The influence of beverage type on aggression in males in the natural setting

Laboratory research has shown that alcohol and aggression are related and that the consumption of distilled as opposed to brewed beverages results in more aggression. A field experiment was conducted in which confederates approached 38 males who had been drinking only brewed or only distilled beverages, and asked them four annoying questions. Responses were recorded, transcribed and rated using a rank ordered scoring method. Results confirmed the prediction of more aggressive responses from the distilled beverage consuming group but findings failed to show a dose effect. The results demonstrate the viability and value of field research in this area and help to elucidate the role of alcohol in aggression.     

Testosterone,aggressiveness, and antisocial personality

Testosterone levels were examined in prisoners convicted of violent crimes (n = 13), in men previously convicted of violent crimes but currently not in prison (n = 15), in nonviolent alcoholics (n = 15), and in randomly selected control males (n = 16). Morning, afternoon, and evening testosterone levels were assessed after a minimum alcohol abstinence period of 24 hr. Violent and nonviolent men did not differ in plasma total testosterone level on any sampling occasion. In violent men, however, testosterone levels were significantly correlated with hostility, as measured by the Derogatis Symptom Check List. Most violent men were diagnosed with Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASP) [DSM‐III‐R; 301.70], and the unweighted ASP symptom count also correlated significantly with testosterone levels in these subjects. We suggest that individuals whose life histories involve numerous antisocial behaviors tend to have high testosterone levels even when interpersonal violence is excluded. This, however, does not eliminate the possibility that males who are characterized by high hostility may also have elevated testosterone levels. Violent predisposition and antisocial conduct beginning in early adolescence predict adult aggressive behaviors, which are augmented by power‐related alcohol expectancies and alcohol abuse. Aggr. Behav. 25:113–123, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The influence of alcohol and weapon presence on eyewitness memory and confidence

In this quasi-experimental field study, bar drinkers (0.00–0.23% blood alcohol content) viewed a photographic sequence in which a male took a laptop from a helpdesk assistant, either on loan or at gunpoint. Following a brief retention period, participants answered 20 multiple-choice questions about the male, his actions, and details of the scene, then attempted to identify him from a simultaneous target-present or target-absent line-up. Alcohol was associated with a reduction in correct identifications and an increase in false identifications. Surprisingly, the presence of a weapon in the scene enhanced identification accuracy, though wider scene memory was not influenced by alcohol or the weapon. Findings offer some support for the view that alcohol restricts face encoding, perhaps through the narrowing of attention to salient external features (e.g., hair). We also suggest that curiosity about mock-crime perpetrators may produce weapon focus reversals, although the factors that might elicit such curiosity remain unclear.     

Relationships Between Treatment Components, Client-Level Factors, and Positive Treatment Outcomes

How different amounts and components of treatment affect substance abuse treatment outcomes is fundamentally important to evaluating current treatment practices and recommending improvements. Through a secondary analysis of data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES), the present study examined the relationships between treatment components, client-level factors, and positive treatment outcomes. Several components were shown tohave significant effects on the odds of a positive outcome, over and above the effects of client background characteristics. Depending on treatment modality, these included length of stay; whether or not clients reported seeing their treatment plan hours per month in group and individual counseling; utilization ofeducational, vocational, and other ancillary services; use of antianxiety and drug and alcohol medications; and client matching. Several interactions between client-level factors and treatment components were also observed. Studylimitations are discussed, followed by implications for policy and practiceand suggestions for further research.     

An Investigation of Treatment Integrity and Outcomes in Wraparound Services

Research on wraparound services has been generally positive, but has failed to include data regarding treatment integrity. Without such data, conclusions drawn from such studies are weakened. This study followed 28 children and adolescents receiving wraparound services in rural central Pennsylvania. Treatment integrity was defined as the percentage of service hours prescribed vs. received, and behavioral outcomes were defined as Total Problem Behavior T Scores on the Child Behavior Checklist. Preliminary analyses failed to reveal significant differences in sample means between included subjects and those excluded due to missing data. Outcome behavior ratings were significantly improved over baseline ratings. Regression analyses, however, failed to find a significant effect for treatment integrity when used in an outcome prediction equation for Therapeutic Support Staff, Mobile Therapy services, or Behavioral Specialist wraparound services. These results suggest that adherence to prescribed treatment hours may not be related to behavioral outcomes in a wraparound service setting.     

