Alexithymia and Emotional Ambivalence as Predictors of College Adjustment

The current study evaluated the constructs alexithymia and emotional ambivalence, regarding their impact on adjustment to college. Alexithymia is an emotional processing concept which is defined as difficulty identifying and describing feelings, externally oriented thought, and limited imaginal ability. Emotional ambivalence is the ongoing internal conflict about the desire to hide emotions, despite external circumstances that demand disclosure, and/or regret over decisions to disclose feelings. These were both looked at as predictors of college adjustment, with the inclusion of chronic pain and psychiatric distress as physical and mental health components of the transition

The Role of Trauma In Baseline Functioning for Individuals Entering Substance Use Treatment from the Criminal Justice System

Problems- Trauma and post-traumatic symptoms have a profound effect on the lives of the individual. We know that rates of post-traumatic stress disorder range from 3-10% in the general population, however, rates of trauma, and the impact of trauma on other areas of functioning for individuals in the criminal justice system are less clear. The purpose of the current study was to determine the rate of trauma and the relationship of trauma to substance use and other psychiatric diagnoses in individuals who are referred to a forensic drug treatment center in New Haven, CT for evaluation. Methods- Participants were 145 men and women who were referred by the criminal justice system (ongoing court case or at risk of violation of probation) for a substance use evaluation. Data was collected at the clients’ initial visit to the treatment facility. Trauma was assessed by self-report on the PTSD Checklist – Civilian (PCL-C) version. This study compared the effects of a positive symptomatic score for PTSD on the PCL-C with demographic information and key factors upon admission to the treatment program. Results- Individuals entering the substance use program with self-reported trauma also evidenced poorer baseline functioning in general. This included higher rates of mood and anxiety disorder diagnoses, suicidal ideation, and substance use disorders. Additionally, of importance to this population, individuals reporting trauma evidenced greater number of days incarcerated in the past 30. Interestingly, no gender difference was observed in the rates of trauma. Implications- Overall, the results of this study suggest that PTSD correlates with negative baseline characteristics as expected based on prior research; however there are unique differences in rates of PTSD in the criminal justice population as compared to the general population

The Impact of Body Image Preoccupation on College Adjustment

Faculty Research Day 2018: Graduate Student Poster Honorable MentionThe physical and psychological adjustment to college is a often a disorienting time for students. Upon entering college, students are met with a new set of societal, personal, and academic expectations that decide the degree to which they are able to adapt to their new lives (Tinto, 1993). Given the taxing mental demands associated with the college transition, as well as the increasing prevalence of mental illnesses among college students (Duarte, Ferreira, Trindade, & Pinto-Gouveia, 2015; Hunt & Eisenberg, 2010), extensive research has examined the many psychological components that can effect students’ college experiences. Yet, despite the extensive literatures centering around body image preoccupation and college students’ psychological health/adjustment to college, there have been no studies that assess body image alongside college adjustment. The present study aims to fill this gap in the literature by examining the association of body image preoccupation and students’ adjustment to college

Effectiveness of Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use in Prison and Jail Settings: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

This study examined the state of the literature on the effectiveness of medication assisted treatment (MAT; methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone) delivered in prisons and jails on community substance use treatment engagement, opioid use, recidivism, and health risk behaviors following release from incarceration. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies published through December 2017 that examined induction to or maintenance on methadone (n = 18 studies), buprenorphine (n = 3 studies), or naltrexone (n = 3 studies) in correctional settings were identified from PsycINFO and PubMed databases. There were a sufficient number of methadone RCTs to meta-analyze; there were too few buprenorphine or naltrexone studies. All quasi-experimental studies were systematically reviewed. Data from RCTs involving 807 inmates (treatment n = 407, control n = 400) showed that methadone provided during incarceration increased community treatment engagement (n = 3 studies; OR = 8.69, 95% CI = 2.46; 30.75), reduced illicit opioid use (n = 4 studies; OR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.15; 0.32) and injection drug use (n = 3 studies; OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.12; 0.56), but did not reduce recidivism (n = 4 studies; OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.51; 1.68). Data from observational studies of methadone showed consistent findings. Individual review of buprenorphine and naltrexone studies showed these medications were either superior to methadone or to placebo, or were as effective as methadone in reducing illicit opioid use post-release. Results provide the first meta-analytic summary of MATs delivered in correctional settings and support the use of MATs, especially with regard to community substance use treatment engagement and opioid use; additional work is needed to understand the reduction of recidivism and other health risk behaviors

Psychiatric Disorders and Crime in the US Population: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Wave III

Objective: Current knowledge regarding the intersection of psychiatric disorders and crime in the United States is limited to psychiatric, forensic, and youth samples. This study presents nationally representative data on the relationship of DSM-5 psychiatric disorders, comorbid substance and mental health disorders, and multimorbidity (number of disorders) with criminal behavior and justice involvement among non-institutionalized US adults. Methods: Data were drawn from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Wave III (NESARC-III; 2012-2013; N = 36,309). Logistic regressions were used to examine the association of specific disorders (eg, mood, anxiety, eating, posttraumatic stress, substance use), comorbid substance use and mental health disorders, and multimorbidity with lifetime criminal behavior, incarceration experience, and past-12-month general, alcohol-related, and drug-related legal problems. Results: Overall, 28.5% of participants reported a history of criminal behavior, 11.4% reported a history of incarceration, 1.8% reported current general legal problems, 0.8% reported current alcohol-related legal problems, and 2.7% reported current drug-related legal problems. The presence of any disorder was associated with a 4 to 5 times increased risk of crime outcomes. Drug use disorders were associated with the highest risk of lifetime crime (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 6.8; 95% CI, 6.1-7.6) and incarceration (AOR = 4.7; 95% CI, 4.1-5.3) and current legal problems (AOR = 3.3; 95% CI, 2.6-4.2). Multimorbidity and comorbid substance use and mental health disorders were associated with additional risk. Controlling for antisocial personality disorder did not change the findings. Conclusions: Community adults with substance use disorders, comorbid substance use and mental health disorders, and increasing multimorbidity are most at risk of crime and justice involvement, highlighting the importance of community-based addiction treatment