Correlates of drinking and drug use by higher education faculty and staff: implications for prevention

The prevalence and frequency of drug and alcohol abuse among higher education faculty and staff is not known. Higher education is a cultural environment which, on the one hand, is stressful and, on the other, permits a high degree of autonomy. This relationship of stress and autonomy is predicted to produce drug and alcohol abuse. Information is gathered by anonymous, self-report questionnaires, on the frequency and prevalence of faculty and staff drug and alcohol use at a regional university. Responses show alcohol and drug use within the last year and month among four higher education occupational groups: faculty, administrators, clerical staff, and physical plant/custodial staff. While stress was found to be weakly correlated with some drug use in the last month, depression was consistently correlated with drug use and moderately correlated with suicidal thoughts and tendencies, as well as job dissatisfaction. Drug and alcohol abuse is a factor in behavioral problems that affect faculty/staff and can be addressed through Employee Assistance Programs.     

Sexual victimization and substance abuse in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents

This article investigates the relationship between substance abuse and sexual abuse in a population of 260 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents. Seven hypotheses are set forth to test a model that uses parental alcohol abuse, sexual abuse status, and gender as exogenous variables, perceived benefit of alcohol or drugs as an endogenous mediating variable, and substance abuse as the dependent variable. Using these variables, a path model was constructed and revised based on empirical testing. The revised model achieved an adjusted R2 of .38, thus explaining 38 percent of the variance in this sample's abuse of alcohol or drugs. The model suggests that within clinical populations, sexually abused adolescents should be screened for substance abuse, and attention should be given to parental alcohol abuse as well as the degree to which adolescents perceive benefits from their alcohol or drug use.     

Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in Gay and Lesbian Persons:

This review article examines the incidence of alcoholism, and insofar a possible, other forms of drug abuse, among gays and lesbians in the United States and one European society. The consensus is that about 25% of such persons suffer from definitive drug and alcohol abuse problems, while an additional percentage experience “suggestive or problematic” abuse patterns.     

The impact of a culturally enhanced drug prevention program on drug and alcohol refusal efficacy among urban African American girls

This study examined the utility of the Specific Event Drug and Alcohol Refusal Efficacy scale (SEDARE) as an outcome of a culturally enhanced drug abuse prevention program for urban African-American girls in early adolescence. The SEDARE captures the perceived likelihood that youth will use drugs and alcohol in specific situations. Ninety-two girls participated in the program. Girls in the intervention group had higher drug refusal efficacy as measured by the SEDARE than girls in the comparison group. Girls varied in situations they perceived they could refuse drugs and alcohol. Findings are discussed with implications for drug abuse prevention programs for urban African-American girls.     

Antecedents and correlates of alcohol, cocaine, and alcohol-cocaine abuse in early adulthood

We used a fourfold substance abuse typology consisting of non-abusers, alcohol abusers, cocaine abusers, and joint alcohol and cocaine abusers with a nationally representative sample of young adults (aged 19-26 years) to investigate issues related to prevalence, antecedents, and correlates of substance abuse. The prevalence data indicate higher alcohol abuse among white males, but approximately equal proportions of cocaine abuse and joint alcohol and cocaine abuse across gender and ethnic/racial groups. A simplex-like ordering was found for the four abuse groups with regard to the degree of problem severity associated with most of the antecedents and correlates. Joint alcohol and cocaine abusers demonstrated the highest levels of previous thirty-day and lifetime drug use, high levels of delinquent activity, and the highest rates of unemployment and marital instability. Cocaine abusers demonstrated the second highest levels of problem severity, alcohol abusers the third highest levels, and non-abusers the lowest levels. An exception to the simplex-like pattern was found with respect to educational attainment and verbal intelligence. Joint alcohol and cocaine abusers reported the lowest high school dropout rate and scored the highest on a measure of verbal intelligence. We suggest that joint alcohol and cocaine abusers may be characterized as "non-strivers" or "underachievers," quite possibly as a consequence of substance abuse.     

Employee Drug and Alcohol Use Estimates: Assessment Styles and Issues

Estimates of employee drug and alcohol abuse levels are increasingly used by employers to evaluate Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). It is important to understand what goes into an estimate and the issues surrounding the utilization of such estimates. When estimates suggest that employee drug and alcohol abuse has not diminshed while Employee Assistance Program costs have been consistently high or increasing, these programs may be cut back or cancelled. Employees who are in need of these programs may lose them.     

