Relationships Between Drinking and Type of Practice Among U.S. Female and Male Attorneys

Abstract

The author investigated the relationship between drinking and type of practice among U.S. attorneys. Participants were attorneys from 2 large midwestern cities, chosen through stratified random sampling from bar-association membership lists. Type of law practice was related to whether the participants drank in business-related situations but not to the frequency or the quantity of consumption. The participants in solo, corporate, or government practices were more likely than were those in private group practices to report no business-related drinking in the past 30 days. Female and male attorneys in similar practices reported similar abstention rates and quantities of consumption in business situations, suggesting that occupational norms were strongly salient for both genders. Criminal trial work was related to drinking only for the women. Results are discussed in terms of the influence of occupational culture on drinking.     

A randomized motivational enhancement prevention group reduces drinking and alcohol consequences in first-year college women.

Alcohol consumption among college students has become an increasing problem that requires attention from college administrators, staff, and researchers. Despite the physiological differences between men and women, college women are drinking at increasingly risky rates, placing them at increased risk for negative consequences. The current study tested a group motivational enhancement approach to the prevention of heavy drinking among 1st-year college women. Using a randomized design, the authors assigned participants either to a group that received a single-session motivational enhancement intervention to reduce risky drinking that focused partly on women's specific reasons for drinking (n = 126) or to an assessment-only control group (n = 94). Results indicated that, relative to the control group participants, intervention participants drank fewer drinks per week, drank fewer drinks at peak consumption events, and had fewer alcohol-related consequences over a 10-week follow-up. Further, the intervention, which targeted women's reasons for drinking, was more effective in reducing consumption for participants with high social and enhancement motivations for drinking.     

The relationship between drinking control strategies and college student alcohol use.

Interventions designed to reduce heavy drinking among college students often contain suggestions for drinking control strategies. However, little is known about the relationship between the use of these strategies and alcohol consumption. The authors developed a measure of drinking control strategies and investigated its psychometric properties in a sample of 250 college drinkers. Strategies clustered into three factors: selective avoidance of heavy drinking activities and situations, strategies used while drinking, and alternatives to drinking. These three types of strategies were independently associated with alcohol use; however, the first and last types were negatively associated with alcohol consumption, whereas the second type was positively associated with alcohol use. The findings from this study suggest that the type of strategy recommended may be important when the goal is alcohol reduction.     

A young person's game: Immersion and distancing in bar work

Previous research indicates that bar workers report high levels of alcohol consumption, but the bar work experience itself has been little studied as a means to understand health threats associated with this job role. The subjective experience and meaning of bar work was explored in this study by interviewing current and ex-bar workers from a district in an Irish city that had a high density of bars and busy tourism industry. A total of 12 participants took part in focus groups (FGs) and seven in individual interviews. Four themes were identified in a thematic analysis. The central depiction of bar work was of an initial immersion in an intensive lifestyle characterised by heavy drinking, with subsequent distancing from the extremes of the lifestyle. The participants affiliated strongly with the bar work occupational identity, which included alcohol use in group scenarios for drinking during work, after work and on time off. The bar work lifestyle was most intense in the ‘superpub’ environment, characterised by permissive staff drinking norms and reported stress. Although an important identity, bar work was ultimately a transient role. The findings are considered in relation to research on occupation-specific stress and alcohol use, social identity and developmental needs in young adulthood.     

Racial discrimination-induced anger and alcohol use among black adolescents

This study explored whether a relationship exists between anger among Black adolescents that has been provoked by racial discrimination, and alcohol consumption. Participants consisted of 134 Black adolescents from 14 to 18 years of age, residing in northeast Texas. All participants were administered a questionnaire measuring whether and the extent to which they might be dependent upon alcohol, a background information questionnaire which included questions about their drinking pattern, and a measure designed to assess the extent to which they feel angry either because they had been discriminated against or observed other Blacks being discriminated against or observed other Blacks being discriminated against in various situations. Only gender was found to be predictive of scores on the dependency scale. However gender, age, and racial discrimination anger scores were found to be predictive of the amount of alcohol consumed by the participants. Some implications for theory, research, and intervention are suggested.     

