Discrimination, drinking to cope, protective behavioral strategies, and alcohol-related consequences among university students.

OBJECTIVE: University students who experience more discrimination typically report more negative consequences from alcohol use. The study aimed to assess whether drinking to cope and protective behavioral strategies for alcohol use would help explain the relationship between everyday discrimination and alcohol-related consequences among university student drinkers. METHOD: Data were collected in Fall 2020 and the sample included 707 undergraduate and graduate students from a large public institution in the northeast who reported consuming alcohol in the past month. Participants identified predominantly as women (71.7%; 24.6% men) and White (65.1%; 7.9% Black/African American; 7.2% Asian/Asian American; 7.1% Hispanic/Latinx). A cross-sectional serial mediation analysis using structural equation modeling was conducted using Mplus. RESULTS: Controlling for alcohol use, results supported a serial partial mediation model. More experiences of discrimination predicted a significant increase in alcohol-related consequences, above and beyond the increase attributed to drinking to cope. More frequent use of protective behavioral strategies significantly increased the odds of reporting no alcohol-related consequences. CONCLUSIONS: Drinking to cope and protective behavioral strategies for alcohol use may help explain why university students who report frequent discrimination are more likely to experience alcohol-related consequences, independent of how much alcohol they consume. Findings can inform clinical and prevention practice, advocacy, and training.

Masculine Drinking Norms and Alcohol Use in a National Sample of NCAA Male Student-Athletes.

Objectives: Participation in sports can increase young adults' risk for heavy alcohol use and related consequences. Among student-athletes, more men report heavy drinking than women. These gender differences may reflect men's expression of masculinity which can encompass excessive consumption. While a growing body of research indicates that general masculine norms are positively associated with alcohol use and consequences among men, the extent to which alcohol-specific masculine norms can increase student-athletes' risk for elevated drinking and related outcomes is not yet known. Thus, we examined how masculine drinking norms are associated with alcohol use and related consequences while accounting for demographics and multiple dimensions of general masculine norms. Methods: 1,825 NCAA student-athletes (White=79%, Mage=20.1/SDage=1.3; 50 colleges/universities) completed a confidential online survey which included questions regarding masculine drinking norms of excess and control and conformity to general masculine norms. Results: We created latent constructs and tested a path model in SEM. Results indicated that, after accounting for demographics and multiple dimensions of general masculine norms, the masculine drinking norm of excess was positively associated with alcohol use and consequences. Conversely, control was negatively related to alcohol use but unrelated to consequences. Compared to control and other dimensions of general masculine norms, excess was most strongly related to alcohol use and consequences. Conclusions: A move from assessing general masculine norms toward alcohol-specific masculine norms can further researchers' and practitioners' knowledge of masculine norms and their link to drinking behaviors, and enhance the application of masculine norms in alcohol intervention and prevention programs.

Drinking to cope with COVID-19 anxiety predicts greater alcohol problems for undergraduate students.

Objective: Drinking more and drinking to cope increase undergraduates' likelihood of experiencing alcohol-related problems (ARP; e.g., driving intoxicated). In accordance with stress-coping models of addiction, anxiety about COVID-19 may motivate undergraduates to drink to cope, leading them to experience more ARP. However, this hypothesis has not been tested. Participants and methods: During fall 2020, 358 undergraduate drinkers (Mage = 21.18; 69.80% cis-women; 62.30% White) provided data regarding COVID-anxiety, alcohol consumption, drinking to cope, and ARP during an annual student survey. Results: Mediation analysis controlling for alcohol consumption revealed greater COVID-anxiety predicted higher levels of drinking to cope; in turn, higher levels of drinking to cope were associated with more ARP. Additionally, the positive relationship between greater COVID-anxiety and experiencing more ARP was explained entirely by higher levels of drinking to cope. Conclusion: During the pandemic and beyond, university prevention and intervention initiatives should target coping motives for alcohol use to help students avoid ARP.

Racial, ethnic, and sex differences in heavy drinking and negative alcohol-related consequences in a national sample of NCAA student-athlete drinkers.

