Adolescent gambling and drug use

In this study, 4516 adolescents (aged 11–16 years) completed a questionnaire examining the relationship between underage National Lottery gambling, underage scratchcard gambling, cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol and drug use. It was found that these behaviours were closely linked. Adolescent gamblers reported that they were significantly more likely to drink alcohol (particularly ‘alcopops’), smoke tobacco and take drugs compared to non-gamblers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cognitive motivation and drug use: a 9-year longitudinal study.

The predictive precedence of expectancy constructs, operationally defined as cognitive motivations, and drug use was investigated over a 9-year period from adolescence to adulthood. Alternative predictions from three different classes of theories of expectancy-behavior relations, including expectancy theory, a Skinnerian approach, and a reciprocal determinism perspective, were evaluated. The results are most consistent with the notion based in expectancy theory that cognitive motivations are nonspurious and possibly functionally autonomous influences on the use and abuse of drugs. More limited support is found for the view that drug use leads to cognitive motivations, as postulated in other theoretical perspectives. Other findings reveal the presence of expectancy generalization processes consistent with Rotter's (1954) expectancy theory, as well as the unique status of cognitive motivations for alcohol as an independent predictor of problem drug use.     

Patterns of drug use and criminal activities among latino arrestees in California: Treatment and policy implications

This study examined the patterns of drug use and criminal activities among Latino arrestees. The findings indicate that while the prevalence of drug use at time of arrest, and in the prior 12 months were significantly lower for Latinos compared to Whites and Blacks, drug use still is of concern for this ethnic group. Almost 50% of Latinos reported drug use in the last year, and more importantly, they were more likely to report using dangerous drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and PCP than any other ethnic group. These findings are even more alarming considering that, for the most part, Latino drug users were treatment-naive, and that less than half perceived a need for drug treatment. Regarding criminal activities, Latinos were less likely to have a history of prior arrests and to have been arrested in the year prior to the interview than any other ethnic group. Interestingly, those immigrants who have resided in the U.S. for less than 1 year were significantly more likely to have been charged with drug-related crimes. U.S. born Latinos were more likely to have been arrested for property crimes, while Central American immigrants were more likely than any other Latino group to have been arrested for violent and domestic violence crimes. Treatment and policy implications of these findings are discussed.     

Child,parent, and peer predictors of early-onset substance use: a multisite longitudinal study

The purpose of this study was to identify kindergarten-age predictors of early-onset substance use from demographic, environmental, parenting, child psychological, behavioral, and social functioning domains. Data from a longitudinal study of 295 children were gathered using multiple-assessment methods and multiple informants in kindergarten and 1st grade. Annual assessments at ages 10, 11, and 12 reflected that 21% of children reported having initiated substance use by age 12. Results from longitudinal logistic regression models indicated that risk factors at kindergarten include being male, having a parent who abused substances, lower levels of parental verbal reasoning, higher levels of overactivity, more thought problems, and more social problem solving skills deficits. Children with no risk factors had less than a 10% chance of initiating substance use by age 12, whereas children with 2 or more risk factors had greater than a 50% chance of initiating substance use. Implications for typology, etiology, and prevention are discussed.     

Childhood aggression, adolescent delinquency, and drug use: a longitudinal study.

The interrelation of childhood aggression, early and late adolescent delinquency, and drug use was explored. Data were obtained for the subjects when they were 5-10 years old. Follow-up interviews were conducted when the subjects were between 13-18 years old and again when they were 15-20 years old. A LISREL analysis of the three waves of data indicated that childhood aggression is a precursor of adolescent drug use and delinquency, and that early adolescent drug use is correlated with contemporaneous delinquency as well as with later drug use and delinquency.     

Correlates of illicit drug use among university students in Africa and the Caribbean

The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of illicit drug use (IDU) among university students from eight countries in Africa and three countries in the Caribbean. In a cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 7 017 undergraduate university students (mean age 21.1, SD = 2.7, age range of 18–30 years) from 11 countries. Overall, 17.2% and 3.5% reported infrequent (1–9 times) and frequent (10 or more times) IDU in the past 12 months. In multivariate logistic regression models, residing on or off campus on their own, living in an upper middle or high income country, current tobacco use, binge drinking, and having been in a physical fight in the past 12 months were associated with both frequent and infrequent IDU. In addition, higher intrinsic religiosity and older age was found to be protective from infrequent IDU and associated with never using illicit drugs. The influences on IDU identified may be utilised for the design and implementation of social intervention programmes to curtail IDU by college students.     

