What Do Young Adults Expect from the Recreational Use of Ecstasy (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine/Molly)? A Latent Class Analysis of a Convenience Sample of Dutch Young Adults

Introduction: This study offers insights into Dutch young people's expected social and personal consequences of ecstasy use. Substance use expectancies are assumed to be an essential component in explaining substance use behaviour and, therefore, the development of effective substance use prevention and treatment strategies. Method: Dutch young adults with an online interest in drug-related social media posts were targeted with an online survey about their use of alcohol and drugs. This resulted in a convenience sample (N = 4182, 73.4% female, Mage = 21.11), of which 35.5% had used ecstasy at least once in their life and 29.3% had used ecstasy last year. Latent class analyses were used to identify subgroups based on both positive and negative expectancies of ecstasy use. Cross-class differences were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Results: This study yielded four distinct classes: only negative expectancies (13.6%), high positive and negative expectancies (23.5%), low to moderate positive and negative expectancies (20.6%), and mostly positive expectancies (22.4%). These classes differed significantly in lifetime experience with ecstasy use, intention to use ecstasy, perception of harmfulness and availability, and social norms regarding the use of ecstasy. Conclusion: Findings show that ecstasy use expectancies can be used to create meaningful classes of users and non-users, and that these classes are different enough to warrant varied prevention approaches. Expectancies young people have regarding the use of ecstasy are associated with various ecstasy use-related variables and should be taken into consideration when developing and implementing preventive interventions

Latent Classes of Substance Use in Young Adults–A Systematic Review

Background: This systematic review provides an overview of studies on latent classes related to the substance use among young adults (18–25 years). Identifying these classes helps to detect high-risk groups, setting a base for selective prevention. Methods: This systematic literature review included peer-reviewed studies (published up to February, 2021) that identified latent classes and investigated predictors of latent classes relating to the use of marijuana, alcohol and/or other substances within samples of young adults. Results: Twenty studies (sample sizes N = 171 to N = 21945) met the inclusion criteria. 14 studies identified ‘low-level engagers’, ‘light alcohol and tobacco use’, ‘heavy alcohol and tobacco use’ and ‘heavy use/polysubstance use’ classes. Four studies differentiated within the ‘heavy/polysubstance’ class and found ‘traditional clubdrugs’, ‘hallucinogens’ and ‘wide-range illicit drugs’ classes. Male gender and white race predicted membership of the ‘heavy use/polysubstance use’ class consistently across studies. Other predictors of polysubstance use that were consistent across studies were peer substance use, depressive symptoms, parental drinking and participating in an honor society. Conclusions: The investigated predictors of class membership provide insight into social settings and characteristics that predict heavy use or polysubstance use. They can contribute to the development of effective prevention interventions by allowing for a more targeted approach

Interpersonal determinants of eating behaviours in Dutch older adults living independently: a qualitative study

Background Eating behaviour of older adults is influenced by a complex interaction of determinants. Understanding the determinants of a specific target group is important when developing targeted health-promoting strategies. The aim of this study was to explore interpersonal determinants of eating behaviours in older adults living independently in a specific neighbourhood in the Netherlands. Methods In the neighbourhood of interest, populated by relatively many older adults, fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with independently living older adults (aged 76.9 ± 6.4y). Interviews were complemented with observations among the target group: three occasions of grocery shopping and three collective eating occasions in the neighbourhood. A thematic approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. Results When we asked the older adults unprompted why they eat what they eat, the influence of interpersonal determinants did not appear directly; respondents rather mentioned individual (e.g. habits) and environmental factors (e.g. food accessibility). Key findings regarding interpersonal factors were: 1) Behaviours are shaped by someone’s context; 2) Living alone influences (determinants of) eating behaviour via multiple ways; 3) There is a salient norm that people do not interfere with others’ eating behaviour; 4) Older adults make limited use of social support (both formal and informal) for grocery shopping and cooking, except for organised eating activities in the neighbourhood. In this particular neighbourhood, many facilities (e.g. shops at walking distance) are present, and events (e.g. dinners) are organised with and for the target group, which likely impact (determinants of) their behaviours. Conclusions The study showed that older adults do not directly think of interpersonal factors influencing their eating behaviour, but rather of individual or environmental factors. However, multiple interpersonal factors did appear in the interviews and observations. Moreover, neighbourhood-specific factors seem to play a role, which underlines the need to understand the specific (social) setting when developing and implementing intervention programmes. Insights from this study can assist in developing health-promoting strategies for older adults, taking into account the context of the specific neighbourhood

Latent Classes of Substance Use in Young Adults - A Systematic Review

Background: This systematic review provides an overview of studies on latent classes related to the substance use among young adults (18-25 years). Identifying these classes helps to detect high-risk groups, setting a base for selective prevention.Methods: This systematic literature review included peer-reviewed studies (published up to February, 2021) that identified latent classes and investigated predictors of latent classes relating to the use of marijuana, alcohol and/or other substances within samples of young adults.Results: Twenty studies (sample sizes N = 171 to N = 21945) met the inclusion criteria. 14 studies identified 'low-level engagers', 'light alcohol and tobacco use', 'heavy alcohol and tobacco use' and 'heavy use/polysubstance use' classes. Four studies differentiated within the 'heavy/polysubstance' class and found 'traditional clubdrugs', 'hallucinogens' and 'wide-range illicit drugs' classes. Male gender and white race predicted membership of the 'heavy use/polysubstance use' class consistently across studies. Other predictors of polysubstance use that were consistent across studies were peer substance use, depressive symptoms, parental drinking and participating in an honor society.Conclusions: The investigated predictors of class membership provide insight into social settings and characteristics that predict heavy use or polysubstance use. They can contribute to the development of effective prevention interventions by allowing for a more targeted approach