Objective: Athletic involvement is linked to increased risk for heavy alcohol use among college students. We examined whether student-athletes from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds differ with respect to heavy drinking and related consequences. Method: Participants were 15,135 student-athlete drinkers (50.7% female) from 170 NCAA member institutions who participated in an online study. Results: Findings from our hierarchical linear models indicated that being a male student-athlete was associated with an increased likelihood of high intensity drinking (10/8 + drinks/per sitting for males/females) for White, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and Black student-athletes, but not for Hispanic student-athletes. Additionally, being a female student-athlete was associated with higher levels of negative alcohol-related consequences across all racial/ethnic groups. Finally, at similar drink quantities, compared to being a White student-athlete, being an Asian American/Pacific Islander student-athlete was associated with higher levels of alcohol-related consequences. Conclusions: Student-athlete drinkers are not homogeneous with respect to heavy drinking and related consequences.

Associations Between Ethnic Identity Commitment, Discrimination, and Sexism With Sexual Risk Among Latina College Students.

According to intersectionality theory, oppression predisposes individuals from disadvantaged groups to experience disparities in health. Such disparities are evident in the sexual health among college-aged Latina women living in the U.S., who tend to report significantly higher rates of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies than their White peers. Guided by intersectionality theory, the present study examined sexual risk behaviors (i.e., inconsistent condom use, number of sexual partners) in relation to ethnic identity development and reported experiences of discrimination and sexism among 450 Latina college students (ages 18-26 years old). Notably, results indicated that Latinas who reported relatively lower levels of ethnic identity commitment had, on average, approximately five more sexual partners when they had reported greater lifetime experiences of sexism. Findings highlight how sexist experiences contributed to an increased number of partners among Latinas reporting relatively lower levels of ethnic identity commitment, demonstrating that strong ethnic identity commitment was protective against risk in accordance with past research. Results indicate a continued need for sexual health interventions with Latina college students.

Según la teoría de la interseccionalidad, la opresión predispone a los individuos de grupos desfavorecidos para experimentar las disparidades en la salud. Tales disparidades son evidentes en la salud sexual entre las mujeres Latinas de edad universitaria que viven en los Estados Unidos, que tienden a reportar tasas significativamente más altas de las infecciones de transmisión sexual y los embarazos no deseados en comparación con sus compañeras Blancas. Guiado por la teoría de interseccionalidad, el presente estudio examinó los comportamientos de riesgo sexual (i.e., el uso inconsistente de condón, el número de parejas sexuales) en relación con el desarrollo de la identidad étnica y las experiencias reportadas de la discriminación y el sexismo entre 450 estudiantes universitarias Latinas (edades de 18­26 años). Notablemente, los resultados indicaron que las Latinas que reportaron niveles relativamente más bajos de compromiso de identidad étnica tenían, en promedio, aproximadamente cinco parejas sexuales más cuando habían reportado más experiencias de sexismo de por vida. Los hallazgos resaltan cómo las experiencias sexistas contribuyeron a un mayor número de parejas sexuales entre las Latinas que reportan niveles relativamente más bajos de compromiso de identidad étnica, demostrando que un fuerte compromiso de identidad étnica era protector contra el riesgo de acuerdo con investigaciones anteriores. Los resultados indican una necesidad continua para promover la salud sexual de las estudiantes universitarias Latinas.

Virtual Reality in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) using head-mounted displays (HMDs) has demonstrated to be an effective tool for treating various somatic and psychological symptoms. Technological advances and increased affordability of VR technology provide an interesting option for delivering psychological interventions to patients in palliative care. The primary aim of this systematic review was to synthesise the available research on the use of VR for enhancing psychological and somatic outcomes for palliative care patients. Secondary aims included assessing general satisfaction and overall usability. METHOD: A pre-registered systematic literature search was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines using OVID Emcare, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and PubMed Care Search: Palliative Care Knowledge Network. Peer-reviewed experimental, quasi-experimental, observational, case, and feasibility studies consisting of single or multiple VR sessions using HMDs that reported psychological and/or somatic outcomes were included. RESULTS: Eight studies published between 2019 and 2021 were included, representing 138 patients. While the reported quantitative psychological and somatic outcomes were ambiguous, the qualitative outcomes were largely positive. Participants were generally satisfied with VR, and most studies reported the VR interventions as usable, feasible, and acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: VR shows promise in palliative care and generally addresses a range of symptoms with few adverse effects. Future research should consist of adequately powered RCTs evaluating dosage and focusing on providing meaningful activities to enhance outcomes further.

Promoting uptake of efficacious brief alcohol interventions for young adults within institutions of higher education: Challenges and opportunities.