药物成瘾者相关线索反应的自动化用药行为特征及其消退

采用ERP技术考察海洛因成瘾者相关线索下的用药行为的性质和神经机制, 在此基础上结合虚拟现实技术(VR)和途径偏向矫正训练(AAT), 探究基于“相关线索-习惯性用药”联结的自动化用药行为的动作消退、替代训练的有效性。研究发现, (1)相比对照线索, 成瘾者在相关线索下的反应时更长, N1波幅更小, N1潜伏期更短; 相比对照组被试, 成瘾者在相关线索下的行为任务的正确率更低, 反应时更长, N1波幅更小; N1波幅的组间组内差异和潜伏期的组内差异主要集中在中央区。(2)结合VR技术的途径偏向矫正训练后, 训练组被试的生理指标和途径偏向系数显著降低, 且显著低于对照组被试; 追踪测试中, 训练组被试的分数显著低于对照组。这表明相关线索下成瘾者的用药行为具有自动化、无意识的性质, 感觉运动区N1的异常活动是其神经机制之一。VR提取用药动作记忆-AAT消退替代训练, 可以有效削弱或消退成瘾者的成瘾动作倾向, 而且训练效果持续性较好, 可达到减少或停止现实情境中的用药和复吸行为的目的。     

Childhood precursors of adolescent drug use: a longitudinal analysis.

Childhood and adolescent intrapersonal and interpersonal influences on older adolescents' drug use were examined with an interactional approach. Data were obtained when subjects were 5-10, 13-18, and 15-20 years old. Latent-variable confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine the fit of the variables to the latent constructs. Next, a structural model was hypothesized and tested to assess the influences of childhood and earlier adolescent factors on later adolescent drug use. Childhood aggression and parental sociopathy affected drug use in late adolescence. Unconventionality during early and middle adolescence had an important and pervasive impact on all aspects of middle and late adolescent functioning. Finally, both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors from childhood and early adolescence affected self-drug use during middle and late adolescence.     

Multitrait-multimethod model of adolescent deviance,drug use,academic, and sexual behaviors

A multitrait-multimethod design was used to test Jessor and Jessor's (1977) problem behavior theory with a sample of adolescents, their parents, and peers. Behaviors included general deviance, drug use, low academic motivation, and precocious sexual behavior. While research has supported this theory, the reliance on self-report data for the majority of this work may threaten the validity of these findings. Results from hierarchical confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the convergent and discriminant validity of the seven behavior constructs was high and method effects were low. A two-factor second-order model, representing General Drug Use and Other Problem Behavior, accounted for a larger proportion of variance in the lower order factors compared to a single-factor model.This research was supported by Grant DA 03706 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.     

Cognitive sequelae of repeated head injury in a population of intravenous drug users

The relationship between closed head injury and performance on neuropsychological (NP) tests was investigated in a group of intravenous drug users (IVDUs). Subjects with repeated head traumas involving loss of consciousness (LOC) performed worse than both a control group without LOC and reference group with only a single episode of LOC. There were no significant differences between the last two groups. Performance on tests of memory, attention, and motor performance was significantly worse in the group with repeated head injury. The average time since the last episode of LOC was more than 11 years. We conclude from these findings that a single episode of LOC does not result in significant cognitive impairment in this population. Two or more episodes, however, are more likely to produce chronic cognitive impairment.     

Ways of coping with excessive drug use in the family: A provisional typology based on the accounts of 50 close relatives

This paper outlines an eight-fold typology of coping actions based upon a qualitative analysis of the accounts provided by 50 close relatives of people with drug problems. In a number of different ways relatives draw attention to the contrasts between these distinguishable ways of coping. Emphasis is placed upon the provisional nature of this typology and upon the compromises between, and combinations of, ways of coping that are often used by relatives in practice. Different ways of coping represent alternative choices for relatives, often explicitly expressed by them as difficult dilemmas. Links are suggested between the ways of coping identified here and those discussed in the literature on coping with other disorders and disabilities in the family, with ways of coping described in the general literature on coping with stress, and with types of social action appearing in general models of interpersonal behaviour. Implications for counselling close relatives of people with drug problems are also outlined.     

Evidence for a curvilinear dose-response relationship between avoidance coping and drug use problems among women who experience intimate partner violence

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) are at heightened risk for drug use problems. While prevailing models of drug use suggest that IPV-exposed women use drugs in an effort to escape or avoid negative affect, a dearth of literature has examined the role of avoidance coping in drug use problems within this population. Given recent suggestions that flexible, situationally appropriate use of avoidance coping may be adaptive, particularly when confronted with highly stressful situations, we hypothesized that avoidance coping and drug use problems would demonstrate a curvilinear, U-shaped dose-response relationship. Participants were 147 community-recruited women experiencing IPV. Consistent with our hypotheses, moderate levels of avoidance coping were associated with lower levels of drug use problems, whereas high and low levels of avoidance coping were associated with higher levels of drug use problems. Findings highlight the complex relationship between avoidance coping and drug use problems and suggest that avoidance coping, when used in moderation, may be an adaptive strategy for coping with relational conflict among women who experience IPV.     