A young person's game: immersion and distancing in bar work

Previous research indicates that bar workers report high levels of alcohol consumption, but the bar work experience itself has been little studied as a means to understand health threats associated with this job role. The subjective experience and meaning of bar work was explored in this study by interviewing current and ex-bar workers from a district in an Irish city that had a high density of bars and busy tourism industry. A total of 12 participants took part in focus groups (FGs) and seven in individual interviews. Four themes were identified in a thematic analysis. The central depiction of bar work was of an initial immersion in an intensive lifestyle characterised by heavy drinking, with subsequent distancing from the extremes of the lifestyle. The participants affiliated strongly with the bar work occupational identity, which included alcohol use in group scenarios for drinking during work, after work and on time off. The bar work lifestyle was most intense in the 'superpub' environment, characterised by permissive staff drinking norms and reported stress. Although an important identity, bar work was ultimately a transient role. The findings are considered in relation to research on occupation-specific stress and alcohol use, social identity and developmental needs in young adulthood.     

Attorney- client decision- making in criminal cases: Client competence and participation as perceived by their attorneys

The authors employed a structured interview to ascertain public defenders' perceptions of their clients' competence and the degree of their participation in the defense. In a sample of 122 randomly selected, non-dismissed felony cases, attorneys had doubts about the competence of 14.8% (n = 18) of their clients. Attorneys reported that clients whose competence was doubted were less involved in decision-making and, overall, were passive participants in their cases. Nearly one-half of these clients were not referred for assessment by a mental health professional. The authors compare the practices of attorneys faced with clients of suspected competence with those of mental health clinicians treating patients with impairments in decision-making capacity.     

The social image of drinking – mass media campaigns may inadvertently increase binge drinking

Mass media campaigns that promote responsible drinking are rarely tested for their usefulness in reducing heavy alcohol consumption. Existing campaigns that appeal to responsible drinking while simultaneously displaying young people in social drinking situations may even have paradoxical effects. To examine such possible effects, we drew on a real-world media campaign, which we systematically modified on the basis of recent prototype research. We pilot tested questionnaires (using n = 41 participants), developed two different sets of posters in the style of an existing campaign (n = 39) and investigated their effectiveness (n = 102). In the main study, young men were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: sociable or unsociable binge drinker prototype condition or a control group. Outcome variables were intention, behavioural willingness, attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, prototype evaluation and prototype similarity with respect to binge drinking. Binge drinking as a habit was included to control for the fact that habitual drinking in social situations is hard to overcome and poses a particular challenge to interventions. The manipulation check showed that the experimental variation (sociable vs. unsociable drinker prototype condition) was successful. Results of the main study showed that the sociable drinker prototype condition resulted in a higher willingness and – for those with less of a habit – a higher intention to binge drink the next weekend. The unsociable drinker prototype condition had no effects. The results imply that the social components of mass media campaigns might inadvertently exacerbate binge drinking in young men. We therefore advocate against campaigns including aspects of alcohol consumption that might be positively associated with drinker prototype perception. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research.     

Life Satisfaction and Alcohol Consumption Among Young Adults at Social Gatherings

Although low life satisfaction is related to alcohol abuse among young adults, there is no clear evidence of a specific relationship between wellbeing indexes and alcohol consumption. Several studies have reported different nonlinear relationships. The role of other variables may explain the inconsistent relationships between life satisfaction and alcohol consumption. Concerning individual factors, people’s expectations regarding drinking alcohol (i.e., drinking motives) are considered the most proximal antecedents of alcohol use and may mediate the relationship between life satisfaction and drinking alcohol. Regarding relational factors, social relations are related to both wellbeing and alcohol consumption. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationships among life satisfaction, drinking motives, and alcohol consumption in a sample of young adults. The data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire from a sample of 536 young adults (median age: 22 years). We tested a structural equation model, assuming the hypothesized relationships, simultaneously on males and females to investigate gender differences. The results showed the influence of social relations on life satisfaction, which in turn influenced participants’ expectations regarding drinking alcohol. Drinking motives were antecedents of alcohol use. Among women, low satisfaction increased coping expectation, which, in turn, increased alcohol consumption. The most dangerous expectation about drinking was that alcohol may enhance a person. Prevention campaigns should aim to deconstruct this idea.     

A Web-Based Survey of the Relationship Between Buddhist Religious Practices,Health, and Psychological Characteristics: Research Methods and Preliminary Results

A Web-based survey was conducted to study the religious and health practices, medical history and psychological characteristics among Buddhist practitioners. This report describes the development, advertisement, administration and preliminary results of the survey. Over 1200 Buddhist practitioners responded. Electronic advertisements were the most effective means of recruiting participants. Survey participants were mostly well educated with high incomes and white. Participants engaged in Buddhist practices such as meditation, attending meetings and obtaining instruction from a monk or nun, and practiced healthful behaviors such as regular physical activity and not smoking. Buddhist meditative practice was related to psychological mindfulness and general health.     