OBJECTIVE: Despite findings indicating that college students' alcohol use remains a significant problem across institutions of higher education, the support for a strong link between excessive drinking and risk for suicide and other psychiatric comorbidities, and associations between excessive drinking and stopping out or dropping out of college, there continue to be barriers to the routine, consistent, and timely implementation of efficacious brief alcohol interventions by mental health practitioners working in college- and university-based clinical service settings. This commentary will focus on the identification of infrastructure, attitudinal, and training-related barriers to the uptake of evidence-based strategies within higher education clinical intervention settings and opportunities to address them. Barriers discussed include compromises to intervention fidelity, limited staffing and multiple and competing service demands, stigma and a lack of understanding concerning the link between alcohol use and psychiatric symptomology, and scarcity of training, professional development, and funding opportunities specifically aimed at the promotion of evidence-based practices addressing risky and excessive drinking among college students. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol researchers can play a key role in promoting effective, consistent, and timely implementation of efficacious brief interventions in campus-based clinical service settings through strategic engagement with college and university mental health professionals and senior-level decision-makers using a system-focused lens. Both institutional and national-level collaboration and advocacy for translational research opportunities are critical to encourage dissemination, implementation, and sustainability of efficacious brief intervention practices. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The Role of Objectification in College Women's Substance Misuse and Sexual Risk.

Sexism and objectification present major challenges for mental and physical health among women. Scholars have called for research to identify mechanisms that underlie these associations as well as to delineate factors to target in prevention and intervention efforts. This study aimed to build on central tenets of objectification theory through its examination of sexist experiences in relation to body surveillance, body shame, depressive symptoms, and the health risk behaviors of substance use (i.e., alcohol and drug misuse) and sexual risk (i.e., condom use and number of sexual partners) among a large sample of college student women. We also examined whether body surveillance, body shame, and depressive symptoms would mediate theorized pathways extended to substance use and sexual risk. A sample of 505 full-time college student women ages 18-26 completed an online survey that assessed their health and behaviors. We used structural equation modeling to test mediation hypotheses. Results largely supported hypotheses, extended objectification theory to sexual risk, and expanded upon past research on objectification in relation to substance use. Notably, results of this study provided a more nuanced knowledge of how objectification may lead to increases in sexual risk when assessed by number of sexual partners (but not condom use). Further research is warranted to understand potential explanatory pathways between sexism, objectification, and sexual risk. Findings can inform prevention and intervention efforts to target body surveillance, body shame, and depressive symptoms to attempt to reduce the burden of sexist experiences on women's health.

Associations between Impulsivity and Exercise Addiction, Disordered Eating, and Alcohol Use Behaviors: A Latent Profile Analysis.

BackgroundDespite the known negative consequences of exercise addiction and preliminary evidence suggesting that it may co-occur with other health risk behaviors, no studies to date have examined exercise addiction among college students in conjunction with disordered eating behaviors and alcohol use. The aim of this study was to describe which college students are most at-risk for co-occurring health risk behaviors to enhance the efficiency of health risk prevention efforts. Method: Guided by multidimensional theories of impulsivity and substance use models of comorbidity, this study used latent profile analysis to examine whether separate, conceptually meaningful profiles of risk for exercise addiction, disordered eating behaviors, and alcohol use would emerge among 503 college students from a large public university. Results: The best-fitting model supported three profiles. MANOVA results revealed significant profile differences based on exercise addiction, binge eating, purging, laxative/pill/diuretic use, exercising longer than 60 minutes, negative urgency, and problematic alcohol use. Profile 3 students (n = 29), labeled the Affect Driven Health Risk-Takers, demonstrated the highest levels of impulsivity (i.e., negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking) and the most risk behaviors compared to the other two profiles. Profile membership was associated with distinct levels of negative urgency, exercise addiction, disordered eating behaviors, and problematic alcohol use. A small proportion of undergraduates demonstrated co-occurring exercise addiction, disordered eating behaviors, and problematic alcohol use. Profile membership also predicted the health outcomes of clinically significant exercise addiction and hazardous alcohol use. Conclusions: Findings illuminated how patterns of risk behavior engagement were associated with clinically significant exercise addiction and hazardous alcohol use and will inform prevention efforts and clinical interventions with at-risk college students.

BYSTANDER INTERVENTION AMONG DRINKING GAMERS Bystander Intervention Among College Student Drinking Gamers: Sexual Assault Attitudes, Self-Efficacy, and Intent to Intervene.

