Event-level drinking intentions, social drinking contexts, and motives affect alcohol consumption among same-sex female couples.

OBJECTIVE: Young sexual minority women (SMW; e.g., lesbian, bisexual women) are at increased risk for heavy drinking, though SMW in relationships may be at less risk than those who are single. The current study examined how SMW partners influence drinking in the moment, if own intentions predict drinking beyond partner influence and if this association is moderated by partner influence, and if own drinking motives moderate partner influence. METHOD: Young adult same-sex female couples (N = 162 couples) were recruited to participate in a 14-day daily diary study where they reported each morning their drinking intentions, motives, and behavior as well as whether their partner was present during drinking occasions. RESULTS: Findings from multilevel structural equation models revealed that own intentions and select partner influences (i.e., intentions, drinking) were uniquely linked to a greater quantity of drinking at the within-subject level. Significant interactions between own intentions and partner intentions, and between partner intentions and select drinking motives (social and enhancement) on same-day alcohol use were found at the within-subject level. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that partner influences have a strong effect on drinking at the daily level, and can be strengthened or weakened when drinking for specific reasons. These findings expand on prior daily diary research on the effects of drinking motives by examining how these processes unfold in same-sex female couples and their intersection with partner intentions.

A cross-sectional examination of race, gender, and intersectionality on protective behavioral strategies and alcohol outcomes among Black and White college students.

College students consistently report problematic alcohol use (e.g., excessive drinking). Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) are behaviors for reducing alcohol use and/or problems and are negatively associated with alcohol misuse among college students. Studies suggest PBS are used more often and/or more effectively by female individuals. Additionally, examinations specifically between Black and White students have yielded mixed findings and are typically underpowered. Scant studies have investigated the intersectionality between race and gender or examined perceived effectiveness of PBS use related to alcohol outcomes. The current cross-sectional study examined if (a) race, (b) gender, and (c) their interaction moderate the associations between perceived effectiveness of PBS use on PBS use (a path) and between PBS use on alcohol outcomes (i.e., alcohol quantity, peak drinks, and problems; b path). A sample size of N = 528 college drinkers ages 18-24 years old (Mage = 19.85; 52.5%, Black, 40.3% White) completed an online survey and were used for analyses. A series of moderated mediation models were conducted. Race did not moderate the a or b paths. The positive association for the a path as well as the indirect effect of PBS perceived effectiveness on lower alcohol outcomes through PBS use were stronger for female students than male students. The intersectionality examination indicated a stronger association between more PBS use and lower consumption, specifically for White male students, and lower problems for Black female students. More attention is needed toward considering intersectionality when identifying at-risk groups and tailoring alcohol intervention efforts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessment of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use and its related consequences and cognitions in college students: A narrative review.

As rates of students using cannabis continue to rise, simultaneous use of alcohol and cannabis (such that their effects overlap; commonly referred to as simultaneous alcohol and marijuana [SAM] use) is prevalent among college students who use both substances. Although research focusing on SAM use and related cognitions and consequences continues to grow, there are no common established measures, as approaches vary across studies. This narrative review identifies current methods for assessing SAM use and measures of SAM-related consequences and cognitions (motives and expectancies) among college students, evaluates how they were developed, identifies gaps in the literature, and provides recommendations for future directions of assessment. We conclude that the assessment of SAM use is limited by difficulties in the assessment of cannabis quantity and potency. However, and the lack of a psychometrically validated measure of SAM consequences. However, measures of SAM motives and expectancies have been published with support from psychometric examinations such as exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and measurement invariance. Research is needed that incorporates qualitative approaches in the development of SAM use measures so that unique items specific to SAM use rather than single-substance use can be identified. Additionally, validation of these measures is needed across different samples that vary demographically, such as by race and gender or sex. Future research should consider the development of a measure of protective behavioral strategies  specific to SAM use to inform interventions that target the reduction of negative consequences of SAM use.

Following social media influencers who share alcohol-related content is associated with college drinking.