Evaluating the effectiveness of a school drug and alcohol prevention curriculum: a new look at "Here's Looking at You, Two"

The article reports on the results of an evaluation of a school drug and alcohol prevention curriculum marketed under the title, "Here's Looking at You, Two." Previous evaluations, unreported in the literature and having unresolved methodological problems, have found that while the program appears effective at transmitting information regarding drug and alcohol abuse, it has not been effective at changing the underlying attitudes and behaviors that, in part, explain substance abuse. Employing a more rigorous methodology, our examination of a relatively large sample across five school districts provides support for previous findings. Over the short-term of one year, the program was particularly effective at transmitting substance information to primary and middle school students. The program, however, produced very little of the expected effect on the underlying attitudes that are critical to changing substance abuse behaviors.     

Childhood sexual abuse, dissociation, and adult self-destructive behavior

Female college students reporting a history of childhood sexual abuse (N=175) and not reporting a history of childhood sexual abuse (N=260) were compared on indices of six self-destructive behaviors, including drug use, alcohol abuse, binge eating, self-mutilation, risky sex, and suicidality. The samples were also compared on two measures of dissociation, the Trauma Symptom Checklist dissociation subscale and the Dissociative Experiences Scale. The CSA group had significantly higher mean scores on all the indices of self-destructive behavior except self-mutilation (where the mean difference approached significance), and on both measures of dissociation. One or both dissociation measures were related significantly to each index of self-destructive behavior except binge eating. Multiple regression mediation analyses provided support for the hypothesis that dissociation mediates the relationships between CSA and both drug use and alcohol abuse. Dissociation also explained significant variability when added to the regressions of risky sex and suicidality on CSA.     

Sex differences in psychosocial consequences of alcohol and drug abuse

This paper reports analyses of the 1985 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse to evaluate three perspectives on sex differences in the relationship of psychosocial problems to levels of substance use. The results are more consistent with a styles of deviance perspective than with either the generalized feminine vulnerability or the convergence theses. Compared to women, men report higher levels of alcohol and drug abuse during the past year and are more likely than women to have experienced each of 17 psychosocial problems resulting from alcohol or drug use. Significant sex by substance use interaction tests for problem indices and for individual problems suggest that substance abuse is related more strongly to intrapsychic problems among women and to problems in social functioning among men. Decompositions of the sex differences in mean levels of psychological and social/behavioral problems suggest that most of the differences can be explained by males' greater frequency of intoxication and drug use.     

Problem behaviors,substance abuse and sexual abuse in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents with bulimia nervosa

Twenty-eight adolescent bulimics were compared to 201 psychiatrically hospitalized non-eating disordered patients. Non-eating disordered patients were found to be reliably more aggressive, delinquent, and under-controlled than patients with bulimia nervosa. Sexual abuse was found to be less prevalent among bulimic adolescents than comparison adolescents. No significant between group differences were achieved on any measure of alcohol/drug abuse. The behavioral profiles of substance abusing bulimics were highly similar to those of non-eating disordered patients. Three months follow-up of bulimic patients found that they were less depressed, had less somatization, and were less overcontrolled; however, they showed no reliable improvements in eating attitudes/behaviours or drug/alcohol use.     

Drug abuse and eating disorders: prevention implications.

This article explores the relationship between drug and alcohol abuse and eating disorders in a sample of adolescent females using a self-report methodology. An Eating Disorders Risk (EDR) Scale is adopted and correlated with drug and alcohol use, other forms of deviance, family and peer relationships, and depression. The findings support the concept of a generalized theory of addictions based on psychosocial, family, and peer factors. Family and peer prevention applications and a need for further research on the correlates of depression are discussed.     

Concept of self,mediating factors,and adolescent deviance

This study of 9,752 adolescents lends support for the authors’ theoretical model of low self esteem and self confidence predicting lack of purpose in life and poor academic performance, which in turn affects various forms of deviance—delinquency, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, and eating disorder. Academic performance is more important than a sense of purpose in life as a mediating variable for alcohol use, but purpose in life is a more important mediator for eating disorder. Subsamples based on gender, age, social class and ethnicity show similar patterns of relationship between the independent, intervening, and dependent variables to those of the total population.     

Preventing alcohol abuse: an examination of the "Downward Spiral" game and educational videos

Downward Spiral is a board game developed by the authors to illustrate the dangers of continued substance abuse. Previous work has found that college students and probationers find the game interesting, enjoyable, useful, and realistic [1]. In the current study, college students either played Downward Spiral, watched educational videos on substance abuse, or completed a set of questionnaires unrelated to alcohol and drug abuse. Those students who either played the game or watched the videos rated both as beneficial. However, students who watched videos had somewhat higher levels of consumer satisfaction. Students who played the game rated it as smoother, and they felt more positive following the session than students who watched videos. Both videos and the game increased students' intentions to limit alcohol consumption compared to students who served as controls. Individuals in the game group also indicated significantly greater intentions to change their alcohol behavior than those in the other groups.     

