Prospective associations of family conflict with alcohol expectancies in the adolescent brain cognitive development study: effects of race and ethnicity.

Introduction: Alcohol expectancies predict subsequent alcohol use and related problems among adolescents, although predictors of alcohol expectancies remain unclear. This study examined the longitudinal association between family conflict, a sociocultural factor strongly implicated in adolescent alcohol use, and positive and negative alcohol expectancies of adolescents of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. Methods: Data were from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study 4.0 release, a multisite longitudinal study (N = 6,231, baseline age 9-10). Linear mixed-effects regression, with interactions between race/ethnicity and family conflict, tested the association between family conflict and alcohol expectancies, for each racial/ethnicity (e.g., Black vs. non-Black; White vs. non-White). Results: Interactions of family conflict with race/ethnicity in predicting negative and positive alcohol expectancies were statistically significant for models testing Black and White adolescents, but not for Asian, Hispanic, and Other. Family conflict at baseline predicted lower negative alcohol expectancy for Black adolescents (B = -.166, p = 0.033) and positive alcohol expectancy for White adolescents (B = 0.71, p = 0.023) at the year 3 follow-up. All models controlled for sex, age, family socioeconomic status, alcohol expectancies at year 1, and family conflict at year 3. Conclusion: The results indicate that family conflict is a potential risk factor for problematic alcohol expectancies for Black and White adolescents. Although we did not directly compare Black and White adolescents, our findings indicate that family conflict may operate differently for Black and White adolescents. Prevention and intervention efforts targeting family conflict may be relevant for different aspects of alcohol expectancies in Black and White families.

Examining Gender Differences in the Relationship Between School Bonding and Opioid Misuse Among Justice-Involved Adolescents.

Justice-involved adolescents (JIAs) have an increased risk for opioid use disorder and overdose related to opioid misuse (OM). Consequences of untreated OM include recidivism and poor educational outcomes, which can be harsher for female JIA. Therefore, identifying relevant factors and settings that reduce the risk for OM is critical. Schools are a central institution in adolescent development. Drawing on social control theory, JIA with higher levels of school bonding was hypothesized to attenuate risk for OM. Cross-sectional data on 79,960 JIA from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice were examined. Multivariate and stratified logistic regression analyses were employed. On average, for every one-unit increase in school bonding, JIA had 22%, female JIA had 23%, and male JIA had 22% lower odds of OM. Results suggest school bonding and the school context should be considered in treatment and how this setting may impact OM intervention outcomes among JIA.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Substance Misuse among Justice-Involved Children.

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are linked to substance use (SU) and substance use disorders (SUD). However, this relationship has yet to be tested among justice-involved children (JIC), and it is unclear if racial/ethnic differences exist. This study aimed to determine: (1) whether ACEs are associated with increased risk of SU and SUD among JIC; and (2) if the effects of ACEs on SU and SUD are moderated by race/ethnicity. Methods: Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed to examine a statewide dataset of 79,960 JIC from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Marginal odds were estimated to examine how race moderates the relationship between ACEs and SU and SUD. Results: Results showed higher ACEs scores were linked to SU and SUD. Black JIC were 2.46 times more likely, and Latinx JIC were 1.40 times more likely to report SU than white JIC. Specifically, Black and Latinx JIC with a higher average ACEs score were more likely to report SU but less likely to have ever been diagnosed with a SUD when compared to white JIC with equivalent ACEs. Conclusions: Study results highlight the need to develop trauma-informed and culturally appropriate interventions for SU and SUD among JIC.

Black girls and referrals: racial and gender disparities in self-reported referral to substance use disorder assessment among justice-involved children.