INTRODUCTION: Frequent exposure to peer-shared alcohol-related content (ARC) on social media is associated with greater alcohol consumption and related consequences among undergraduates. Social media influencers also share ARC; yet, the effect of exposure to influencer-shared ARC on alcohol outcomes has not been examined. The current study examined whether following influencers who share ARC and the frequency of sharing were associated with alcohol outcomes, and associations between influencer type (e.g., actors) and alcohol outcomes. METHODS: Undergraduates (N = 528) from two universities in the United States completed an online survey assessing demographics, social media use, alcohol use and related consequences. They listed up to five influencers they followed and viewed the most content from. A series of linear regression models were conducted. RESULTS: Having a larger proportion of influencers sharing ARC was associated with greater quantity, frequency and peak drinks, but not consequences. Frequency of influencers sharing ARC was associated with greater quantity and peak drinks, but not frequency or consequences. Findings remained significant, even after controlling for peer ARC. Actor ARC, everyday person ARC and 'other' type influencer ARC were associated with several alcohol outcomes. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study added to the literature by examining how following influencers who share ARC, and sharing frequency, were associated with drinking outcomes over and above exposure to peer ARC. It also examined whether ARC content from specific types of influencers was associated with alcohol outcomes. Findings highlight that the source of ARC is relevant when studying the effects of ARC exposure on college drinking.

Exploring the intersection of sexual identity and route of administration in relation to cannabis use among young adult females.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Rates of cannabis use continue to increase with sexual minority women (SMW) reporting greater use than heterosexual women. Along with these increasing trends, the routes of administration (ROA) for cannabis are evolving. The current study examined associations between cannabis ROA and frequency of use, as well as differences across sexual identity (heterosexual vs. SMW). METHODS: Participants were 949 young adult (18-25 years old) women (29.8% SMW) who reported past month cannabis use and were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Number of cannabis use days and each ROA used (joint, pipe, blunt, bong, vape, edible, and ointment) in the past 30 days were measured. Analysis of covariance models examined if sexual identity moderated the association between each ROA and cannabis use frequency. RESULTS: Among the full sample, joints were the most common ROA (78.6%); cannabis vaping was the most common noncombustible ROA (25.9%). SMW were more likely than heterosexual women to use each ROA except for joints. SMW who used pipes or edibles reported greater cannabis use frequency, compared to those who did not; there were no differences in frequency of use across ROA for heterosexual women. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: SMW may use a greater variety of ROA, potentially increasing the harms associated with cannabis. Marketing strategies targeting the sexual minority community may increase the likelihood of using various cannabis ROA and subsequent use. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Findings further our knowledge about how young adult women are using cannabis, and highlight how ROA may contribute to the disparities observed among SMW.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic experiences on college drinking via mental distress: Cross-sectional mediation moderated by race.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to stress, anxiety, and depression among college students, with heightened distress tied to greater drinking for some individuals. Emerging research suggests that these associations may differ across race, but few studies use adequate samples to examine this, particularly among college students, an at-risk population for both heavy drinking and mental distress. Specifically, pandemic-related stressors and mental distress may be higher among Black students than White students. The current study examined: (1) whether mental distress cross-sectionally mediates the association between pandemic-specific stressors and drinking and (2) whether race (Black or White) moderates these associations. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of 400 college drinkers (43% White, 28% Black) in fall 2020 assessed pandemic-related stressors (e.g., losing a job, contracting COVID-19, changed living situation), mental distress (stress, anxiety, depression), and drinking (past-month drinking, perceived changes since the start of the pandemic). RESULTS: Cross-sectional mediation models indicated that financial stressors and social distancing were linked to greater quantity and frequency of past-month drinking through greater mental distress. For perceived changes in drinking, only financial stressors were linked to drinking greater quantities and drinking more often (compared to pre-pandemic levels) via mental distress. Moderated mediation models among students identifying as White or Black revealed that changed living situation was a robust stressor across race. Financial stressors and social distancing were linked with greater distress only among White students, whereas essential worker status was a protective factor against distress only among Black students. CONCLUSIONS: Select stressors were linked to increased drinking through greater mental distress, with differential risks across Black versus White students. Findings suggest campus administrators should focus on connecting students with resources (e.g., counseling centers and health promotion offices) during times of distress.

