Using Peer Educators for a Classroom-Based AIDS Program

Abstract

In view of recent prevalence and other data regarding alcohol use by college students this article considers whether or not alcohol represents a problem or a changeable problem for these students and/or their colleges. On the one hand, drinking is deeply embedded in the traditions of college life; it does serve some beneficial purposes; and it is often regarded as an accepted, if not expected, part of adolescence. Furthermore, drinking behavior in college is a poor predictor of eventual alcoholism. On the other hand, both difficulty in identifying problem drinking and ambivalence over false positive diagnoses have contributed to a preoccupation with alcoholism, and a denial of subclinical or preclinical but nonetheless real problems. New ways of defining what constitutes an “alcohol” problem, as well as ways of remedying and preventing the problem are discussed. College health personnel are needed to continue their traditional diagnostic and referral functions, but must expand their roles to include involvement with other disciplines in proactive preventive and educational programming.     

The Baby Boomer Effect: Changing Patterns of Substance Abuse Among Adults Ages 55 and Older

Between now and 2030, the number of adults aged 65 and older in the United States will almost double, from around 37 million to more than 70 million, an increase from 12% of the U.S. population to almost 20%. It was long held that, with only a few isolated exceptions, substance abuse simply did not exist among this population. In light of the impact of the baby boom generation, this assumption may no longer be valid. The authors examined admissions of persons 55 years and older (n = 918,955) from the Treatment Episode Data Set (1998–2006). Total admissions with a primary drug problem with alcohol have remained relatively stable over this time. Admissions for problems with a primary drug other than alcohol have shown a steady and substantial increase. Clearly, data from the Treatment Episode Data Set indicate a coming wave of older addicts whose primary problem is not alcohol. The authors suspect that this wave is led primarily by the continuing emergence of the baby boomer generation.     

The Issue of Consent in Research that Administers Drugs of Addiction to Addicted Persons

In addiction, impaired control over drug use raises questions about the capacity of addicted persons to consent to participate in research studies in which they are given their drug of addiction. We review the case for doing such research, and the arguments that addiction does, and does not, prevent addicted persons from consenting to such research. We argue for a more nuanced view that acknowledges that while in some situations addiction impairs decision-making capacity, it does not eliminate such capacity. We conclude with some suggestions for recruiting addicted subjects and designing experiments in ways to obtain free and informed consent.     

论大学生网络成瘾及其心理调适

为了解高校学生网络成瘾的现状,文章采用大学生网络成瘾量表问卷对衡阳市三所高校大学生展开调查并进行了科学研究,分析高校学生网络成瘾的危害及原因,并提出了应对网瘾的心理调适措施,以指导大学生健康网络行为。     

浅谈青少年网瘾形成的原因及防治

网络的飞速发展,改变了人类的生活方式。作为当代青少年,他们利用网络获取了大量资源和信息,开阔了视野。但也有一些人经不住网络的诱惑,上网成瘾。其原因主要有家庭因素、学校教育因素、网络因素等。防治要点是改变教育观念、加强网络管理。     

大学生网游成瘾案例引发的思考

通过分析一则大学生网游成瘾的案例及其心理诱因——人际交往受挫、学习目标迷失、抑郁人格特征形成、社会支持缺乏,找到矫正策略——认知重建,压力排解,责任归位,勇于“空杯”,以期引发对大学生网游成瘾问题的进一步思考。     

Gender differences in gambling preferences and problem gambling: a network-level analysis

Most gambling studies have a gender-blind research approach, although a large body of scientific evidence suggests that gambling in females is on the rise and that males and females have different gambling behaviours and experience specific gambling-related harm. This study addressed these gender differences using a network analysis, an innovative approach considering disorders/concepts as dynamic systems of interacting symptoms/items. Data on gambling activities, problem gambling, substance use and mental health were collected in a representative sample of French adult gamblers (n = 8805). The study capitalized on the network analysis directly to compare associations of specific gambling activities with gambling disorder symptoms separately for both genders. The network analysis revealed that problem gambling was strongly associated with gambling machines among females, whereas it was related to sports betting, poker and casino games among males. The networks that included substance use and mental health showed that substance use was related to specific gambling activities. These findings confirm the links between various gender-specific gambling patterns and problem gambling and suggest a need to consider these gender differences to improve prevention efforts. More broadly, the present study further supports the importance of gender differences for gambling research and policy.     

Appalachian Women’s Use of Substance Abuse Treatment: Examining the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations

The Gelberg–Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations was applied to understand vulnerable Appalachian women’s (N = 400) utilization of addiction treatment. A secondary data analysis included multiple multivariate analyses. The strongest correlates of treatment utilization included ever injecting drugs (OR = 2.77), limited availability of substance abuse treatment facilities (OR = 2.03), and invalidated violence abuse claims (OR = 2.12). This study contributes theory-driven research to the greater social work addiction literature by confirming that vulnerable domains related to substance abuse treatment utilization warrant unique considerations compared to nonvulnerable domains. Findings also highlight the importance of understanding the unique role that cultural factors play in treatment utilization among Appalachian women. Inferences relevant to clinicians and policymakers are discussed.     

Baby Boomer’s Substance Abuse and Researcher Indifference

The current older adult population is more likely to need and seek treatment for alcohol and drug abuse than previous cohorts of older adults, which necessitates the need for age-appropriate substance use treatment. Building on previous research that examined the lack of attention on substance use among older adults, this study examines articles addressing substance use disorders among older adults in leading gerontological and substance abuse journals and federal funding between 2011 and 2017. Publications were identified from ten leading gerontological and ten leading substance abuse journals using Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms. During this time-period, there were 68 and 44 articles published in gerontology and substance abuse journals respectively related to substance use disorders in older adults. Most (59.8%) addressed alcohol abuse and 7% involved intervention studies. In the 7-year period, there were 13 federal grants. A paucity of published or funded work exists in this area despite growing misuse and treatment seeking among older adults with substance use disorders. Effectively addressing substance abuse in older adults will require a coordinated effort between researchers and practitioners to establish and implement best practices for practitioners to rely on when working with substance abusing older adults.     

我国青少年网络成瘾研究的新动态与新趋势

网络社会全面来临,青少年网络成瘾问题愈演愈烈,并呈现出许多新情况和新特征,相应的研究也得以不断丰富。站在新时代,面临新形势,回应网络全息时代对青少年网络成瘾的新挑战,反思已有研究的经验和局限,把握未来发展的方向和趋势,是青少年网络成瘾研究的时代命题。在对近二十年来我国青少年网络成瘾的概念性、描述性、影响性、相关性、对策性以及反思性研究进行文献综述和内容分析的基础上,发现已有研究在不断丰富和发展的同时,更需要在范式、视野、内容以及维度等方面不断发展和创新。未来要不断深化研究领域,拓展研究内容;扩大研究视野,实现学科融合;更新研究范式,拓展研究深度;丰富研究维度,加强比较研究,开创青少年网络成瘾研究的新视域和新境界。