Heavy drinking and sexual assault warrant significant concern on U.S. college campuses as emerging evidence suggests that the risk for sexual victimization is amplified in the context of high-risk drinking behavior. Despite recent attention to sexual assault (e.g., MeToo Movement), rates of perpetration remain largely unchanged. In applying the bystander intervention framework, our understanding of the relation between key factors that may facilitate or prevent behavioral action, or when and how these factors are most salient, is limited. The present study examined whether bystander attitudes and bystander self-efficacy interact to predict bystander intent to intervene. Hypotheses were tested among college student drinking gamers, a group at particular risk for involvement in situations of sexual violence. Participants (N = 964) were traditional college-aged student drinking gamers recruited from three universities across the East and Southern Central United States. After controlling for Greek affiliation, prior intervention training and social desirability, hypotheses were partially supported. Higher rape supportive attitudes (rape myth acceptance) were negatively associated with bystander intent to intervene across all participants, but bystander self-efficacy significantly moderated the relation between bystander attitudes (rape myth acceptance) and bystander intent to intervene only among women college student drinking gamers. The interaction effect was not significant among men. For all participants, there was a significant relation between bystander self-efficacy and bystander intent to intervene such that as self-efficacy increases, bystander intent to intervene increases. The discussion addresses implications for sexual assault prevention programs on college campuses and directions for future research.

A National Study on Drinking Game Behaviors and Related Consequences Among NCAA Student-Athletes: Racial/Ethnic and Sex Differences.

OBJECTIVE: Research indicates that college student-athletes report more alcohol use and negative drinking consequences than non-student-athletes. One drinking practice that has been linked to heavy alcohol use and related consequences is playing drinking games. In the present study, we investigated which segment of the student-athlete population is most at risk for frequent drinking game participation, elevated alcohol consumption while playing drinking games, and negative drinking game consequences. We examined sex and racial/ethnic differences in behaviors and consequences associated with drinking games in a national sample of White, Hispanic, Black, and Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) student-athletes. METHOD: A total of 11,839 student-athletes (51.4% women) from 165 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member institutions who endorsed lifetime participation in drinking games completed a confidential online survey. RESULTS: Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that being a White (vs. Black or Hispanic) student-athlete was associated with more frequent drinking game participation, and among AAPI and Black (but not White or Hispanic) student-athletes, men played drinking games more frequently than women. Being a Black (vs. White) student-athlete was associated with more drinking game consumption; no sex differences in drinking game consumption were found among Black student-athletes. Among White, AAPI, and Hispanic student-athletes, being a male student-athlete was associated with more drinking game consumption. Finally, female student-athletes had a higher likelihood of experiencing one or more negative consequences from drinking games than did male student-athletes. The association between drinking game participation and negative drinking game consequences was also stronger for women compared with men. CONCLUSIONS: Student-athletes are heterogeneous with regard to drinking game behaviors and related consequences. Knowing who is at greatest risk for drinking game participation and related outcomes is an important first step in developing targeted intervention approaches for student-athletes.

Psychometric validation of the Protective Drinking Practices Scale in college students across the United States.

The present study tested the psychometric properties of a new 20-item alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS) measure, the Protective Drinking Practices Scale (PDPS). Specifically, we evaluated measurement invariance of the PDPS in a sample of college students recruited nationally, tested the factor structure, evaluated construct validity, and explored potential short-form versions. Participants were 684 college student drinkers from throughout the United States (50.3% male; 65.6% White) obtained using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) who completed measures of PBS use, hazardous drinking, alcohol-related negative consequences, alcohol use disorder (AUD) screening criteria, and depression. A differential item functioning analysis found that the PDPS items functioned similarly in the present sample and the original validation sample. Further, a unidimensional item response theory analysis confirmed the single PDPS factor structure identified in the original study. The PDPS demonstrated evidence of convergent validity with measures of hazardous drinking and alcohol-related negative consequences. Finally, five potential three-item PDPS short-form versions were generated, which all had strong correlations with the 20-item PDPS. Overall, these results suggest the PDPS functioned similarly in a United States college student sample with geographical diversity relative to a sample from a single Southeastern United States university, which has implications for future research and clinical work with college students. Future research should continue assessing the psychometric properties of the PDPS among diverse samples of college students and further elucidate an optimal PDPS short form for use in clinical screening and research contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Traditional feminine gender roles, alcohol use, and protective behavioral strategies among Latina college students.