Refining an ecological momentary assessment study of binge eating among sexual minority and heterosexual young women: a mixed methods pilot study.

Background: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is used to capture daily lived experiences, states, and environments. Although EMA is commonly used in behavioral health research, there remains a dearth of literature on how researchers account for design considerations of EMA techniques when designing studies. The goal of this formative mixed methods study was to elicit feedback on EMA study procedures and materials from the target populations for a larger study about binge eating among sexual minority and heterosexual young women, in which data are collected entirely remotely. Methods: Sexual minority (n=12) and heterosexual (n=9) women ages 18-30 who binge ate took part in a pilot EMA study and exit interview and survey. As part of the consent and orientation process, participants reviewed video and written materials describing the study purpose and procedures. Using a smartphone app, for seven consecutive days they completed a survey each morning, 5 random surveys per day, and self-initiated a survey each time they binge ate. Participants then provided feedback on the study via a 1-hour virtual interview and online survey. Interviews were transcribed and reviewed by two coders to identify themes on the acceptability and feasibility of the EMA procedures with a focus on: (I) the training and study description materials; (II) general smartphone app and survey preferences; and (III) specific EMA survey question content and wording. Results: The qualitative and quantitative data converged to suggest participants were able to easily download and use the app to complete surveys and report on binge eating events. Participants provided feedback that was incorporated into revisions on general study procedures, the training video content, and EMA question content for binge eating, identity-related stressors, and appearance-related pressures. No systematic themes in the quantitative or qualitative data emerged to suggest questions were perceived differently by sexual minority and heterosexual young women. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for the feasibility of conducting a remote EMA study to assess young women's experiences around binge eating. This formative study provides an example of how a mixed methods approach can be used to refine EMA study methods and questions to improve study design.

Daily impulsivity and alcohol expectancies: A multilevel examination of the acquired preparedness model.

BACKGROUND: The acquired preparedness model (APM) integrates personality traits and psychosocial learning to posit amechanism whereby individuals initiate and continue alcohol use. The present study examined within-person associations between impulsivity, alcohol expectancies, alcohol use, and alcohol problems to inform daily process models of drinking and test the APM. METHODS: Participants were 89 college student drinkers who completed momentary reports (three random and two user-initiated reports) for 14 days. Multilevel mediation analyses examined whether daily associations between impulsivity and alcohol use and problems were mediated by positive and negative expectancies. RESULTS: Daily impulsivity was positively associated with daily positive expectancies, prior to drinking. Greater daily positive expectancies were associated with more alcohol consumed and alcohol problems that day. The indirect effects were significant, indicating greater than usual impulsivity was associated with greater alcohol use and alcohol problems through greater positive expectancies. Impulsivity was positively associated with negative expectancies at the within-subject and between-subject levels, but negative expectancies did not serve as a mediator between impulsivity and either alcohol outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to test the APM at the day level. Findings supported daily fluctuations in beliefs regarding the positive effects of alcohol as a salient mechanism explaining the link between daily impulsivity and level of alcohol use. Because impulsivity was linked to changes in expectancy states that were proximal to drinking that day, this information may be used to develop prevention and intervention programs to reduce alcohol harms.

Criterion Validity of Protective Behavioral Strategies for Alcohol Consumption among College Students: Comparison across Two Measures.

