Secondhand Effects of Substance Use for Rural College Students

This pilot study addresses a gap in the research with rural college students by examining substance use secondhand effects for students at a rural northeastern college. Students (N = 157) participated in a web-based survey on their substance use behaviors and their experiences of secondhand effects during the school year. Many students reported experiencing secondhand effects including, 66.9% having cared for an intoxicated student, 52.2% having sleep or study interruption, 33.1% being insulted or humiliated, and 22.9% experiencing an unwanted sexual advance. Compared to men, a greater proportion of women reported experiencing the secondhand effects of: caring for intoxicated others (women 76.7% vs. men 54.9%; χ² = 8.3, df = 1, p = .004), having a serious argument (women 37.2% vs. men 15.5%; χ² = 9.2, df = 1, p = .002), and having sleep or study interrupted (women 59.3% vs. men 43.7%; χ² = 3.8, df = 1, p = .05).     

Trying to come home: Substance exposed infants, mothers, and family reunification

Substance abusing mothers comprise a significant proportion of caregivers in public child welfare, and achieve low reunification rates. Unfortunately little is known about treatment options intended to facilitate recovery and increase reunification. This study focuses particular attention on the relationship between specific treatment modalities (e.g., residential and outpatient), recovery from substance abuse and family reunification. Analyzing a sample of 160 mothers and their substance exposed infants, the findings clearly identify the benefits of residential treatment in terms of both treatment progress (directly) and family reunification (indirectly), but only when residential services are delivered in combination with transitional services.     

Compulsory residential care: An examination of treatment improvement of individual and family functioning

The aim of the present study was to examine the treatment progress of both adolescent's and their families' functioning in a new compulsory residential treatment program. The sample consisted of 339 admitted adolescents (56.3% boys). The mean age at time of entry was 15.69 (SD = 1.30). Adolescents stayed on average 9.42 months (SD = 4.66) in a new residential treatment program. Data on adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed using self-reports, parent reports, and group care worker reports. In addition, adolescents reported their substance use and delinquency and parents also reported family functioning and level of perceived parental stress. The findings revealed a significant decrease in adolescents' self-reported internalizing and externalizing problems, delinquency, and substance use. According to parent ratings, a significant improvement was found concerning adolescents' problem behaviors during treatment. However, according care worker ratings, adolescents showed no improvement on internalizing problems and showed an increase in externalizing problems. Concerning families, although there was no improvement in family functioning, parental stress significantly improved over time. Further research should examine whether improvements experienced during treatment are maintained after treatment.     

Adolescent Work Intensity and Substance Use: The Mediational and Moderational Roles of Parenting

The dialectic between the adolescent quest for autonomy and parents’ desire to regulate this quest are explored by examining the extent to which the association between adolescent work intensity and substance use is mediated and moderated by parenting practices. Results using data from the National Survey of Youth and Religion (N = 3,290) show that the association between work intensity and alcohol use is mediated by parenting practices. There is also limited support for the moderational role of parental monitoring with respect to heavy drinking. Finally, connections among work intensity, parenting practices, and substance use are pronounced for adolescents younger than 16 years of age. These findings suggest the importance of a multifaceted view of parenting practices that both shape and are shaped by their adolescent’s search for independence.     

Adolescents in Treatment: Effects of Parental Substance Abuse on Treatment Entry Characteristics and Outcomes

SUMMARY

Research strongly supports an increased risk of substance use disorders among the adolescent children of addicted parents. However, little documentation exists of how these adolescents fare when they present for treatment. This article uses data taken from a two-state study on the effects of adolescent substance abuse treatment to examine the characteristics of adolescents with substance-abusing parents and their outcomes following an episode of outpatient treatment. Although such adolescents enter treatment with greater problem severity in a range of areas, outcomes appear similar to adolescents with no substance-abusing parents. The impact of family and individual counseling on outcomes was also examined, demonstrating mixed results for adolescents with substance-abusing parents.     

Testing the Parent–Adolescent Acculturation Discrepancy Hypothesis: A Five‐Wave Longitudinal Study

This 2½‐year, 5‐wave longitudinal study tests the hypothesis that acculturation discrepancies between Hispanic immigrant parents and adolescents would lead to compromised family functioning, which would then lead to problematic adolescent outcomes. Recent‐immigrant Hispanic parent–adolescent dyads (N = 302) completed measures of acculturation and family functioning. Adolescents completed measures of positive youth development, depressive symptoms, problem behavior, and substance use. Results indicated that Time 1 discrepancies in Hispanic culture retention, and linear trajectories in some of these discrepancies, negatively predicted adolescent positive youth development, and positively predicted adolescent depressive symptoms and binge drinking, indirectly through adolescent‐reported family functioning. The vast majority of effects were mediated rather than direct, supporting the acculturation discrepancy hypothesis. Implications for further research and intervention are discussed.     

