Suchergebnisse

Boredom proneness has been linked to aggressive behaviors; however, the relationship between them is not well understood. To better understand the mechanism underlying the relationship between boredom proneness and aggression, a serial multiple mediator model was built, where boredom proneness impacted aggression simultaneously through (a) impulsivity, (b) trait anger, and (c) impulsivity to trait anger. Using data collected among Chinese substance users, a battery of interview questionnaires was completed. Results from this study indicate a positive relationship between boredom proneness, impulsivity, trait anger, and aggression. Moreover, the mediating role of impulsivity, trait anger, and both impulsivity and trait anger in serial were found. This study reflects that the link from boredom proneness to aggression among substances users could be partially explained via impulsivity and anger.

This study considered contextual factors (i.e., times, places, peers) associated with cannabis use. A total of 153 participants answered an anonymous online survey, completed the Cannabis Use Disorders Identification Test – Revised (CUDIT-R), and indicated their numbers of regular smoking partners, and times and places cannabis was normally purchased. Recent cannabis smokers had higher CUDIT-R scores and purchased cannabis from more places more often. Multiple regression considered subscales of the CUDIT-R. Greater cannabis consumption was associated with more smoking partners and purchases of cannabis at more times and places. Cannabis dependence was associated with cannabis purchases from more places and times and reports that there were more people prepared to do them favors. Harmful use was associated with more purchases at more locations. Patterns of cannabis foraging were compared with foraging behaviors previously observed for caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. The data could inform the development and use of social media and location-aware services seeking to target risky substance use.

Microdosing classic psychedelics (e.g., LSD [lysergic acid diethylamide] and psilocybin) is the practice of taking small amounts of these substances to bring about various positive life changes. Little is known about the subjective experiences and perceptions of those who engage in the practice. Accordingly, we use the sociology of accounts as a theoretical framework to explore the ways that those who microdose excuse or justify their practice. Using data from semistructured interviews with 30 people who had microdosed, we find that none provided excuses for their microdosing, but all offered one or more justifications. When discussing their microdosing, participants emphasized six key justifications: denial of injury, self-sustaining, self-fulfillment, appeal to normality, appeal to loyalties, and knowledgeableness. Findings provide insights into the subjective experiences of those who microdose, including the ways that they attempt to align their actions with societal expectations.

The literature has shown that undergraduates engage in the misuse of prescription stimulants in large part to meet academic demands and as an attempt to alleviate academic stress. The current study examined the relationship between misusing prescription stimulants for academic purposes and academic strains (academic stress, grade strain, and academic impediments) to determine whether prescription stimulant misuse (PSM) and the types of academic strains experienced by undergraduates differed based on their college major and postgraduate education plans. We utilized survey data that had been collected from 924 students at a large southeastern university in 2014, which specifically assessed for PSM. Results indicated significant differences in the misuse of prescription stimulants based on the types of academic strains experienced, college major, and postgraduate education plans. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

This project expands on the "routine drinking activities" perspective by examining alcohol outlets, alcohol-related crashes, and theoretically derived contextual measures. Using census tract–level data from two U.S. cities, we draw on the prevention literature and routine activities theory to develop measures of alcohol availability and context. Spatially lagged regression models examined both direct and conditional relationships between alcohol outlets and alcohol-related crashes. Results indicate that the alcohol outlet and crash relationship was moderated by contextual factors (e.g., driving under the influence [DUI] enforcement and environmental hazards). Thus, alcohol availability may be just a part of a broader community system that affects the opportunity for alcohol-related crashes to occur.

Diversion to treatment is not a new concept in the criminal justice system. Successful strategies require the participation of both law enforcement officers and individuals with a substance use disorder (SUD). This study relies on interviews and focus groups to explore the perceptions and attitudes of these two different populations about non-arrest programs. From the police perspective, the study found that the biggest barrier to using alternatives is the police culture, while championship by leadership and collaborations with community stakeholders facilitate opportunities for using non-arrest options. Clients with SUDs had positive attitudes about non-arrest programs, but negative perspectives about the justice system and the police overall. Policy implications for future efforts are highlighted, particularly as efforts increase to expand the use of non-arrest options including diversion programs.

Substance use and associated fatalities are disproportionately experienced by rural communities. This study used consensual qualitative research methodology to analyze focus group data from individuals in short- and long-term recovery in rural Michigan and Minnesota. Coding was conducted within a recovery capital framework to improve understanding of the resources and barriers participants experienced in their recovery. Key findings included barriers related to transportation, as well as access to and availability of sober meetings and sober living activities. Participants perceived connections to culturally appropriate treatment as particularly important. A reconstruction of social networks from those promoting addiction to those supporting recovery was also prominently emphasized. Recovery capital appears to be a useful framework for assessing how rural communities are experiencing substance use crises, in addition to identifying areas of low capital and high need in supporting long-term recovery.

Undergraduate binge drinking, a well-documented problem at U.S. institutions of higher education, has been associated with a host of negative behavioral health outcomes. Scholars have extensively examined individual- and institutional-level risk factors for college binge drinking. However, these data have not been effectively translated into binge-drinking interventions. To inform the development of additional evidence-based prevention programs, this article documents the varied social practices that constitute "binge drinking," drawing on primarily ethnographic data. By disaggregating what survey research has largely examined as a unified outcome, we offer a descriptive account of the different reasons for and contexts in which students consume alcohol in amounts that constitute binge drinking. Our discussion points to modifiable social factors in university life as strategy for prevention. The implication of our argument is that acknowledging and responding to the varied motivations underlying students' alcohol use is one strategy to enhance campus binge-drinking prevention.

This study assesses the association between the population-level consumption of different types of alcohol and cross-national suicide rates and examines whether this association is moderated by country-specific drinking patterns. We apply negative binomial regression to test whether the consumption of beer, wine, or spirits is predictive of suicide rates. Next, we use interaction terms to examine whether the effect of beverage-specific consumption on suicide rates is moderated by total alcohol consumption, prevalence of consumption, or the riskiness of drinking patterns. We find that only spirit consumption has a positive and statistically significant association with suicide rates. The effect of spirit consumption on suicide is higher among countries where the total alcohol consumption and the prevalence of alcohol consumption are lower, and patterns of drinking are riskier. Future research should continue to investigate this relationship to develop interventions that reduce suicide mortality related to alcohol use.

In Spain, cannabis users are turning to Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs) as an alternative for obtaining supplies of the substance, free from the risks of the illegal market. The current study aims to establish the profile of a sample ( N = 155) of Spanish CSC members and identify the impacts that these clubs have had on their consumption. To conduct the study, we developed a questionnaire structured around various issues related to the socioeconomic profile of users, their patterns of use, and the practical consequences of being a member of a CSC. The most important findings were that belonging to a CSC did not increase cannabis use and that the services that CSCs offer have favorable impacts on CSC members in terms of reducing health risks, providing legal protection, and improving their general well-being. Based on our data, the regulation of CSCs is warranted as a public health strategy regarding cannabis use.