BACKGROUND: Protective behavioral strategies (PBS), or behaviors used to reduce harm associated with alcohol use, are often associated with lower levels of alcohol consumption, lower engagement in high-risk drinking behaviors, and fewer alcohol-related consequences. Although the majority of studies have found significant associations between higher PBS use and lower consumption or consequences, some studies have found nonsignificant or even positive associations. One explanatory hypothesis is that the mixed findings are due to differential content in PBS measures. OBJECTIVES: The current study examined the criterion validity of two widely-used PBS measures, the PBSS and the SQ. In a multi-institution online study assessing alcohol outcomes, college drinkers were randomly assigned to complete one PBS measure. Both measures had the same response options to standardize assessment and focus on content. RESULTS: Findings suggest both measures of PBS are consistently predictive of alcohol outcomes among college drinkers, across multiple subpopulations (i.e., strength of association was not moderated by sex, race, or drinking level). CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE: Some PBS subscales were more impactful than others, suggesting researchers may want to choose which PBS scale to use based on outcomes of interest, or after determining if alternatives to drinking is an important facet of PBS for the research questions being examined. Moreover, the differential findings for subscales suggest that prevention and intervention programs incorporating PBS should focus on strategies that avoid high-risk scenarios (e.g., avoiding shots or drinking games), rather than general strategies of self-pacing.

Using social network methodology to examine the effects of exposure to alcohol-related social media content on alcohol use: A critical review.

Peer social influence is a robust predictor of problematic drinking among young adults and adolescents; it is typically assessed by collecting nonspecific social network information (i.e., behaviors of peers globally) or specific social network information (i.e., behaviors of named friends). Socialization happens both in-person and online through social media. Exposure to alcohol-related social media content is consistently related to alcohol consumption in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies alike. Previous research has often not focused on who specifically is sharing the alcohol-related social media content with most examining effects of exposure to content posted by nonspecific network members (e.g., peers, friends) and individual alcohol consumption. The purpose of the current critical review is to describe how exposure to alcohol-related social media content is commonly measured and how including a specific social network assessment may explain more variance in alcohol use. The review found inconsistencies in the reference groups used when assessing frequency of exposure and found that specific modalities of content exposure were often not assessed. Of the 30 published studies reviewed, 15 used cross-sectional designs, which is regrettable considering that the composition of adolescent and young adult peer groups have been found to change over time possibly affecting the content viewed. Understanding factors which affect the relationship between exposure to alcohol-related social media content and individual alcohol use has implications for tailoring drinking interventions to address the unique social influence of social media content. Gaps in the literature are summarized and future directions for research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Data Quality and Study Compliance Among College Students Across 2 Recruitment Sources: Two Study Investigation.

BACKGROUND: Models of satisficing suggest that study participants may not fully process survey items and provide accurate responses when survey burden is higher and when participant motivation is lower. Participants who do not fully process survey instructions can reduce a study's power and hinder generalizability. Common concerns among researchers using self-report measures are data quality and participant compliance. Similarly, attrition can hurt the power and generalizability of a study. OBJECTIVE: Given that college students comprise most samples in psychological studies, especially examinations of student issues and psychological health, it is critical to understand how college student recruitment sources impact data quality (operationalized as attention check items with directive instructions and correct answers) and retention (operationalized as the completion of follow-up surveys over time). This examination aimed to examine the following: whether data quality varies across recruitment sources, whether study retention varies across recruitment sources, the impact of data quality on study variable associations, the impact of data quality on measures of internal consistency, and whether the demographic qualities of participants significantly vary across those who failed attention checks versus those who did not. METHODS: This examination was a follow-up analysis of 2 previously published studies to explore data quality and study compliance. Study 1 was a cross-sectional, web-based survey examining college stressors and psychological health (282/407, 69.3% female; 230/407, 56.5% White, 113/407, 27.8% Black; mean age 22.65, SD 6.73 years). Study 2 was a longitudinal college drinking intervention trial with an in-person baseline session and 2 web-based follow-up surveys (378/528, 71.6% female; 213/528, 40.3% White, 277/528, 52.5% Black; mean age 19.85, SD 1.65 years). Attention checks were included in both studies to assess data quality. Participants for both studies were recruited from a psychology participation pool (a pull-in method; for course credit) and the general student body (a push-out method; for monetary payment or raffle entry). RESULTS: A greater proportion of participants recruited through the psychology pool failed attention checks in both studies, suggesting poorer data quality. The psychology pool was also associated with lower retention rates over time. After screening out those who failed attention checks, some correlations among the study variables were stronger, some were weaker, and some were fairly similar, potentially suggesting bias introduced by including these participants. Differences among the indicators of internal consistency for the study measures were negligible. Finally, attention check failure was not significantly associated with most demographic characteristics but varied across some racial identities. This suggests that filtering out data from participants who failed attention checks may not limit sample diversity. CONCLUSIONS: Investigators conducting college student research should carefully consider recruitment and include attention checks or other means of detecting poor quality data. Recommendations for researchers are discussed.