Recovery coaches and the stability of reunification for substance abusing families in child welfare

Substance abuse is a long-standing challenge for child welfare systems. Parental substance abuse disrupts family stability, family cohesion, and jeopardizes the well-being of children. In the current study we test an intervention to improve child welfare outcomes for substance abusing families, specifically the probability of families achieving a stable (at least 12 months) reunification. The intervention was an integrated case management model where recovery coaches were appointed to substance abusing parents associated with an open foster care placement. A diverse group of families (n = 1623) were randomly assigned to either a control group (services as usual) or an experimental group (services as usual plus a recovery coach). Multinomial logistic regression indicated that substance abusing parents associated with a recovery coach were significantly more likely to achieve a stable reunification as compared with similar families in the control group.     

Parent‐Adolescent Involvement: The Relative Influence of Parent Gender and Residence

The 1995 wave of the Add Health study is used to investigate the relative influence of parent gender and residence on patterns of parental involvement with adolescents. Adolescent reports (N =17,330) of shared activities, shared communication, and relationship quality with both biological parents are utilized. A multidimensional scaling analysis reveals that parent gender explains most of the variance in parent‐adolescent involvement, with residential status playing a secondary yet a fundamental role in accounting for these patterns. Resident mothers who do not live with adolescents’ biological fathers engage in the broadest range of activities with their children. Unpartnered resident fathers display patterns of parenting that are as similar to mothers as they are to other fathers.     

Indirect Over-Time Relations Between Parenting and Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviors and Emotions Through Global Self-Esteem

The present study examined indirect over-time relations between parenting and adolescent sexuality through global self-esteem. Three waves of online questionnaire data were collected among a community sample of 1,116 Dutch adolescents (M = 13.9 years at baseline). Participants rated the quality of their relationship with parents, their global self-esteem, and their experience with various sexual behaviors. Sexually experienced adolescents (n = 168) evaluated their sexual experiences using six emotions. Path model results showed that a higher-quality relationship with parents at T1 predicted higher levels of self-esteem at T2, which in turn predicted less experience with sexual behaviors and more positive sexual emotions at T3. The indirect over-time path from relationship quality through self-esteem to adolescents’ sexual emotions was significant; the indirect path to adolescents’ experience with sexual behaviors was not significant at the .05 level. No significant age or gender differences were found in the path models. The findings indicate that self-esteem plays an important role in adolescent sexuality and that parents can contribute to positive sexual experiences of adolescents indirectly—through the enhancement of self-esteem—by fostering a high-quality relationship with their children. Implications for theory, future research, and strategies to promote healthy and positive youth sexuality are discussed.     

Supporting Family Life: A Survey of Homeless Shelters

Survey data from a national sample of homeless family shelters (N = 59) were analyzed to describe the family support programming available to residents. Data were reporled on facility and resident characteristics and family support programming, as well as on facility admission criteria and program participation requirements. Four independent valiables (length of stay, shelter capacity, sponsorship, and program philosophy) were examined for their relationship to the family-oriented services offered. Facilities sheltered an average of 17 families, with a range of 2-200; the average length of stay for families was slightly over 5 months. Regarding family programming, services of an educational nature were more popular than those focused on providing support or therapy/intervention; services to parents to further adult development were more often offered than those either directed to parents in their parenting roles or to the family as a unit. Vbtually all shelters (98%) applied eligibility criteria to families seeking admission. The most common reasons for exclusion were active drug (86%) and alcohol (83%) abuse by a family member; 40% also refused acceptance to falnilies with adolescent n'lales. Seventy-eight percent of facilities mandated panicipation in some support services. Smaller shelters operated with greater numbers of exclusions (x = 5.98773; p < .05); larger shelters had higher percentages of mandatory family programming (x =

9.21823; p < .06). These findings shed light on shelter directors' beliefs about the etiology of family homelessness and proper steps to solve the problem.     