Developmental associations between externalizing behaviors, peer delinquency, drug use, perceived neighborhood crime, and violent behavior in urban communities

This study examines the precursors of violent behavior among urban, racial/ethnic minority adults. Data are from an on-going study of male and female African Americans and Puerto Ricans, interviewed at four time waves, Time 1-Time 4 (T1-T4), from adolescence to adulthood. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the developmental pathways, beginning in mid-adolescence (T1; age = 14.0 years), to violent behavior in adulthood (T4; age = 29.2 years). The variables assessed were: components of externalizing behaviors (i.e., rebelliousness, delinquency; T1, T3); illicit drug use (T2); peer delinquency (T2); perceived neighborhood crime (T4); and violent behavior (T3, T4). Results showed that the participants' externalizing behaviors (rebelliousness and delinquency) were relatively stable from mid-adolescence (T1; age = 14.0 years) to early adulthood (T3; age = 24.4 years). The participants' externalizing behaviors in mid-adolescence also had a direct pathway to peer delinquency in late adolescence (T2; age = 19.1 years). Peer delinquency, in turn, had a direct pathway to the participants' illicit drug use in late adolescence (T2), and to externalizing behaviors in early adulthood (T3). The participants' illicit drug use (T2; age = 19.1 years) had both direct and indirect paths to violent behavior in adulthood (T4). The participants' externalizing behaviors in early adulthood (T3) were linked with violent behavior at T3, and perceived neighborhood crime (T4), both of which had direct pathways to violent behavior in adulthood (T4). The findings suggest developmental periods during which externalizing behaviors, exposure to delinquent peers, illegal drug use, and neighborhood crime could be targeted by prevention and intervention programs in order to reduce violent behavior.     

Screening for drugs in oral fluid: Illicit drug use and drug driving in a sample of urban and regional Queensland motorists

Police services in a number of Australian states and overseas jurisdictions have begun to implement or consider random road-side drug testing of drivers. This paper outlines research conducted to provide an estimate of the extent of drug driving in a sample of Queensland drivers in regional, rural and metropolitan areas. Oral fluid samples were collected from 2657 Queensland motorists and screened for illicit substances including cannabis (delta 9 tetrahydrocannibinol [THC]), amphetamines, ecstasy, and cocaine. Overall, 3.8% of the sample (n = 101) screened positive for at least one illicit substance, although multiple drugs were identified in a sample of 23 respondents. The most common drugs detected in oral fluid were ecstasy (n = 53), and cannabis (n = 46) followed by amphetamines (n = 23). A key finding was that cannabis was confirmed as the most common self-reported drug combined with driving and that individuals who tested positive to any drug through oral fluid analysis were also more likely to report the highest frequency of drug driving. Furthermore, a comparison between drug vs. drink driving detection rates for one region of the study, revealed a higher detection rate for drug driving (3.8%) vs. drink driving (0.8%). This research provides evidence that drug driving is relatively prevalent on Queensland roads, and may in fact be more common than drink driving. This paper will further outline the study findings’ and present possible directions for future drug driving research.     

Testing the properties of the triarchic model of psychopathy in a community sample: Self‐reported trait aggression and drug consumption associations

The triarchic model of psychopathy encompasses different conceptions of psychopathic personality characterized by three phenotypic components: boldness, disinhibition, and meanness. Psychopathy is a complex construct at both emotional and behavioral level. The aim of this study was to determine the core elements of psychopathic personality in a community sample and analyze the relation between these elements and other personality traits such as aggression, and certain specific behavioral manifestations such as substance use. The study sample comprised 1,159 participants aged between 17 and 74 years, who were administered the Triarchic Psychopathy Questionnaire, the Impulsive‐Premeditated Aggression Scale, and the Aggression Questionnaire. The results show that the constructs of meanness and disinhibition are more highly associated with different forms of both impulsive and premeditated aggression. Furthermore, men scored higher on all three components of the triarchic model compared to women. Finally, higher substance use (tobacco and drugs) was associated with higher scores in meanness, boldness, and disinhibition. These findings demonstrate the importance of assessing psychopathy in a community sample, and the detection of possible risk factors for the disorder.     

基于“相关线索-自动化用药行为”联结的成瘾记忆消退

成瘾记忆消退致力于消除成瘾者相关线索与药物奖赏效应的联结,以达到消除心理渴求、戒断成瘾行为的目的,但其效果还十分有限。最近,大量的动物和人类实验研究发现:在相关线索下,成瘾者的激活脑区不仅包括中脑边缘皮层-背内侧纹状体,还延伸到感觉运动脑区-背外侧纹状体。这意味着成瘾记忆中存在相关线索与自动化(习惯性)用药行为的联结。所以,与成瘾相关的记忆可能包含两种不同的成分:一是与药物奖赏效应相关的情绪记忆,另一种是与用药动作、技能有关的动作记忆(程序记忆)。由于在成瘾阶段,药物奖赏效应对药物使用和复发的作用已经相对减少,因此,针对成瘾记忆的消退训练,以相关线索与自动化用药行为的联结为标靶,可能可以取得更好的效果,值得做进一步的深入探索。