a need to further understand the components of habits and how they differ across varying behaviors.

Best Practice Guidelines and Essential Methodological Steps to Conduct Rigorous and Systematic Meta-Reviews.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of primary study and systematic review literature evaluates interventions and phenomena in applied and health psychology. Reviews of reviews (i.e., meta-reviews) systematically synthesise and utilise this vast and often overwhelming literature; yet, currently there are few practical guidelines for meta-review authors to follow. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the best practice guidelines for all research synthesis and to detail additional specific considerations and methodological details for the best practice of conducting a rigorous meta-review. METHODS: This article provides readers with six systematic and practical steps along with accompanying examples to address with rigor the unique challenges that arise when authors familiar with systematic review methods begin a meta-review: (a) detailing a clear scope, (b) identifying synthesis literature through strategic searches, (c) considering datedness of the literature, (d) addressing overlap among included reviews, (e) choosing and applying review quality tools, and (f) appropriate options for handling the synthesis and reporting of the vast amount of data collected in a meta-review. CONCLUSIONS: We have curated best practice recommendations and practical tips for conducting a meta-review. We anticipate that assessments of meta-review quality will ultimately formalise best-method guidelines.