Racial/ethnic disparities in prior mental health service use among incarcerated adolescents

Research on racial and ethnic disparities in mental health and substance abuse service use among incarcerated youth in the U.S. is inconclusive. This cross-sectional study adds to our understanding of racial and ethnic disparities by examining the prior use of mental health and substance abuse services among incarcerated juveniles. Guided by Andersen's behavioral model of health service utilization, a series of logistic regression analyses were conducted on a non-probability sample of 13–19 year-old youth in two residential facilities for juvenile offenders in Western Pennsylvania (N = 181). Black and Hispanic youth were less likely than White youth to have used mental health and substance abuse services, even when controlling for predisposing, enabling, and need factors. Additional analyses revealed that these differences did not hold across all service types, specifically with regards to outpatient service use. Significant differences did exist, however, in the prior use of inpatient mental health and substance abuse services. This suggests that White youth are often funneled into the mental health system, while youth of color enter the justice system. Implications for racial/ethnic disproportionality in service use and justice system involvement are discussed.     

Supporting family life: A survey of homeless shelters

Survey data from a national sample of homeless family shelters (N=59)were analyzed to describe the family support programming available to residents. Data were reported on facility and resident characteristics and family support programming, as well as on facility admission criteria and program participation requirements. Four independent variables (length of stay, shelter capacity, sponsorship, and program philosophy) were examined for their relationship to the family-oriented services offered. Facilities sheltered an average of 17 families, with a range of 2–200; the average length of stay for families was slightly over 5 months. Regarding family programming, services of an educational nature were more popular than those focused on providing support or therapy/intervention; services to parents to further adult development were more often offered than those either directed to parents in their parenting roles or to the family as a unit. Virtually all shelters (98%) applied eligibility criteria to families seeking admission. The most common reasons for exclusion were active drug (86%) and alcohol (83%) abuse by a family member; 40% also refused acceptance to families with adolescent males. Seventy-eight percent of facilities mandated participation in some support services. Smaller shelters operated with greater numbers of exclusions (¯x=5.98773; p<.05);larger shelters had higher percentages of mandatory family programming (¯x= 9.21823; p<.06).These findings shed light on shelter directors' beliefs about the etiology of family homelessness and proper steps to solve the problem.     

Factors Associated with Drug Treatment Entry Patterns Among Hispanic Women Injection Drug Users Seeking Treatment

SUMMARY

This paper examines patterns of drug treatment entry and factors that are associated with these patterns among 1,849 Hispanic women injection drug users (IDUs). The data analyzed originates from a statewide drug-treatment database covering seven years, 1996–2002. Through the use of logistic regression analyses, the study identified significant differences in predisposing, need and enabling factors in the use of detoxification only, residential treatment, or methadone maintenance. Compared to other Hispanics, Puerto Rican women were 40 percent less likely to use only detoxification services and one and a half times more likely to use methadone maintenance. Having health insurance was an especially important factor associated with methadone treatment utilization. Two of the most important factors associated with residential treatment use were history of mental health services utilization and involvement with the criminal justice system. This article discusses specific social work practice implications including the need for social work practitioners to promote services such as residential treatment, to be trained in treatment of co-occurring mental health disorders, especially among women in residential treatment, and the need to establish close linkages with the mental health and criminal justice systems.     

Parenting Practices,Autonomous Motivation,and Adolescent Diet Habits

Guided by self‐determination theory, the aim of this study was to examine whether adolescents’ autonomous motivation for making healthy diet choices mediates the association between parenting practices regarding diet and adolescent food choices. We analyzed data from the NCI FLASHE study, a survey of demographically diverse parents and their adolescent children (N = 1,646 dyads). Path models supported self‐determination theory’s assertion that indirect, encouraging parenting practices fostered internal motivation; in contrast, regulation was both positively and negatively linked to motivation depending on the model. Models also yielded direct paths between parenting practices and healthy and unhealthy diet choices. Overall, regardless of what predicted motivation, adolescents’ autonomous motivation was linked with their consumption of healthier foods and drinks. As such, cultivating a sense of internal motivation during these formative years may put young people on a path toward healthy patterns of self‐regulation later in life.     

Parenting and child-caretaking among black men who have sex with men and associated sexual and reproductive health factors: a brief report

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the prevalence of parenting and child-caretaking among a sample of black men who have sex with men (MSM), as well as associations between parenting roles and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) factors. Parenting and SRH data were derived from a survey of 199 black MSM. Nearly half of the sample reported being a father or father-figure (44.4%), almost a third indicated serving as caretaker of a child (29.1%), and one in five have a biological child (20.1%). Over half of the sample reported at least one of these three parenting/child-caretaking roles (52.5%). Two significant differences were observed for sexual health variables: men with biological children were significantly more likely to report using condoms inconsistently (55.0% vs. 35.7%, p = .026) and engaging in transactional sex work (36.8% vs. 21.0%, p = .041). Given the observed prevalence, parenting and child-caretaking among black MSM warrant further inquiry as factors that may influence SRH outcomes and care utilization. Services and interventions tailored to black MSM should consider these men’s potential roles and responsibilities as parents and caretakers of children.     

