Remembering the lizard: reconstructing sexuality in the rooms of narcotics anonymous

The crack epidemic was devastating to poor American communities in part because of the destruction wrought by the system of exchanging sex for drugs, which was a key feature of the crack-use culture. Sex-for-drugs exchanges were often conducted under unsafe circumstances and were linked to the spread of AIDS and other STDs, as well as unplanned pregnancies. The existence of this alternative system of sexual relationships threatened the economic viability of established commercial sex work and undermined the status and power of women. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings helped men and women recover from crack addiction through a well-described 12-step process. Described as the rooms, these time- and space-specific encounters helped people become sober in the context of neighborhoods that were centers of the drug trade. Because of the key role of sex in the crack culture, transformation of sexual relationships was essential to establishing and maintaining sobriety. The manner in which the rooms of NA influence the sexuality and lifeworld of addicted people is explored using Barker's theory of ecological psychology.     

Differences between actual and perceived student norms: an examination of alcohol use, drug use, and sexual behavior

Researchers in the social norms area have previously focused primarily on alcohol consumption, paying comparatively less attention to drug use and sexual behavior. The major purposes of this study were to (1) compare perceptions of peer norms in the areas of alcohol use, drug use, and sexual behavior with actual behavior and (2) determine if a relationship existed between a student's perceptions of normative behavior and a student's actual behavior. Participants were 833 college students at a large, public university in the Northeast. Study participants overestimated alcohol use, drug use, and sexual behavior among their peers. There was also a positive relationship between actual behavior and perceived peer norms, although the effect sizes for all behaviors were small to moderate. The authors provide further support for the tenets of social norms theory and suggest that social norms interventions are appropriate both campus-wide and to targeted high-risk groups.     

Where college students look for vaping information and what information they believe

Abstract

Objective: This convergent mixed methods study examined how information sources influence college students’ beliefs and knowledge about vaping. Participants: College students either completed a survey (n?=?522; January–April, 2016) or were interviewed (n?=?33; 2015–2016). Methods: College students completed an online survey asking ‘where’ students had heard about e-cigarette and ‘what’ they had heard. Responses were quantified and a chi-square analysis was conducted. Additional college student e-cigarette users were interviewed about the credibility of information sources. Thematic analysis was conducted with the coded interviews. Results: There was a significant relationship between information sources for e-cigarettes (social sources, media, advertising, education/research) and the messages they recalled. Friends who vaped and e-cigarette users were the most credible information sources. Confirmation bias and scientific impotence bias characterized assessment of e-cigarette information. Conclusions: Health education specialists working on college campuses should provide accurate information via communication channels most unitized by college students.     

Regions: An Illusive Concept

Books reviewed in this article: Tan, Joseph L.H. (ed.), AFTA in the Changing International Economy Menon, Jayant, Adjusting Towards AFTA: The Dynamics of Trade in ASEAN Bora, Bijit and Findlay, Christopher (eds), Regional Integration and the Asia-Pacific Lawrence, Robert Z., Regionalism, Multilateralism, and Deeper Integration     

A Preliminary Evaluation of a Massage Program for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused and their Nonabusing Mothers

The aim of this study was to conduct a pilot evaluation of the Mosac Massage Program, a novel program that uses massage to address some of the difficulties faced by children who have been sexually abused and their nonabusing parents. Interviews were conducted with four participating mothers immediately before and after the program. Benefits included improved bonding and communication between mother and child and a relaxing and enjoyable therapy for both mother and child. The program appeared to be a useful complement to talking therapies. Further evaluations are needed to confirm the potential benefits.