Recruiting Cisgender Female Couples for Health Disparity-Focused Daily Diary Research: Challenges, Successes, and Lessons Learned.

The underlying mechanisms of sexual minority women's (SMW's) numerous physical and mental health disparities compared to heterosexual women are not well understood. The contribution of relationship factors is particularly understudied; few studies collect data from both same-sex female partners. Further, most research among SMW is cross sectional which limits our understanding of day-to-day experiences of same-sex women's couples. This paper aimed to describe the feasibility of recruiting a large sample of SMW and their female partners for a disparity-focused daily diary study investigating alcohol use and mental health. A firm specializing in sexual minority market research was enlisted to help with recruitment from multiple sources and conducted an initial pre-screening of SMW and their female partners, at least one of whom drank alcohol regularly. A total of 4182 individuals completed the pre-screener, with information for 930 individuals (465 couples) being sent to the research team. From this, 376 individuals (188 couples) completed the study screener, met the inclusion criteria, and were invited to participate. Ultimately, 326 individuals (163 couples) consented and completed baseline. A total of 321 individuals, from 162 couples, began the daily diary portion of the study. Compliance with study procedures was excellent. The use of multiple recruitment sources increased the diversity of the sample. Challenges to recruitment, changes in protocol, and characteristics of the final sample are discussed.

Rationale and Design of an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study Examining Predictors of Binge Eating Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Young Women: Protocol for the Health and Experiences in Real Life (HER Life) Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous research has identified health disparities between sexual minority and heterosexual women, including increased rates of obesity and binge eating in sexual minority women. Established predictors of binge eating behavior include negative emotions and sociocultural processes; however, these studies are generally conducted in samples of young women where sexual identity is not known or reported. There is a dearth of research evaluating how sexual minority-specific factors (eg, minority stress and connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community) may affect binge eating in sexual minority women. In addition, no studies have examined these processes in racially diverse samples or considered how intersecting minority identities (eg, Black and sexual minority) may affect eating behaviors. OBJECTIVE: The Health and Experiences in Real Life (HER Life) Project aims to clarify real-world predictors of binge eating in young heterosexual and sexual minority women using ecological momentary assessment. The role of affective, social, and health behavior factors in binge eating will be examined for all women (aim 1), and sexual minority-specific predictors will also be considered for sexual minority women participants (aim 2). Person-level moderators of race, body- and eating-related factors, and sexual minority-specific factors will also be examined to better understand how real-world binge eating predictors may differ for various demographic groups (aim 3). METHODS: Researchers aim to recruit 150 sexual minority and 150 heterosexual women from across the United States, including at least 50 Black women for each group, using web-based recruitment methods. The eligibility criteria include identifying as a woman, being aged between 18 and 30 years, and having had at least two binge eating episodes in the last 2 weeks. Participants must endorse being only or mostly attracted to men (considered heterosexual) or only or mostly attracted to women or having a current or most recent female partner (considered sexual minority). Eligible participants complete an initial web-based baseline survey and then 14 days of ecological momentary assessment involving the completion of a morning and before-bed survey and 5 prompted surveys per day as well as a user-initiated survey after binge eating episodes. The data will be analyzed using a series of multilevel models. RESULTS: Data collection started in February 2021. We have currently enrolled 129 sexual minority women and 146 heterosexual women. Data collection is expected to conclude in fall 2022. CONCLUSIONS: The Health and Experiences in Real Life Project aims to elucidate potential differences between sexual minority and heterosexual women in within-person factors predicting binge eating and inform eating disorder interventions for sexual minority women. The challenges in recruiting sexual minority women, including the determination of eligibility criteria and considerations for remote data collection, are discussed. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/41199.