Protective behavioral strategies and the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences among college students

Approximately 40% of college students reported engaging in heavy episodic or "binge" drinking in the 2 weeks prior to being surveyed. Research indicates that college students suffering from depression are more likely to report experiencing negative consequences related to their drinking than other students are. The reasons for this relationship have not been well-studied. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine whether use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS), defined as cognitive-behavioral strategies an individual can use when drinking alcohol that limit both consumption and alcohol-related problems, mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences among college students. Data were obtained from 686 participants from a large, public university who were referred to an alcohol intervention as a result of violating on-campus alcohol policies. Results from structural equation modeling analyses indicated that use of PBS partially mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences. Implications for clinicians treating college students who report experiencing depressive symptoms or consuming alcohol are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).     

Buddhist and Western perspectives on suffering,stress, and coping

The distinct definition of stress postulated by Buddhist and Western cultures is the foundation for their different coping styles, traditions, and practices. Dukkha, derived from Buddha’s Four Noble Truths, appears on the surface similar to psychological stress. Further examination of the Eastern cosmology yields a fundamental disagreement between Western psychological theory and Buddhists’ conception of suffering and stress related to incorporating reality into the formulation. Cross-cultural research on traditional approaches to coping with occupational stress found that problem solving was the most effective strategy, however in Thailand meditation helped nurses cope with a variety of stressors such as dealing with death and dying. Paul Tyson Ph.D is a professor of psychology and teaches perception, Western and Eastern consciousness at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada L2S 3A1. His research publications have ranged from lucid dreams to memory enhancement after drinking alcohol, but his primary focus has been on EEG biofeedback, stress management, and current cross-cultural publications are on how Buddhists cope with stress. Correspond with Paul Tyson via e-mail at tyson@brocku.ca Rana Pongruengphant R.N., Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Faculty of Nursing and Vice-President for Academic Affairs at Burapha University, Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand 20131. She teaches nursing administration, nursing research and computers for research. Her publications ranged from nursing administration, nursing practice, nursing education, and cross-cultural studies of coping with occupational stress.Correspond with Rana Pongruengphant via e-mail at rena@bucc.ac.th     

Effectiveness of a brief intervention using mental simulations in reducing alcohol consumption in corporate employees

A theory-based intervention aimed at reducing corporate employees' alcohol consumption in excess of guideline limits is presented. The intervention adopted an outcome mental simulation technique and was administered to a sample of corporate employees from three companies. A single-arm randomized-controlled design was adopted. All participants completed baseline psychological measures and self-reported number of alcohol units consumed and binge-drinking occasions. Participants allocated to the intervention condition were presented with a mental simulation exercise. One month later, participants completed follow-up measures of the psychological variables and alcohol consumption. Results revealed a significant effect of the mental simulation intervention on number of units of alcohol consumed at follow-up. There was no effect of the intervention on frequency of binge-drinking occasions. There was no evidence for the mediation of the effect of mental simulations on alcohol consumption by the perceived behavioural control and motivation variables. Results support the efficacy of the mental simulation intervention in reducing alcohol consumption but not in reducing binge drinking or alcohol consumption in excess of guideline limits, among corporate employees. Results are discussed with respect to the importance of the mental simulation intervention to inform practice and the proposed processes by which mental simulations affect alcohol consumption.     

'That's OK. He's a guy': a mixed-methods study of gender double-standards for alcohol use

Although drinking and drunkenness have traditionally been considered masculine behaviours, young women's alcohol consumption has increased in recent years. This mixed methods study was conducted to examine the extent to which young people endorse gender double-standards for alcohol use--i.e., less acceptance of drinking and drunkenness in women than men--and how these influence men's and women's alcohol consumption. A sample of 731 English university students completed an online survey of gender role attitudes, beliefs about the gendered nature of alcohol use and recent alcohol consumption. Sixteen participants were then purposively selected for individual interviews: eight women and men with the most egalitarian gender role beliefs, and eight women and men with the least egalitarian beliefs. The two sets of data revealed that although there were few sex differences in actual levels of drinking or drunkenness, gender double-standards for alcohol use persist: beer drinking, binge drinking and public drunkenness tended to be perceived as masculine, and even the most egalitarian respondents were more judgemental of women's drinking. Participants modified their drinking style so as to maintain a desired gender identity. Although gender double-standards could be a focus of interventions to encourage moderate drinking, such approaches could reinforce gender inequalities.     