What older adolescents expect from physical activity: Implicit cognitions regarding health and appearance outcomes

Objective: To explore older adolescents' reflective and impulsive thoughts about health- and social/appearance-related physical activity (PA) outcomes and investigate how those thoughts relate to their PA behavior. Participants: One hundred and forty-four undergraduate students (109 women; 35 men) aged 17–19 years (M = 18.11, SD = 0.65) participated in this study in October 2015. Methods: Participants completed a Go/No-go Association Task that assessed automaticity of associations between PA words and either health outcomes or social/appearance outcomes. Questionnaires assessing PA behavior, attitudes, outcome expectations, and body image were also completed. Results: Participants demonstrated a positive automatic association between PA and social/appearance outcomes, F(1, 136) = 4.403, p < .05, η² = .031, but they showed no difference in their associations between PA and desirable or undesirable health outcomes, F(1, 136) = 2.405, p = .123, η² = .017. Conclusions: Older adolescents implicitly attend to the social/appearance outcomes of PA more than potential health outcomes, indicating that social recognition and a desirable physique may be the key PA motivators for adolescents.     

Parent-Child Interaction Styles Between Gay and Lesbian Parents and Their Adopted Children

SUMMARY

While myths exist that call into question the parenting ability of gay and lesbian parents as well as the impact of such parenting on children in their care, there is an ever increasing body of literature that clearly demonstrates the capabilities of these parents with their birth children. However, there continues to be a dearth of research on gay and lesbian adoptive parents and their children. To address this deficiency in the literature, this article explores the parenting styles of gay and lesbian adoptive parents and strengths of their children between the ages of 5–9 years (N = 94), using scores from the Parent-as-a-Teacher Inventory and the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale. Results illustrate that the gay and lesbian adoptive parents in this sample fell into the desirable range of the parenting scale and their children have strength levels equal to or exceeding the scale norms. Finally, various aspects of parenting style significantly predicted the adoptive parents' view of their child's level of care difficulty which subsequently predicted the type and level of strengths assessed within their adopted child. Recommendations for practice, policy and future research are highlighted.     

Impact of a sleep course on sleep,mood and anxiety symptoms in college students: A pilot study

Objective: To examine the impact of a sleep course on sleep-related behaviors, mood, and anxiety in college students. Participants: Participants were 145 students enrolled in either the sleep course (n = 70) or a psychology course (n = 75); data were collected in September 2014, November 2014, and February 2015. Methods: Sleep characteristics and symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed using validated questionnaires and sleep logs. Linear, logistic and proportional odds regression models were used to test course effects. Results: In November, sleep course students reported significant differences in sleep hygiene (SHI; p < .001), perceived sleep latency (PSQI; p < .05), and circadian sleep phase (MEQ; p < .05), compared to controls. In February, the sleep course students maintained most of the aforementioned gains and reported fewer symptoms of depression (CES-D; p = .05) and anxiety (BAI; p < .05). Conclusions: These positive preliminary results indicate that focused education has the potential to improve sleep among college students.     

The Moderating Effects of Risk, Protection and Desistance on Violence in Female Adolescents

The major focus of this study was to test the theory driven conceptual model derived from the literature regarding risk, protective and desistance factors in relation to violent behavior of female adolescents. This study utilized The National Longitudinal Adolescent Health Study (Add Health) dataset and included 2,031 female participants. The conceptual model developed was based on life course perspective as it relates to violent behavior in adolescents. The tested SEM model suggested: (1) that each of the latent variables of risk (β = .06, t = .02, p < .001) and protective factors (β = −.07, t = .01, p < .001) were significantly directly associated with violent behavior, (2) the latent variable, desistance factors (β = .01, t = .06, p > .05), was not significantly directly associated with violent behavior, (3) there were mediating effects between risk factors, protective factors and violent behavior (β = −.12, t = .04, p < .05) and (4) there were no mediating effects between risk factors, desistance factors and violent behavior (β = −1.28, t = 2.99, p > .05).