Examining Emailed Feedback as Boosters After a College Drinking Intervention Among Fraternities and Sororities: Rationale and Protocol for a Remote Controlled Trial (Project Greek).

BACKGROUND: College students involved in Greek life (ie, members of fraternities and sororities) tend to engage in more high-risk alcohol use and experience more negative consequences than those not involved in Greek life. Web-based alcohol interventions, such as Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO, have been successful in reducing alcohol use and consequences among the general college student population, but interventions targeting alcohol reduction among those involved in Greek life have had limited success. Booster emails including personalized feedback regarding descriptive norms and protective behavioral strategies have shown potential in increasing the effectiveness of web-based interventions among college drinkers. Studies are needed to determine the efficacy of these boosters among those involved in Greek life. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of booster emails sent to Greek life students who complete Alcohol eCHECKUP TO GO. Specifically, we expect that participants who receive the booster emails will reduce their alcohol consumption and related problems (primary aim 1), reduce perceived peer drinking, and increase the number of protective behavioral strategies they use over time (primary aim 2) relative to those who do not receive boosters. Contingent upon finding the emailed booster efficacious and sufficient enrollment of members from each organization, an exploratory aim is to examine social mechanisms of change (ie, through selection vs socialization). METHODS: This study is a remote, controlled intervention trial following participants for up to 6 months. Participants must be aged at least 18 years, undergraduate students, and members of a participating fraternity or sorority. Eligible participants complete a web-based baseline survey to assess their alcohol consumption behaviors and beliefs, including norms and protective behavioral strategies, and information about their social networks. After completing the baseline survey, they participate in the web-based intervention. Follow-up surveys are sent 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. Those in the booster condition also receive emails containing personalized feedback at 2 weeks and 14 weeks after the intervention. Latent growth models and R-Simulation Investigation for Empirical Network Analysis will be used to analyze the data. RESULTS: As of September 2022, we have enrolled 18 participants from 2 fraternities and 2 sororities, and they have completed the baseline survey. Overall, 72% (13/18) of participants have completed the 1-month follow-up. Enrollment will continue through December 2022. CONCLUSIONS: This study aims to examine the effectiveness of personalized feedback booster emails sent after an alcohol intervention among members of college Greek life. A secondary, exploratory aim is to provide information about social mechanisms of change (if possible). The current methodology targets whole network recruitment, with chapter presidents serving as gatekeepers and facilitators. Unique challenges of recruiting whole networks and working with campus administrators are discussed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05107284; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05107284. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/42535.

The association between social network members sharing alcohol-related social media content and alcohol outcomes among college student drinkers.

BACKGROUND: College-aged young adults (e.g., 18 to 29-year-olds) use social media more than any other age group. An emerging body of literature shows that higher exposure to alcohol-related social media content is associated with greater alcohol consumption among college students. However, most studies assess exposure to peer drinking on social media using global measures, rather than measuring the exposure to alcohol-related posts of identified specific close peers. We examined whether having a higher proportion of important peers (i.e., social network members) who post alcohol-related social media content is associated with greater alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences. We also investigated the extent to which the qualities of network members who share alcohol-related content are associated with participants' alcohol outcomes. METHODS: Participants were 130 college students (86.2% female, 56.9% White) with an average age of 23.39 years (SD = 5.63) who had consumed at least one alcoholic drink in the past week. Participants completed measures of their social media use, alcohol consumption, alcohol-related consequences, and characteristics of important peers in their social network, including their alcohol-related social media posting. RESULTS: Having a higher proportion of social network members who post alcohol-related social media content was positively related to participants' drinks per week and peak number of drinks. Higher network proportions of drinking buddies posting alcohol-related content were also associated with a greater frequency of alcohol use. Having a higher proportion of friends who post alcohol content and from whom the participants seek advice was linked to more alcohol-related consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Having more important peers who post alcohol-related content on social media is associated with alcohol outcomes among college students. Harm-reduction focused alcohol interventions delivered on college campuses that incorporate information about the influence of viewing and sharing alcohol-related content could help to reduce alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences among students.