Factors influencing drinking behavior in alcoholic panickers and non-panickers

Male alcoholics who (a) experienced panic attacks prior to abusing alcohol, (b) experienced panic attacks subsequent to abusing alcohol, and (c) had not experienced panic attacks were compared on three sets of measures: the Panic Attack Questionnaire, the Restrained Drinking Scale, and the Inventory of Drinking Situations. The results showed that two groups of Ss who experienced panic attacks were more likely than non-panickers to use drugs other than alcohol, began drinking at an earlier age, had a greater proportion of parents with panic and alcohol related problems, had higher drinking restraint scores, and drank in more situations. The Ss who experienced panic attacks prior to abusing alcohol were more likely than the other groups to drink in situations similar to those related to agoraphobic fears. It was postulated that alcoholics who experience panic attacks, especially those who experienced panic attacks prior to abusing alcohol may be using alcohol to reduce anxiety or fear related to panic attacks.     

Treating Youths With Selective Mutism With an Alternating Design of Exposure-Based Practice and Contingency Management

Selective mutism is a severe childhood disorder involving failure to speak in public situations in which speaking is expected. The present study examined 9 youths with selective mutism treated with child-focused, exposure-based practices and parent-focused contingency management via an alternating treatments design. Broadband measures of functioning were employed, but particular focus was made on behavioral assessment of words spoken audibly and daily in public situations. Treatment ranged from 8 to 32 sessions and resulted in positive end-state functioning for 8 of 9 participants. Broader analyses indicated greater effectiveness for exposure-based practice than contingency management. The results support recent case reports of behavioral treatment for this population but in more rigorous fashion. Clinical and research challenges are discussed, including caveats about length and intensity of treatment for this population and need to develop standardized daily measures.     

Drunken Role Models: Rescuing Our Sporting Exemplars

It is often claimed that elite professional athletes are role models and as such have certain duties to behave in morally appropriate ways. The argument is that given their influential status and influence, they should be good examples rather than bad ones. In relation to alcohol consumption and the problematic behaviours associated with excessive consumption, many professional athletes are bad role models. They consume too much and behave badly. Drawing on neo-Aristotelian insights I argue the following. First, persons who exhibit good character and virtues like self-control are preferable to those who exemplify vice like recklessness and selfishness in general and in relation to alcohol consumption in particular. To exhibit virtue is both good in itself and preferable from a moral education perspective. In other words it is better to exemplify virtue in front of others who may follow the example. Second, acting well and becoming the right sort is notoriously difficult and the moral atmosphere or the ethos of the culture in which virtue plays out has a significant impact. It is important therefore to include the ethos of sporting practice in any proposed reform of drinking behaviour such that tolerance and tacit promotion of masculine drinking practices is eschewed in favour of responsible and considerate consumption. Finally I argue that we must cultivate the proper virtue of emulation so that people who are admired or esteemed (sporting heroes) by young people in particular are not copied blindly. In other words it is important to cultivate a critical capacity to recognise worthy role models and to avoid identifying with unworthy characters, practices and vices. Part of this process is to highlight proper and worthy role models inside and outside of sport. In conclusion, I believe that although bad role models are grabbing the headlines in relation to problematic drinking practices, there are good role models in sport who should be lauded as exemplars of good character living a worthwhile sporting life. Such characters can show those inside and outside the practice community a more responsible and considerate approach to alcohol.     

ACTH and ACTH4-10 modification of neophobia and taste aversion responses in the rat.

A series of experiments assessed the effects of ACTH and the ACTH analogue ACTH4-10 on drinking in conditioned taste aversion and neophobic situations. Both substances delayed the extinction of a conditioned taste aversion established by a single pairing of lithium chloride with milk (Experiment 1). However, in this situation, the ACTH parent peptide was more potent behaviorally. Administration of ACTH suppressed milk consumption in animals with no toxicosis experience (Experiment 2). This effect was apparently not due to the conditioning of a taste aversion (Experiment 3) with ACTH serving as a weak aversive unconditioned stimulus. Administration of exogenous ACTH (Experiment 4) or ACTH4-10 (Experiment 5) did not enhance neophobia; however, repeated injections of ACTH suppressed drinking. This ACTH suppression was related to the familiarity/novelty of the subtance being consumed. The neophobic response to milk eas no accompanied by pituitary-adrenal activation (Experiment 6). Both neophobic and conditioned taste aversion situation appear to be useful for assessing peptide effects on consummatory behavior.