Childhood and adult sexual abuse: relationships with alcohol and other psychoactive drug use

Questions concerning sexual abuse before and after the age of 16 years were included in a general population survey of a representative sample of 1052 UK women and 975 UK men. A total of 12.5% of women reported experiencing some form of sexual abuse before the age of 16 years. The corresponding ?gures for men in this category were 11.7%. After the age of 16, the ?gure for women remained at this level. However, the proportion of men reporting these traumatic experiences dropped to 3.2%. Sexual abuse both pre and post age 16 was associated with being single or cohabiting, with higher levels of cigarette‐smoking, alcohol consumption, experience of alcohol‐related problems and use of illicit drugs. The relationship between drinking and other forms of psychoactive drug use and sexual abuse is complex. Some possible explanations for this connection and its therapeutic and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Family violence and substance use: the perceived effects of substance use within gay male relationships

The purpose of this research endeavor is to examine the life situations of gay men where domestic violence was present. The current article expands on previously published works by examining respondents' perceptions of what role alcohol and other drug use plays in causing substance use-related domestic violence. Three different perceptions emerged from the data and are presented here. First, drugs and alcohol use was perceived to be causally related to the domestic violence our respondents endured. Second, our respondents believed substance abuse resulted from the violence--it was used as a coping mechanism. Finally, many respondents did not believe there was any association between substance abuse and violence. The need for further in-depth data related to the relationship between drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence is noted.     

Military Combat Deployments and Substance Use: Review and Future Directions

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience extreme stressors and injuries during deployments, witnessing and participating in traumatic events. The military has organized prevention and treatment programs as a result of increasing suicides and posttraumatic stress disorder among troops; however, there is limited research on how to intervene with alcohol misuse and drug use that accompany these problems. This review presents statistics about post-deployment substance use problems and comorbidities, and discusses the military's dual role in 1) enforcing troop readiness with its alcohol and drug policies and resiliency-building programs, and 2) seeking to provide treatment to troops with combat-acquired problems including substance abuse.     

Pregnant and Postpartum Adolescents' Perceptions of the Consequences of Child Abuse

A study of 263 pregnant and postpartum indigent and minority teens was conducted in order to examine their perceptions of the consequences of child abuse and their own child abuse history. Teens identified drug and alcohol abuse and teen suicide as the most serious consequences of abuse. Interestingly, they did not identify pregnancy as a consequence. Twenty-seven percent reported a history of abuse. Identifying behavioral and emotional consequences of abuse is important because it affects both the well-being of the adolescent mother and her child. An experience of abuse and its behavioral consequences may interfere with a teen's ability to benefit from parenting intervention programs. Therefore, parenting programs may wish to consider the necessity of screening for a history of abuse as well as adding components on behavioral problems adolescent mothers are concerned about. Additionally, there is a need to reach out to pregnant, parenting and future parents in other settings such as prisons, psychiatric, and residential centers, since issues of abuse may coexist with other behaviors.     

Substance Use and Mental Health Severity Among LGBTQ Individuals Attending Minnesota Model-Based Residential Treatment

This administrative data analysis examined substance use and mental health severity among a sample of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals receiving residential treatment for an alcohol or drug use disorder. LGBTQ were statistically compared to heterosexual patients on a number of variables, including frequency and amount of pretreatment alcohol use, frequency of pretreatment illicit drug use, co-occurring Axis I mental health diagnoses, and past history of physical or sexual abuse. LGBTQ patients exhibited significantly greater severity on nearly all variables, suggesting a strong relationship between clinical severity and being a sexual minority. This study also found a relationship between patient gender and the pattern of differences between LGBTQ and heterosexual patients. These results replicate and extend those of studies examining LGBTQ in the general population and suggest opportunities for development of alcohol/drug treatment approaches that address the unique needs of LGBTQ.     

Family Therapy and Substance Abuse

The approaches of family therapies to substance abuse are reviewed and evaluated. Questions from a systemic perspective are raised about the therapeutic efficacy of the structural/strategic family therapies which predominate in the literature. Consideration is given to certain clinical issues and to the place of a systemic perspective in a drug and alcohol service.