Daily impulsivity is associated with alcohol use and problems via coping motives, but not enhancement motives.

BACKGROUND: The present study sought to determine daily associations between impulsivity, coping and enhancement motives, alcohol use, and alcohol problems in the natural environment. METHODS: Participants were 89 (47 women) heavy drinking, college students from a university in the southeastern U.S. who completed a 14-day ecological momentary assessment study. Each day, participants completed three random reports of momentary impulsivity and indicators of drinking motives and two additional reports at the beginning and end of any drinking occasions. RESULTS: A series of multilevel mediation models were tested to examine indirect effects from impulsivity to alcohol use and alcohol problems through coping and enhancement motives. At the within-person level, results revealed that greater than usual impulsivity experienced prior to drinking was associated with greater coping motives, and this in turn was associated with greater number of drinks consumed that day (all p values <0.001). A similar indirect effect was revealed when impulsivity predicted alcohol problems that day through coping motives (p values range: <0.001 to .01). Greater enhancement motives than usual were associated with greater number of drinks consumed and alcohol problems experienced that day (p values range: <0.001 to.001), but associations with impulsivity were nonsignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Findings supported daily fluctuations in drinking to cope motives as a salient mechanism explaining the link between daily impulsivity and level of alcohol use and alcohol problems. Fluctuations in daily impulsivity were associated with changes in motivations to drink which may benefit efforts aimed at reducing alcohol harms among young adults.

Emotion dysregulation, transdiagnostic vulnerabilities, and e-cigarette expectancies in a young adult sample.

OBJECTIVE: Use of e-cigarettes is more common among youth with psychological distress. Negative affect reduction outcome expectancies (beliefs about ability of a product to reduce unpleasant emotional states) and emotional transdiagnostic vulnerabilities (maladaptive responses to emotional states common to multiple forms of emotional psychopathology) are both positively related to tobacco susceptibility and use. However, it is unclear if expectancies mediate the effects between emotional issues and use. METHOD: College students aged 18 to 24 (N = 216; 79.6% female; 36.6% African American) completed an online survey with measures on e-cigarette negative affect reduction outcome expectancies (ENAROE), e-cigarette use, and the following emotional transdiagnostic vulnerabilities (ETV): difficulties in emotion regulation, distress tolerance (DT), positive/negative urgency, and positive/negative affect. RESULTS: In individual predictor path analysis models, ENAROE mediated the relationship between ETVs and e-cigarette use. Expectancies (ENAROE) mediated 47.3% of the total relationship between positive urgency and use. Significant effects were found for a comprehensive model, in which negative urgency was related to higher ENAROE (b = 0.47, 95% BCCI [0.04, 0.96]), controlling for all other transdiagnostic vulnerabilities. Higher positive urgency was related to an increased likelihood of current use. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a novel examination of expectancies as a potential mediator for current e-cigarette use via emotional vulnerabilities. Negative Affect Reduction outcome expectancies mediated the relationship between vulnerabilities and e-cigarette use, indicating that the association between positive urgency and e-cigarette use may be explained partially though emotional expectancies. Thus, expectancies are important targets for prevention and further ETV research.

Social network moderators of brief alcohol intervention impact.

