The Relationship Between College Student Characteristics and Reporting Sexual Assault Experiences on Two Different Scales

Though high rates of sexual assault are found on college campuses, prevalence rates between studies can vary considerable by gender, sexual orientation, and other student characteristics. Thus, it is unknown whether these are “true” differences for such characteristics or if there are methodological differences to consider. As such the current study examined whether student characteristics including gender, race, sexual orientation, sexual attraction, Greek affiliation, and relationship status are uniquely associated with reporting on two different sexual assault scales. Data were gathered from 783 college students in 2019–2020 at a large Midwestern university. Results revealed that the two different scales consistently provided different prevalence rates of sexual assault. Moreover, for each type of sexual assault (e.g., coercion, incapacitation, and physical force), there were also significant differences with students consistently reporting higher prevalence rates on one scale over the other. Finally, significant differences were found in prevalence rates across gender, sexual attraction, and Greek affiliated status

Understanding Daily Depression, Drinking, and Marijuana Use among Homeless Youth using Short Message Service Surveying

We used short message service surveying (SMS) with 150 homeless youth to examine the time ordering of feeling depressed with drinking alcohol, using marijuana, and using substances with friends. Multilevel binary logistic regression results revealed that youth who were depressed earlier in the day were more likely to drink alcohol later that day. Among depressed youth, heterosexual youth were less likely to drink alcohol than lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. Depressed youth had increased odds of using marijuana by a factor of 1.6, while heterosexual youth, compared to LGB youth, were 80% less likely to use marijuana. Females were 82% less likely and heterosexual youth 75% less likely to use substances with friends compared to males and LGB youth, respectively. These findings improve upon prior retrospective studies by using SMS to understand time ordering between feeling depressed and substance use in the same day

Role of Social Environmental Protective Factors on Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Midwestern Homeless Youth

We employ a social stress framework, which examines the influence of multiple stressors (e.g., physical abuse, foster care placement) on an individual’s ability to function (e.g., mental well-being), to longitudinally examine the effects of stressful life events on mental health and the role of the social environment in this process among 150 homeless youth. Results revealed that numerous stressors, such as physical abuse and running away from home more frequently, were associated with greater depressive symptoms and elevated anxiety. Having mentors and family and friends from home that youth can rely on resulted in more positive social support, which subsequently lowered the risk for depressive symptoms and anxiety at wave 2

Understanding Daily Depression, Drinking, and Marijuana Use Among Homeless Youth Using Short Message Service Surveying

We used short message service surveying (SMS) with 150 homeless youths to examine the time ordering of feeling depressed with drinking alcohol, using marijuana, and using substances with friends. Multilevel binary logistic regression results revealed that youths who were depressed earlier in the day were more likely to drink alcohol later that day. Among depressed youths, heterosexual youths were less likely to drink alcohol than lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youths. Depressed youths had increased odds of using marijuana by a factor of 1.6, while heterosexual youths, compared to LGB youths, were 80% less likely to use marijuana. Females were 82% less likely and heterosexual youths 75% less likely to use substances with friends compared to males and LGB youths, respectively. These findings improve upon prior retrospective studies by using SMS to understand time ordering between feeling depressed and substance use in the same day

Risk Factors for Forced, Incapacitated, and Coercive Sexual Victimization Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Male and Female College Students

Although college students are at high risk for sexual victimization, the majority of research has focused on heterosexual students and often does not differentiate by victimization type. Thus, little is known about prevalence rates and risk factors for sexual victimization among sexual minority college students and whether the interaction between gender and sexual orientation differs by victimization type. To address these gaps, we examine whether risk factors for three types of sexual victimization (i.e., forced, incapacitated, and coerced) differ by gender (n = 681 males; n = 732 females) and sexual orientation (n = 1,294 heterosexual; n = 119 sexual minority) and whether the intersection of gender and sexual orientation is correlated with these three types of sexual victimization among 1,413 college students. Prevalence rate results revealed significant differences between gender and sexual orientation: Sexual minority females had the highest rates of coerced sexual victimization (58%), and their mean was significantly different from the other three groups (i.e., heterosexual females, heterosexual males, and sexual minority males). For both forced and incapacitated sexual victimization, heterosexual males had significantly lower means than the other three groups. Logistic regression results revealed that child sexual abuse increased the odds of experiencing both forced and coerced sexual victimization for both heterosexual and sexual minority students, whereas increased rates of risky sexual behavior were associated with forced and incapacitated sexual victimization but only for heterosexuals. Finally, heavy drinking increased the odds of experiencing incapacitated sexual victimization for both heterosexuals and sexual minorities