OBJECTIVE: Studies conducted with Latina/o populations suggest there are gendered norms surrounding drinking behavior, but research examining alcohol use among Latina college students in the context of traditional feminine gender role (TFGR) norms, is scarce.Participants and Methods: 405 Latina undergraduates completed a web-based study of sociocultural factors and alcohol use. Path analyses assessed the relation between TFGR , alcohol use, and alcohol-related protective behavioral strategies (PBS). RESULTS: A dimension of TFGR characterized by purity was related to (a) reduced alcohol use in general, and (b) PBS designed to modify the manner of drinking among drinkers. In turn, this dimension of PBS related to a lower likelihood of experiencing drunkenness. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the notion that enacting some dimensions of TFGR among Latina college students may limit general alcohol use (directly) and high-risk drinking (indirectly through use of PBS), while enacting other dimensions may place Latinas at risk of alcohol misuse.

Drinking motives, cultural orientations, and alcohol use among Hispanic college students at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Hispanic college students at the U.S.-Mexico border are at higher risk for alcohol use and negative drinking consequences relative to their counterparts in non-border areas. Hispanic students at the U.S.-Mexico border (N = 219, Mage = 20.14; 71.2% women) completed an online survey. U.S. orientation was negatively associated with alcohol consumption. Enhancement motives predicted alcohol consumption, whereas coping and conformity motives predicted negative drinking-related consequences. Cultural orientations did not moderate the relations between social motives and alcohol use outcomes. Results highlight the need to consider alcohol-related cognition and to better contextualize U.S. and heritage cultural orientations among Hispanics in the U.S.-Mexico areas.

Optimal assessment of protective behavioral strategies among college drinkers: An item response theory analysis.

College student alcohol use and related consequences continue to warrant significant concern. Extant research demonstrates protective behavioral strategies (PBS; self-regulatory strategies that can be employed before, during, or after drinking to prevent intoxication or negative consequences) have promise for preventative interventions. Variations in conceptualization and measurement of the construct limit generalization of PBS research. To advance generalization of PBS research, there is a need for a brief, comprehensive, content valid, PBS measure that demonstrates equivalence in measurement across demographically diverse college students. The present study aimed to develop a psychometrically robust measure of PBS using item response theory (IRT) to address measurement and methodological issues including identifying optimal response anchors and items that represent the full range of the PBS construct for use with college men and women from different racial backgrounds. Participants were 503 college students enrolled in a midsized university in the Southern United States. IRT and differential item functioning (DIF) analyses of 68 PBS items extracted from 6 existing PBS measures resulted in a 20-item instrument, the Protective Drinking Practices Scale, with items that functioned equivalently for White and Black/African American college men and women. The measure also demonstrated good internal and external validity. Widespread use of this measure will help enhance the comparability of findings in PBS research, allowing for more targeted and impactful research on PBS as a mechanism of change. Suggestions for future research are provided. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Doctor Recommendations are Related to Patient Interest and Use of Behavioral Treatment for Chronic Pain and Addiction.

The opioid crisis has highlighted the importance of improving patients' access to behavioral treatments for chronic pain and addiction. What is not known is if patients are interested in receiving these treatments. In this cross-sectional study, over 1,000 participants with chronic pain were surveyed using an anonymous online questionnaire on Amazon Mechanical Turk to investigate participants' use of and interest in pharmacological and behavioral treatments for chronic pain and addiction. Participants also indicated whether their doctor had recommended these treatments. The majority of participants reported using medication for their pain (83.19%) and that their doctor recommended medication (85.05%), whereas fewer participants reported using (67.45%) and being recommended to (62.82%) behavioral treatments. We found 63.67% of participants screened positive for possible opioid misuse; those who screened positive were more interested in receiving behavioral treatments than those who did not screen positive. Participants who received treatment recommendations were more likely to be interested in receiving those treatments as compared to participants who did not. The results suggest that recommendations for behavioral treatments and interest in those treatments are related. Results also suggest that patients endorsing behaviors consistent with opioid misuse are interested in behavioral treatments. PERSPECTIVE: This study provides information around chronic pain patients' treatment interests, treatment receipt, and recommendation receipt for behavioral pain management and addiction treatment. This study could help facilitate communication between patients and doctors regarding available treatments for chronic pain and pain treatment-related addiction problems.

Ethnic, gender, and seasonal difference in heavy drinking and protective behavioral strategies among student-athletes.