OBJECTIVE: This investigation examined the impact of social networks on drinking reduction efforts following a brief alcohol intervention. In a reanalysis of data from an earlier randomized controlled trial with nonstudent emerging adult drinkers (Lau-Barraco et al., 2018), we aimed to test three domains of preintervention social network features as potential factors influencing intervention response: (a) general network characteristics (i.e., network size, network stability), (b) general network alcohol use (i.e., network alcohol abstainers, network heavy/problem drinkers), and (c) risky peers in network (i.e., proportion of drinking buddies, presence of drinking buddies identified as heavy/problem drinker). METHOD: Participants were 164 emerging adult heavy drinkers recruited from the community (65.9% men; mean age = 21.98 years; 56.2% ethnic minority). Participants were randomly assigned to either a brief personalized feedback intervention (PFI) or assessment-only control and provided data at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Greater network stability and greater representation of alcohol abstainers in one's social network were associated with improved initial postintervention response. Heavy/problem drinkers in the network did not moderate initial postintervention effects on drinking outcomes, but there was potentially a stronger intervention effect on risk reduction for those with higher proportions of drinking buddies in their network. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings provided evidence that a PFI was efficacious in mitigating some risky social network influence. However, findings did not support a consistent impact across all the network variables examined. Future research is needed to further clarify social network influences and how they may be targeted to enhance intervention efficacy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining the added value of harm reduction strategies to emailed boosters to extend the effects of online interventions for college drinkers.

Objective: Brief computer-delivered interventions (CDIs) reduce college student drinking and related problems but can be less efficacious and enduring than in-person interventions. The present study examined: (a) the utility of emailed personalized boosters after an evidence-based online CDI for alcohol (i.e., eCHECKUP TO GO), and (b) the added value of including protective behavioral strategies (PBS) in boosters containing personalized normative feedback (PNF) versus PNF alone. Method: 528 young adult (ages 18-24) college drinkers (71.6% female; 52.5% Black, 40.3% White) with a mean age of 19.9 years (SD = 1.65) were randomized to receive: CDI-only; CDI plus a PNF-only booster; or CDI plus a booster containing both PNF and PBS feedback. Booster emails were sent 2 weeks post-intervention. Online surveys completed pre-intervention and at 1 and 3 months assessed alcohol consumption, problems, descriptive normative perceptions, and PBS use. Results: The CDI led to significant reductions in alcohol consumption across all conditions, with no effect of boosters on drinking. Controlling for quantity, no reductions in problems were observed. Descriptive norms reduced significantly, with no condition differences. Only PBS use showed condition effects, such that the CDI-only and PNF-only booster groups reported reduced PBS use at 1 month, but the norms-plus-PBS booster group did not. Conclusions: The CDI was sufficient to change alcohol consumption and perceived norms without boosters, although the inclusion of boosters with PBS feedback may mitigate against PBS use reductions. Longer follow-ups may detect delayed booster benefits, or a larger dose through repeated exposure over time may be needed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The role of alcohol demand on daily microaggressions and alcohol use among emerging adult bisexual+ women.

Objective: Bisexual women drink more and have more alcohol consequences than heterosexual and lesbian women. This higher risk may in part be attributable to sexual orientation microaggressions. Drinking to cope motivations and alcohol demand may influence the association between microaggressions and alcohol use. The present study used a daily diary design to examine the association between microaggressions and same-day alcohol use (yes/no, quantity) and consequences, and if drinking to cope and alcohol demand moderate this association among bisexual+ (i.e., bi+) women. Method: Participants were 103 emerging adult bi+ women who completed a baseline assessment, including an alcohol purchase task to measure alcohol demand. Subsequently, participants reported their experiences of microaggressions, alcohol use, and alcohol consequences for 28 days. Multilevel model analyses were conducted. Results: Microaggressions were associated with a higher likelihood to drink and greater same-day alcohol use and consequences. The association between microaggressions and alcohol quantity was stronger for those who had a lower price associated with the highest expenditure (lower P max). For those who would stop drinking at lower price values (lower breakpoint), reported spending less overall on alcohol (lower O max), and had lower P max values, microaggressions were associated with more consequences. For those with higher breakpoint, O max, and P max microaggressions were not associated with consequences. Conclusions: Microaggressions may have a deleterious impact on alcohol use and consequences for bi+ women, particularly for those with lower alcohol demand. Clinicians should encourage bi+ clients to consider how microaggressions influence their drinking and support clients to engage in positive coping skills. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).