The Effects of Alcohol Priming on Age Perception and Attractiveness Ratings

Sexual assault and alcohol have often been linked together (Abbey et.al, 2004; Collins & Messerschmidt, 1993). Also, 29% of rape victims are between the ages of 12 and 17 (Greenfield, 1997). Research suggests people who are more impulsive are more likely to be sexually aggressive (Mouilso, Calhoun, & Rosenbloom, 2013); however, less is known regarding the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between alcohol and sexual assault of minors. This study addressed this knowledge gap by (1) examining the effects of alcohol priming on attractiveness ratings and age perception of individuals who could be perceived as adolescent, and (2) investigating the role various facets of impulsivity play in the relationships between alcohol priming and age perception and attractiveness, respectively. A total of 97 participants, a majority being female (64.9%), freshman (58.8%), and under the age of 20 (94.8%), completed the study. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions (alcohol prime, mood prime, or no prime) and completed a variety of questionnaires and a visual facial rating task following a priming task. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between conditions on measures of age perception and attractiveness following alcohol priming. Furthermore, moderation analyses revealed nonsignificant findings between impulsivity and attraction, and impulsivity and perceived age; thus, alcohol priming was not a moderator in either analysis. These results suggest alcohol priming does not influence people’s perceptions of age and attractiveness levels; however, more research is needed across diverse populations to further our understanding of the roles alcohol, impulsivity, and attraction play in sexual assault of minors

Integrating Preclinical and Clinical Models of Negative Urgency

Overwhelming evidence suggests that negative urgency is robustly associated with rash, ill-advised behavior, and this trait may hamper attempts to treat patients with substance use disorder. Research applying negative urgency to clinical treatment settings has been limited, in part, due to the absence of an objective, behavioral, and translational model of negative urgency. We suggest that development of such a model will allow for determination of prime neurological and physiological treatment targets, the testing of treatment effectiveness in the preclinical and the clinical laboratory, and, ultimately, improvement in negative-urgency-related treatment response and effectiveness. In the current paper, we review the literature on measurement of negative urgency and discuss limitations of current attempts to assess this trait in human models. Then, we review the limited research on animal models of negative urgency and make suggestions for some promising models that could lead to a translational measurement model. Finally, we discuss the importance of applying objective, behavioral, and translational models of negative urgency, especially those that are easily administered in both animals and humans, to treatment development and testing and make suggestions on necessary future work in this field. Given that negative urgency is a transdiagnostic risk factor that impedes treatment success, the impact of this work could be large in reducing client suffering and societal costs

Influences on Destructive College Drinking: The Role of Psychopathic Traits and Gender

Honors (Bachelor's)PsychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107716/1/hdotty.pd

Drinking to Cope: Effects of Anxiety on Generation of Self-Regulation Strategies

This study sought to utilize motivational and self-regulatory processes, specifically the principle of emotional transfer (PET), to elucidate mechanisms underlying the transition from casual alcohol use to dependence in young adults with elevated anxiety. Utilizing a script-driven imagery procedure, the proposed study examined the effects of manipulated state anxiety on 1) the amount, content, and commitment to freely generated anxiety reduction strategies, and 2) the level of craving for alcohol. Young adult college students (N = 69; ages 18-24; 76.8% women) were randomly assigned to either the high (n = 35) or low (n = 34) anxiety condition. After script presentation, participants responded to a script-related prompt eliciting generation of anxiety regulation strategies, rated their commitment to those strategies, and reported their current level of alcohol craving. Analyses revealed no significant difference between the conditions on the quantity of strategies generated, level of alcohol craving, or number of participants generating alcohol use as a strategy. However, participants in the high anxiety condition reported significantly greater commitment to the strategies generated than the low anxiety condition. While anxiety increased in both conditions in response to the script, it did not increase significantly more in the high anxiety condition. The two conditions were collapsed and hierarchical linear regressions were run to assess whether post-induction anxiety predicted the outcome variables, while controlling for covariates. Greater past-year alcohol use and problems – not anxiety – predicted generation of significantly fewer strategies and higher alcohol craving. Findings of this study suggest partial support for the PET and highlight the need for alternative approaches to inducing and assessing the potential effects of anxiety on self-regulatory processes, particularly for those most at risk for alcohol use problems

