Strategies Young Adults Use to Curb Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is a well-established risk for young drivers, as they have disproportionately higher vehicle fatalities relative to miles driven. Although many studies have examined the danger of distracted driving, less is known about countermeasures young drivers use to protect themselves from getting distracted. Study 1 included focus groups of young adult drivers to learn different strategies used. From these responses, 25 items were generated. In Study 2, we administered these items to a larger sample of young adult drivers (N = 157). Using exploratory factor analysis (including scree plots, Velicer’s MAP, Cronbach’s alpha, item loadings), we determined a unidimensional structure. Countermeasure use was curvilinearly related to distracted driving. Future research can use this scale to examine how the Health Belief Model applies to distracted driving.https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/reu2021_psychology/1010/thumbnail.jp

The Effects of Personalized Boosters for a Computerized Intervention Targeting College Student Drinking

Heavy episodic alcohol use within the college student population is both widespread and problematic (Benton et al., 2004; Core Institute, 2006; Hingson, Zha, & Weitzman, 2009; O\u27Malley & Johnston, 2002; Perkins, 2002; Singleton, 2007). More than 40% of college students report at least one symptom of alcohol abuse or dependence (Knight et al., 2002). Computerized interventions are widely used because of their advantages over in-person interventions. They are more cost-effective and can quickly deliver tailored individual feedback to more students. Computerized interventions can be administered to large groups of students (e.g., incoming students, athletes, fraternities/sororities). However, a (2007) meta-analysis by Carey and colleagues found that in-person interventions are generally more efficacious than interventions delivered via other mediums. The current study is a prospective examination of intervention efficacy, the ability of personalized feedback to boost efficacy, and protective behavioral strategies (PBS) as a possible mediator for these relationships. The intervention for the current study, Alcohol 101 Plus™ (Century Council, 2003), incorporates a number of intervention components, including alcohol education, college student drinking norms, skills training, and personalized feedback. The current study sought to improve the efficacy of the online intervention with personalized feedback via email boosters. Content was created based on a comparison of 2-week data to baseline. Boosters provided personalized feedback based on reported alcohol consumption, alcohol-related problems, and PBS use. They included normative data and emphasized PBS. Data were collected from N = 233 college students. Eligibility criteria included drinking 4+ alcoholic drinks within two weeks of the assessment and being between the ages of 18 and 24. Participants were randomized into one of three conditions: 1) control, 2) intervention only, or 3) intervention plus booster. Participants were assessed at baseline (pre-intervention), 2 weeks post, and 4 weeks post. The intervention was administered during the baseline procedure, immediately following assessment. After the 2-week assessment, participants in the intervention-plus-booster condition were sent a booster email. Piecewise latent growth models revealed no intervention effect among alcohol use indicators or alcohol-related problems. However, knowledge about alcohol and related consequences was significantly increased after the intervention. Interestingly, a significantly indirect effect was found, such that intervention receipt significantly increased growth trajectories for PBS, which in turn was associated with reduced trajectories for alcohol use and related problems. Additionally, the booster emails with personalized feedback had a significant effect. All alcohol use indicators and alcohol-related problems were significantly reduced for those in the experimental booster group. There was limited support for PBS as a mediator of both intervention and booster effects. The implications of these findings are far-reaching, given the prevalence of online interventions targeting college student drinking and the ability of easily-disseminated, cost-effective emails to boost efficacy

Masculine Ideology and High-Risk Behavior Among Disabled Veterans

There may be predictors for high-risk behaviors, such as alcohol abuse, aggression, and risky sexual behavior, that can help identify susceptible men. Previous research has shown that masculine ideology is linked to engaging in such high-risk behaviors (Jakupcak, Tull, & Roemer, 2005; Moore & Stuart, 2005). In addition, having a physical disability may threaten male masculinity and increase the probability of this behavior (Good, Thomson, & Brathwaite, 2005). This issue is especially important to investigate in the military population. Military personnel and veterans engage in more high-risk behaviors (Bray et al., 2006; Bray, Marsden, & Peterson, 1991). Furthermore, the number of severely disabled veterans is steadily increasing (Gawande, 2004). The current study explored the relationship between masculine ideology and high-risk behaviors in disabled veterans. Additionally, it examined disability as a potential moderator of the relationship. Participants were disabled male veterans who completed measures of masculine ideology, masculine gender role stress, disability, intimate partner aggression, alcohol use, and risky sexual behavior. Six multiple regressions and one logistic regression were conducted to test the hypotheses that masculine ideology and disability are significant predictors of hill-risk behaviors including intimate partner aggression, number of alcoholic drinks consumed per week, alcohol quantity-frequency, alcohol-related consequences, binge drinking, number of sexual partners, and use of sexual protection. Hypothesis one and two were not supported, as neither masculine ideology nor disability predicted any of the behaviors measured. The third hypothesis was not supported, as the interaction between masculine ideology and disability was not a significant predictor of any of the behaviors measured. Interestingly, age significantly predicted many of the behaviors measured. As age increased, high-risk behavior decreased. The exception was that higher ages led to less use of sexual protection. However, this was likely due to the fact that birth control was not necessary for older participants because their partners were post-menopausal. The lack of significance for the association between masculine ideology and high-risk behaviors was in contrast to prior research (Good et al., 2005; Jakupcak et al., 2005; Moore & Stuart, 2005). Limitations and suggestions for future search are discussed