Relations among gender, ethnicity, athlete seasonal status, alcohol consumption, and protective behavioral strategies were examined among student-athletes. The national sample (N = 670, Mage = 18.90) included Black (n = 199), Hispanic (n = 236), and White (n = 235) college student-athletes who use alcohol. There were significant gender and ethnic differences in alcohol consumption as well as gender differences in use of protective behavioral strategies. Within-group gender differences in alcohol use and PBS were present for White and Hispanic but not Black student-athletes. Implications for tailored prevention/intervention efforts and future directions are discussed.

Associations among Negative Urgency, Sensation Seeking, Alcohol Use, Self-Esteem, and Casual Sexual Behavior for College Students.

Background: The present study proposed a moderated mediation model of relations among negative urgency, sensation seeking, alcohol use, self-esteem, and casual sexual behavior among college students. We hypothesized students' alcohol use would mediate a positive relation between two facets of impulsivity, negative urgency and sensation seeking, with casual sexual behavior. We also examined the influence of self-esteem on alcohol use and casual sexual behavior to determine if self-esteem may serve as a point of intervention. We hypothesized that self-esteem might moderate the relation between casual sexual behavior and alcohol use, such that students who report high alcohol use in addition to low self-esteem would engage in more casual sexual behavior than individuals who report relatively higher levels of self-esteem. Methods: Data were collected in 2015 from 413 undergraduate students at a large Northeastern public university. Structural equation modeling tested the moderated mediation model. Results: Contrary to hypotheses, the theorized model demonstrated an inadequate fit to the data when self-esteem was included. A second structural model was calculated to test alcohol use as a mediator of associations between negative urgency and sensation seeking, and casual sexual behavior. As hypothesized, students' alcohol use was found to be a mediator of the positive associations between negative urgency and casual sexual behavior and sensation seeking and casual sexual behavior. Conclusions: Findings suggest that alcohol use, negative urgency, and sensation seeking may serve as points of intervention to address casual sexual behavior, as appropriate, among college student populations.

Heterosexual Self-Presentation and Other Individual- and Community-Based Correlates of HIV testing among Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men.

From 2010 to 2014, HIV diagnoses among Latino men who have sex with other men (LMSM) have increased by 14%, while diagnoses declined by 11% among white, non-Latino MSM. This health disparity is in part due to exposure to other LMSM with undiagnosed HIV infections. To effectively engage LMSM who are unaware of their serostatus, profiles of men differing in theorized determinants of HIV testing must be considered. In this retrospective study, we examined data from 546 LMSM to investigate whether hypothesized individual- (traditional masculine gender role conformity; sexual identity development status; alcohol and illicit drug use; sexual risk behaviors; perceived HIV susceptibility; and HIV stigma) and community-based (HIV prevention programming, access to health care, social support, neighborhood collective efficacy) factors were associated with differences in HIV testing. Latent profile analysis was used to identify profiles of men, and subsequent analyses examined whether profiles exhibited differential proportions of HIV testing. Four latent profiles were observed. One profile (50.3% tested) differed markedly from all other profiles (5.1 to 11% tested) in HIV testing. Characteristics of participants in this unique profile included reporting lower levels of heterosexual self-presentation, sexual identity uncertainty (and high levels of sexual identity commitment), condom use, HIV stigma, education, and perceived HIV susceptibility than all other profiles. Findings could improve HIV testing rates among LMSM by specifying ways in which public health advertisements/campaigns and community-based testing outreach efforts could be tailored to men most at-risk for transmitting HIV due to unknown serostatus.

Cultural incongruity predicts adjustment to college for student veterans.

Little is known about what predicts student service members' and veterans' (SSM/V) adjustment to college. In qualitative research, SSM/V report feeling they do not belong and are misunderstood by college communities, a phenomenon that counseling psychologists call cultural incongruity. The goal of the current study was to quantitatively examine the relationship between cultural incongruity and adjustment to college. We surveyed 814 SSM/V about their adjustment to college using the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire. Cultural incongruity was operationalized in two ways: feelings of not belonging were measured via direct report and the association with adjustment to college assessed with regression. Feelings of being misunderstood about academic barriers were assessed by comparing SSM/V's perceptions of academic barriers and SSM/V's perceptions of how others view the SSM/V's academic barriers and the association with adjustment was assessed using polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Cultural incongruity predicted adjustment to college. After controlling for other known predictors, feelings of not belonging accounted for 18% of the variance in adjustment to college. Polynomial regression showed that feeling understood about academic barriers protected against the negative impact of the barrier on adjustment to college. Cultural incongruity predicts adjustment to college for SSM/V. Helping SSM/V feel their unique barriers to college adjustment are understood may blunt the impact of these barriers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).