The Effect Of Computer-Delivered Brief Intervention On Heavy Alcohol Use: A Pilot Study

Alcohol misuse remains a significant issue on college campuses. One potential remedy, especially for those unwilling or unable to seek face-to-face intervention, are computer-delivered brief interventions. Although the literature is mixed regarding the magnitude of their effect on alcohol use, findings are consistent that they at least produce small changes in alcohol use. The current study tested a computer-delivered brief intervention (CDBI) against an education-only control in order to examine its efficacy in reducing alcohol use. Additionally, it tested the interactive effects of secondary psychopathic personality, a trait associated with higher rates of alcohol use. 100 heavy drinking college students were randomized to either the intervention or education-control condition. Overall, both groups showed reductions in readiness to change, intentions to reduce drinking, and alcohol use at one-month follow-up; there was no change in alcohol use consequences in either group. Secondary psychopathic personality was related to trend level reductions in alcohol use across conditions, and those with higher levels of secondary psychopathy had more alcohol use consequences at follow-up compared to the education-only condition. In total, both programs were generally effective at increasing motivation to change and reducing alcohol use. These findings suggest that (1) computerized programs aimed at reducing alcohol use can produce small but meaningful changes and (2) individuals with higher levels of secondary psychopathic personality traits can benefit from these programs

Towards an Improved Understanding of the Heterogeneity of Violence: A Test of the Clinical Utility of the Reactive-Instrumental Distinction Among Adult Male Inmates

Purpose: Interpersonal violence exacts a high cost on society, both in terms of its impact on victims and its associated financial burden. To better understand the heterogeneity of violence, forensic researchers often distinguish between reactive violence, which occurs in response to provocation, and instrumental violence, which is goal-oriented. Although these subtypes of aggression have been associated with unique psychosocial vulnerabilities in samples of children or community adults, the current study examined whether this pattern of divergence generalized to an adult correctional sample. Method: Participants were 151 adult male federal inmates. Inmates completed self-report measures of childhood maltreatment, social-cognitive processing, and impulsivity, and their files were reviewed to determine their levels of psychopathy and alcohol problems, as well as their frequency of each type of violent offending. Results: The divergent validity of the reactive-instrumental distinction was evaluated through negative binomial regression and hierarchical linear modeling, which tested whether the hypothesized risk factors were related to the rates and odds of different types of violence. Across these analytic approaches and while controlling for potential confounds, reactive and instrumental violence were associated with distinct psychosocial profiles: Whereas reactive violence was related to anger, hostility-related cognitions, and alcohol problems, instrumental violence was associated with childhood maltreatment and positive outcome expectancies regarding crime. The only variables that were significantly related to the rates of both types of violence reflected schemas of entitlement and the affective deficits of psychopathy. In contrast, the impulsivity-related traits were unrelated to the rates or odds of either type of violence. Discussion: The observed divergence between subtypes of violence was generally consistent with hypotheses, providing strong support for the clinical utility of the reactive-instrumental distinction in adulthood. These findings have implications for refining theories of subtypes of violence, as well as for developing more specialized rehabilitation programs that better match the varying motives and needs of different types of violent offenders. Future research with a longitudinal design would help to clarify whether a causal interpretation of the current findings is warranted

A review of the relationships between mindfulness, stress, coping styles and substance use among university students

Adaptive coping and self-regulation are critical for students\u27 academic and professional development. Mindfulness meditation and mindfulness based programs present a promising option for those wishing to reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve self-regulation and coping strategies and or reduce the need for substance use. This paper sought to review the literature concerning the relationship mindfulness has with stress, coping styles and substance use in student populations. Proposed models and mechanisms of mindfulness are initially considered and reperceiving is identified as a prime mechanism through which mindfulness operates. Studies concerning stress reduction in student populations through mindfulness based programs are considered and a theoretical account of how mindfulness is believed to reduce stress and anxiety is provided. Mindfulness and its association with different coping strategies and styles is considered and it was found higher mindfulness predicts the use of more adaptive, approach coping and less avoidant and emotional coping. Further, mindfulness was found to assist with students wishing to reduce their alcohol and or tobacco use. These findings, along with the myriad of other physical and psychological health benefits present mindfulness as an effective way for students to alleviate stress, improve coping styles and reduce substance use