The Impact of Time Perspective Latent Profiles on College Drinking: A Multidimensional Approach

Background- Zimbardo and Boyd\u27s1 time perspective, or the temporal framework individuals use to process information, has been shown to predict health behaviors such as alcohol use. Previous studies supported the predictive validity of individual dimensions of time perspective, with some dimensions acting as protective factors and others as risk factors. However, some studies produced findings contrary to the general body of literature. In addition, time perspective is a multidimensional construct, and the combination of perspectives may be more predictive than individual dimensions in isolation; consequently, multidimensional profiles are a more accurate measure of individual differences and more appropriate for predicting health behaviors. Objectives- The current study identified naturally occurring profiles of time perspective and examined their association with risky alcohol use. Methods- Data were collected from a college student sample (n = 431, mean age = 20.41 years) using an online survey. Time perspective profiles were identified using latent profile analysis. Results-Boot-strapped regression models identified a protective class that engaged in significantly less overall drinking (β= -0.254) as well as engaging in significantly less episodic high risk drinking (β = -0.274). There was also emerging evidence of a high risk time perspective profile that was linked to more overall drinking (β = 0.198) and engaging in more high risk drinking (β = 0.245), though these differences were not significant. Conclusions/Importance- These findings support examining time perspective in a multidimensional framework rather than individual dimensions in isolation. Implications include identifying students most in need of interventions, and tailoring interventions to target temporal framing in decision-making

Personalized Boosters For a Computerized Intervention Targeting College Drinking: The Influence of Protective Behavioral Strategies

Objective: Computerized interventions are cost-effective and can quickly deliver individual feedback to many students. However, in-person interventions are more efficacious. The current study sought to improve the efficacy of a popular online intervention via e-mailed boosters with personalized feedback. Participants: Participants were 213 student drinkers at a southeastern public university, ages 18-24. Methods: Students were randomized into (1) intervention only, or (2) intervention plus booster. Alcohol consumption and related problems were assessed at baseline, 2weeks post, and 4weeks post. Results: Boosters yielded reductions in drinking, but not alcohol-related problems. Boosters were associated with significant reductions for drinking frequency, heavy drinking days, peak drinks, and associated blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Protective behavioral strategies (PBS) moderated this effect, with significant reductions for students low in PBS, but not students already highly engaged in PBS use. Conclusions: Easy dissemination and low cost make e-mailed boosters a very efficient way to promote student health

Initiation and Retention in Couples Outpatient Treatment for Parents with Drug and Alcohol Use Disorders

The focus of the current study was to identity mental health, relationship factors, substance use related problems, and individual factors as predictors of couples-based substance abuse treatment initiation and attendance. Heterosexual couples with children that met study criteria were invited to attend 12 sessions of outpatient behavioral couples therapy. Men were more likely to initiate treatment if they had a higher income, had greater relationship satisfaction, were initiating treatment for alcohol use disorder only, were younger when they first suspected a problem, and had higher depression but lower hostility or phobic anxiety. Men attended more treatment sessions if they reported less intimate partner victimization, if they sought treatment for both alcohol and drug use disorder, if they were older when they first suspected a substance use problem, and if they were more obsessive–compulsive, more phobic anxious, less hostile, and experienced less somatization and less paranoid ideation. For women, treatment initiation was associated with less cohesion in their relationships, more somatization, and being older when they first suspected an alcohol or drug use problem. Trends were observed between women’s treatment retention and being older, experiencing more somatization, and suspecting drug-related problems when they were younger; however, no predictors reached statistical significance for women. Results suggest that different factors may be associated with men and women’s willingness to initiate and attend conjoint treatment for substance abuse. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved

Clarifying Observed Relationships Between Protective Behavioral Strategies and Alcohol Outcomes: The Importance of Response Options