Pediatric Health-Related Quality-of-Life Measurement Technology: Intersections between Science, Managed Care, and Clinical Care

The demand for health care outcomes assessment is increasing, driven by the proliferation of managed care as a form of health care financing. Providers, consumers, and payers can use health care outcomes to improve the efficiency and quality of care, spur performance improvement, and demonstrate accountability. This review introduces health outcomes and focuses on one particular outcome—pediatric health-related quality of life (HRQOL), exemplified by the PedsQL, a brief, practical, reliable, valid, and responsive measure of pediatric HRQOL. HRQOL measurement has the potential, in pediatric clinical practice, to improve assessment, clinical management, and treatment evaluation if practical, conceptual, and empirical challenges are addressed. These issues are discussed and directions for future research are described that would demonstrate the value of HRQOL measurement in pediatric clinical settings.     

Acute effects of alcohol on cardiovascular reactivity to stress in college-age Type A (coronary prone) individuals

Healthy college-age males and females classified as Type A or Type B were randomly assigned to an alcohol (N=24) or a no-alcohol condition (N=24). Subjects were exposed to a verbal stress quiz while blood pressure, heart rate, peripheral vascular response (PVR), and self-reported anxiety indices were monitored. Results indicated that alcohol effected a reduction in resting levels of systolic blood pressure and a tonic reduction in the peripheral vascular response. Alcohol attenuated the systolic blood pressure, heart rate, and PVR to stress and efffected a decrease in anxiety following the Stressor. When analyzed relative to the participants' drinking experience, data indicated that the strongest stress-modulating effect of alcohol was evidenced by Type A subjects who have been identified as long-term drinkers. During recovery from stress Type A subjects identified as short-term drinkers maintained high levels of PVR. Types A and B subjects who did not ingest alcohol evidenced high PVR levels during stress. The findings are discussed in terms of the protective action of moderate chronic alcohol use on cardiovascular disease risk reduction in persons evidencing the coronary-prone behavior pattern.     

Outcomes of children with emotional disturbance in residential treatment for educational purposes

A study was conducted of the outcomes of all children and adolescents (N=114) with serious emotional disturbance who had been placed by school districts in residential treatment facilities for educational purposes over a three-year period. Both cost and outcome analyses were conducted. Cost analyses indicated a total annual expenditure in excess of $5 million, or $80,000 per youth per length of stay. Outcome analyses, consisting of ratings of outcomes and outcome interviews with special education directors, revealed that 63% of the youth had either made no or minimal progress, had been discharged with a negative outcome, or had run away. Positive outcomes were achieved in only 25% of the cases, measured by the students' return to school or placement into a vocational training program. Another 11% of the youth were making substantial progress. Analyses of the relationships between outcomes and cost revealed no relationship. However, positive outcomes were associated with shorter lengths of stay. Further, students in the positive outcome categories had more severe functioning deficits at intake than students in the negative outcome categories. The availability of community-based services for the student and family was the single most likely reason reported by special education directors for positive discharge status.     

Outcomes in a System of Care for Youths with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: An Examination of Differential Change Across Clinical Profiles

We assessed the utility of an empirically-derived classification system for youths with emotional and behavioral disorders in a system of care with a strong representation of juvenile delinquents. Eighty-seven youths served in a system of care were categorized by variables related to past history, current behavioral functioning, and current psychological functioning into four clinical clusters. We evaluated preliminary clinical outcomes after six months of interagency involvement for youths within each cluster and across the four clusters. Results indicated that youths in different clusters improved significantly in need-specific areas. Trends in our data indicated differential change in clinical outcomes across clusters. We discuss our findings within the context of emerging outcomes of youths involved in comprehensive community-based programs and consider implications for outcome research, treatment of juvenile delinquents, and mental health policy.     

Alcohol First Use and Attitudes Among Young Children

We describe the attitudes and first use of alcohol by children, grades 3-6, who participated in the Bogalusa Heart Study, 1993-94. Questionnaire data reflected that more than one-third of the children had experimented with alcohol at the time of the study. The dominant environmental factor in experimentation was family modeling, and the dominant personal factor was curiosity, regardless of race, gender, or grade. Most children believed that alcohol use can lead to accidents, that drinking has negative social consequences, and that alcohol use hurts only if done to excess. Indications are that young children generally have negative attitudes regarding alcohol use, and that public and family alcohol education efforts need to be more specific about deleterious effects of even low levels of alcohol use in the young.