BACKGROUND: There is a higher prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) among justice-involved children (JIC). It is critical to ensure that JIC who report current use are referred for SUD assessment and potentially life-saving treatment services. Prior research suggests that certain minoritized groups may be less likely to have ever been referred for screening, and research on intersectionality suggests that these disparities may be exacerbated for racially minoritized females. METHODS: Multivariate logistic regression and interaction effects were employed to analyze longitudinal data from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice on 12,128 JIC who reported SU in the past 6 months. The main and interaction effects of race and gender on the odds of having a history of reporting a referral to SUD assessment were tested. The primary outcome variable was a self-reported measure of a youth's history of being referred to service. The control variables included substance type, household income, current SU problems, history of mental health problems, number of misdemeanors, risk to recidivate, and age at first offense. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the likelihood of having a history of reporting being referred to SUD assessment between White females, White males, and Latinx females. However, Black females (AOR = 0.62), Latinx males (AOR = 0.71), and Black males (AOR = 0.65) were significantly less likely to self-report having a history of being referred than White males. Black females were 34% likely to report a history of being referred as White males and females. CONCLUSION: In this sample, Black females who use substances were substantially less likely to self-report being referred to SUD screening. According to officials, FLDJJ has solid process to ensure referrals are made. Therefore, the results are likely to be due to external factors and alternative explanations. Community leaders and stakeholders may consider culturally relevant and gender-sensitive programs to expand access to services for minoritized adolescents in their communities, schools, and other institutions.

Sex differences in the association of adverse childhood experiences on past 30-day opioid misuse among Florida justice-involved children.

INTRODUCTION: Opioid misuse remains a chief public health concern in the United States, especially among justice-involved children and adolescents (JIC). Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent among JIC and are associated with a higher risk for opioid misuse. Justice involvement can be harsher for females, who tend to have higher ACE scores and experience more physiological and psychological risk factors than males. However, this study was the first to examine how sex may moderate the link between ACEs and opioid misuse. This study hypothesized that females will have higher odds of opioid misuse than males with equivalent ACEs. METHODS: The study team examined cross-sectional data on 79,960 JIC in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice from 2007 to 2015. The study measured ACEs using 10 questions from the Positive Achievement Change Tool. Opioid misuse was reported by either self-disclosure, positive urinalysis, or other evidence of opioid consumption within the past 30 days. The team estimated logistic regression, marginal effects, and multiplicative interaction terms to test the hypotheses. RESULTS: JIC with an ACE score of 4 or higher were 2.59 times more likely to misuse opioids than JIC with lower ACE scores. Among JIC with 4 or more ACEs, females had significantly higher odds of opioid misuse than males. CONCLUSION: Reducing exposure to ACEs may decrease the risk for opioid misuse, particularly among females. These findings corroborate trauma-informed and sex-responsive prevention programs in the juvenile justice system.

Exploring perceptions of implementation practice capacity in community-based behavioral health organizations.

Community-based organizations (CBOs) must have the capacity to adopt, implement, and sustain evidence-based practices (EBPs). However, limited research exists examining CBOs' ability/capacity to implement EBPs. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate how staff of CBOs perceive implementation practice capacity, determine factors needed for adequate capacity for implementing EBPs, and examine which perspectives of capacity are shared across organizational levels. Ninety-seven administrators and practitioners of CBOs were surveyed using the Implementation Capacity Survey, which examines perceived importance, presence, and organizational capacity of the CBO in nine implementation practice areas (IPAs) (e.g., leadership). Results revealed participants rated IPAs on the importance scale higher than IPAs on the present scale. Presence and organizational capacity scales were strongly correlated, and results showed significant differences between administrators and practitioners on ratings of presence and organizational capacity. Implications for future research aimed at examining/building implementation practice capacity in community settings will be discussed.

Runaway History and Past 30-Day Opioid Misuse in Justice-Involved Adolescents.

This study used a sample from the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (n= 79,960) to analyze the association between runaway history and past 30-day opioid misuse (OM) among justice involved adolescents. Past 30-day OM was confirmed using a urine analysis. Adolescents who were runaways in their lifetime were twice as likely to misuse opioids, and those who were runaways at the time of arrest were three times as likely to be opioid misusers compared to adolescents who never ran away or been kicked out of a home. These findings emphasize a need for resources that focus on developing strong attachment bonds.