Protective behavioral strategies (PBS), or harm-reduction behaviors that can potentially reduce alcohol consumption or associated problems, have been assessed in varied ways throughout the literature. Existing scales vary in focus (i.e., broad vs. narrow), and importantly, in response options (i.e., absolute frequency vs. contingent frequency). Absolute frequency conflates PBS use with number of drinking occasions, resulting in inconsistencies in the relationship between PBS use and alcohol outcomes, whereas contingent frequency is less precise, which could reduce power. The current study proposes the use of absolute frequencies to maximize precision, with an adjustment for number of drinking days to extricate PBS use from drinking occasions, resulting in a contingent score. Study 1 examined the associations between PBS subscales using the Strategy Questionnaire (Sugarman & Carey, 2007) and alcohol outcomes, finding that in raw score form the association between PBS and typical alcohol outcomes varied greatly from significantly positive to significantly negative, but adjusted score relationships were all consistent with harm reduction perspectives. In addition, curvilinear relationships with typical alcohol use were eliminated using the score adjustment, resulting in linear associations. Study 2 confirmed the findings from Study 1 with a more precise timeframe, additional alcohol assessments, and heavier college drinkers. The relationships between alcohol outcomes and PBS in raw score form were again varied, but became consistently negative using the score adjustment. Researchers examining PBS and related constructs should consider modifying current scales to include a precise frequency response scale that is adjusted to account for number of drinking occasions

Induction techniques that reduce redistribution hypothermia: a prospective, randomized, controlled, single blind effectiveness study.

BACKGROUND: While much effort has been devoted to correcting intraoperative hypothermia, less attention has been directed to preventing redistribution hypothermia. In this study, we compared three different anesthetic induction techniques to standard IV propofol inductions (control) in their effect on reducing redistribution hypothermia. METHODS: Elective, afebrile patients, age 18 to 55 years, were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 50 each). Group INH/100 was induced with 8% sevoflurane in 100% oxygen, Group INH/50 with 8% sevoflurane in 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide, Group PROP with 2.2 mg/kg propofol, and Group Phnl/PROP with 2.2 mg/kg propofol immediately preceded by 160 mcg phenylephrine. Patients were maintained with sevoflurane in 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen in addition to opioid narcotic. Forced air warming was used. Core temperatures were recorded every 15 min after induction for 1 h. RESULTS: Compared to control group PROP, the mean temperatures in groups INH/100, INH/50, and Phnl/PROP were higher 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after induction (p \u3c 0.001 for all comparisons), averaging between 0.39 °C and 0.54 °C higher. In group PROP, 60% of patients had at least one temperature below 36.0 °C in the first hour whereas only 16% did in each of groups INH/100, INH/50, and Phnl/PROP (p \u3c 0.0001 in each group compared to PROP). CONCLUSIONS: In this effectiveness trial, inhalation inductions with sevoflurane or with prophylactic phenylephrine bolus prior to propofol induction reduced the magnitude of redistribution hypothermia by an average of 0.4 to 0.5 °C in patients aged 18 to 55 years. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered on clinical-trials.gov as NCT02331108 , November 20, 2014

The essential role of balance tests in propensity-matched observational studies: Comments on ‘A critical appraisal of propensity-score matching in the medical literature between 1996 and 2003’ by Peter Austin, Statistics in Medicine

No AbstractPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/58566/1/3208_ftp.pd

Mobile Technology Use and mHealth Text Message Preferences: An Examination of Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Differences Among Emerging Adult College Students

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) interventions are a potentially feasible way of targeting emerging adult college students\u27 physical and mental health concerns, decreasing health-risk, and augmenting health promoting behaviors. However, there is limited evidence attesting to advantageous ways of designing mHealth treatments in a manner that is apt to be well-received by emerging adult college students at large, and gender, racial, and ethnic subgroups in particular. To address these research gaps, this exploratory study examined general trends, and gender (male, female), racial (White, Black), and ethnic (Latino, non-Latino) differences, in emerging adult college students\u27 mobile technology ownership and phone plan characteristics, technology use behaviors, and mHealth text message preferences. Methods: Participants included 1,371 college students aged 18 to 25 (20.54±1.80) years. Between July 2015 and April 2016, students from three universities in the Mid-Atlantic United States completed an online survey assessing technology use. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were run to answer primary study questions. Results: Results suggest that students frequently engage with mobile devices and inherent features. Overall, nearly all (99.5%) students owned smartphones, 89.5% had long-term phone contracts, 94.6% had unlimited texting, and 38.6% reported having unlimited data plans. Further, 96.8% reported texting, 92.0% accessing email, 97.3% accessing the internet, and 97.2% using apps on their mobile devices at least once per day. When asked about the types of text messages they would prefer to receive in the context of mHealth interventions, most students preferred messages that did not contain textese, were longer vs. shorter, contained a single vs. multiple exclamation marks, had a smiley face emoticon, used capitalization for emphatic purposes, contained a statement vs. a question, were polite in tone, and were non-directive. There was also multiple gender, racial, and ethnic group differences in mobile device ownership and plan attributes, usage patterns, and text message preferences. Conclusions: The present research provides evidence that smartphones are commonly used by college students and may be a feasible platform for health intervention delivery among diverse student groups. mHealth interventions could use the present results to inform the design of future mHealth interventions and, in turn, increase the acceptability, usability, and efficacy of such treatments for college students at large and diverse student groups in particular