Understanding the Link between Victimization and Alcohol Use among Homeless Youth Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

Most prior research on victimization and alcohol use among homeless youth is retrospective and thus does not allow researchers to determine the sequencing of these events. We address this gap using ecological momentary assessment via short message service surveying with homeless youth during 30 days. Multilevel binary logistic regression results revealed that experiencing physical or sexual victimization on a specific day was positively associated with youth’s drinking alcohol later that day. Because ecological momentary assessment via short message service allows for such specificity, we can link a specific victimization experience with a current drinking episode. Thus, the time ordering of daily events in the current study is a significant improvement over prior research. Understanding the timing between victimization and drinking alcohol is also important for intervention with this underserved population

Short Message Service Surveying With Homeless Youth: Findings From a 30-Day Study of Sleeping Arrangements and Well-Being

Little is known about the location and consistency of sleeping arrangements among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) and how this is linked to their well-being. This study addresses this gap using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) via short message service (SMS) surveying with 150 YEH over 30 days, to examine how various sleeping arrangements are associated with depression, marijuana use, support received, and service utilization. Results revealed that the average number of consecutive days youth stayed at any particular location varied considerably. Youth who stayed more frequently with a friend/partner or in a transitional living facility (TLF) reported fewer days of being depressed, whereas staying with a friend/ partner was associated with using marijuana more frequently. Finally, youth staying with a friend/partner, stranger, or TLF reported using services on fewer days. Because sleeping arrangements change almost daily, on average, this has important public health implications for agencies finding permanent housing for YEH

The Role of Entitlement, Self-Control, and Risk Behaviors on Dating Violence Perpetration

Dating violence continues to be pervasive among college students (Stappenbeck & Fromme, 2010). Given the paucity of research investigating the various pathways through which risk factors are linked to dating violence among different college campuses, we use multiple group path analysis to examine the role of child abuse, self-control, entitlement, and risky behaviors on dating violence perpetration among college students from one Southeastern and one Midwestern university. There were 1,482 college students (51% female) enrolled in undergraduate courses at 2 large public universities who completed paper and pencil surveys. Dating violence perpetration was directly associated with gender, child physical abuse, and sexual and drug risk behaviors and indirectly associated with college Greek letter fraternity affiliation, self-control, and entitlement. Moreover, significant differences in the pathways to dating violence were found between the Southeast and Midwest campuses

Functional network changes and cognitive control in schizophrenia

Cognitive control is a cognitive and neural mechanism that contributes to managing the complex demands of day-to-day life. Studies have suggested that functional impairments in cognitive control associated brain circuitry contribute to a broad range of higher cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. To examine this issue, we assessed functional connectivity networks in healthy adults and individuals with schizophrenia performing tasks from two distinct cognitive domains that varied in demands for cognitive control, the RiSE episodic memory task and DPX goal maintenance task. We characterized general and cognitive control-specific effects of schizophrenia on functional connectivity within an expanded frontal parietal network (FPN) and quantified network topology properties using graph analysis. Using the network based statistic (NBS), we observed greater network functional connectivity in cognitive control demanding conditions during both tasks in both groups in the FPN, and demonstrated cognitive control FPN specificity against a task independent auditory network. NBS analyses also revealed widespread connectivity deficits in schizophrenia patients across all tasks. Furthermore, quantitative changes in network topology associated with diagnostic status and task demand were observed. The present findings, in an analysis that was limited to correct trials only, ensuring that subjects are on task, provide critical insights into network connections crucial for cognitive control and the manner in which brain networks reorganize to support such control. Impairments in this mechanism are present in schizophrenia and these results highlight how cognitive control deficits contribute to the pathophysiology of this illness

The Role of Protective Behavioral Strategies, Social Environment, and Housing Type on Heavy Drinking among College Students

Background: Though research has examined heavy drinking by housing type, the link between type of college student housing and protective behavioral strategies (PBS) has rarely been examined comparing different college campuses. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the role of housing type, perceptions of peer drinking, and PBS with respondent heavy drinking among undergraduate college students from one Southeastern and one Midwestern university in the United States. Methods: 1,448 college students enrolled in undergraduate courses at two public universities completed a paper and pencil survey of attitudes and experiences about dating, sexuality, and substance use. Data were analyzed using multiple group path analysis. Results: Students living in Greek housing perceived their close friends as engaging in more risky drinking and had higher rates of heavy drinking compared to those living in other housing types. The effect of perceptions of peer drinking on PBS was significantly different between campuses, as were several other indirect pathways to heavy drinking. Conclusion/Importance: Understanding more about the differing roles of college residential environments can help inform effective drinking interventions and reduce heavy drinking among college students