Binge Drinking Among Undergraduate College Students in the United States: Implications for Other Substance Use

Abstract

The authors examined the relationship between binge drinking and other substance use among US college students, using nationally representative data from the 1995 National College Health Risk Behavior Survey implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Compared with nonbinge drinkers, current binge drinkers were significantly more likely to report “ever” using and current use of cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drugs. The researchers also found that the more often students binge drank, the more likely they were to have ever used cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs, and the more likely they were to report current use of cigarettes and marijuana. Those who design programs to prevent binge drinking and use of other substances should take into account the reality that many students use more than one substance and that the more frequently students report binge drinking, the more likely they are to be using other substances as well.     

Use of a conceptual model of societal drivers of ecological change in South Florida: Implications of an ecosystem management scenario

Human-dominated ecosystems such as in South Florida's Everglades region are greatly affected by societal actions and choices, and efforts to restore degraded ecosystems must take into account the societal drivers of ecosystem change. A conceptual model of societal-ecological interactions within the region illustrates connections between major societal drivers, such as water management and land use, and ecological stressors, such as loss of habitat and nutrient loading. Using the conceptual model as an initial guide for discussion, examination of a restoration scenario for the region shows that social and economic effects from activities proposed in a restoration scenario will likely affect most sectors of South Florida. Political effects from changing land and water management practices likely will be significant, as will the physical effects of changing water structures and management practices. Conceptual models such as this can aid in the initial stages of ecosystem restoration discussions and can assist in planning for subsequent social science evaluations of specific societal impacts of actual proposed governmental restoration alternatives. In crafting restoration scenarios, local, regional, and national decision makers can use conceptual models such as this to help broaden the early considerations of how possible future changes in societal drivers, including management choices, will change ecological stressors that affect ecosystem health.     

Energy and U.K. agriculture

This paper makes the point that although U.K. agriculture has become more efficient in many ways, it has become less efficient in its use of energy. Moreover, although farming utilises less than 3 per cent of national power energy consumption and produces over 40 per cent of the nation's food, there are no predominant users of energy in the U.K. Thus small savings in each individual industry, including agriculture, must be effected. How this can be achieved is discussed. But the paper concludes that it may well take another ‘energy crisis’ before farmers and growers respond by modifying their production systems accordingly.     

Introduction: “There Is a Person Here”: An Interview with Judith Butler

In this interview, the coeditors, along with other contributors, ask Judith Butler a variety of questions regarding queer theory, gender identities, scientific and legal discourse, bodily abjection, race and class positioning, and political organizing. This range of subject matter suggests not only the breadth of Butler's work, but also its applicability to any number of people, whose relation to theory ranges from highly politicized to politically indifferent. The interview demonstrates the responsiveness of Butler's work to cultural translation and political action.     

Music,War and Education: the work of the Pavarotti Music Centre

In this paper, I want to address the various programmes that have been implemented by the Pavarotti Music Centre in Bosnia‐Herzegovina, and the impact that these programmes are having on young people. Music has proven to be an instrument that can bring people together from various backgrounds and also allows young people to cope with their traumatic experiences.     

Meeting the parenting skills needs of neglectful families by training child welfare workers as educators

A training program was devised for selected child welfare workers to conduct parent groups in the Missouri Neglect Demonstration Project. Welfare workers were trained to conduct parent groups that focused on parenting skills, self-advocacy, and social and economic resources. In contrast to case manager referrals, the workshops provided education directly and helped parents to develop resources. One of the goals was to have staff and parents collaborate to improve referral services and resources. The importance of this type of program was demonstrated by a literature review of parent trainings which found that: (a) few programs specifically addressed child neglect; (b) outcome evaluations of programs were scarce; and (c) a national extension study supported topics chosen.     

Bank Loan Officers' Perceptions of Business Owners: The Role of Gender

There is a widely held belief that banks may be discriminating against female business owners. This study was designed to explore the perceptions held by bank loan officers of male and female business owners, using Bourdieu's theory of practice and Kelly's personal construct methodology. The research literature might lead to an expectation that the characteristics of the business owners would be relatively homogenous but that men and women business owners would be construed differently (for example women might be seen to lack drive). However, the results demonstrate heterogeneity in the constructs held by bank loan officers, and a particular concern with the character of the business owner. Significant gender differences were observed in only 20 of the 325 constructs elicited from 35 bank loan officers. Female bank loan officers were as likely as male bank loan officers to draw gender distinctions between business owners. Detailed multivariate analyses confirmed no evidence of systematic gender differences in the constructs held by bank loan officers of business owners.     

中国的东北和日本的东北——对中日构筑“大东北经济圈”的思考与建议

2006年10月安倍首相上任伊始，便决定访问中国，展开了“破冰之旅”，结束了中日之间自2001年小泉上台由于参拜靖国神社引发的对立和矛盾，此后“融冰之旅”、“迎春之旅”使中日战略互惠关系不断向前推进。胡锦涛总书记的“暖春之旅”使两国战略互惠关系进入全面升级阶段。在上述氛围推动下，两国的经贸也不断取得突破，中日贸易超过美日贸易，中国成为日本第一大贸易伙伴。随着两国在各个领域的相互依赖不断加深，以区域合作为纽带、以友好城市发展为拉动，两国的地方交流也出现蓬勃发展势头。尤其是我们的东北振兴战略持续深化，使两国在东北地区的各种合作不断增加，学术、经济和企业界甚至发出了打造“中日大东北经济圈”的热切呼声。从中日经贸互动和地方国际合作背景来看，随着两国在东北地区合作的不断深入，中日构筑“东北经济圈”不但具有可能性而且时机日渐成熟。     

The trouble with foster care: the impact of stressful 'events' on foster carers

Summary The article draws on the first stages of a large-scale longitudinalstudy into foster care with 'looked after' children. It usesdata supplied by 950 foster carers in response to a postal questionnairedesigned to document the proportions who had experienced oneor more of six potentially stressful 'events': breakdowns ordisruptions, allegations, relationship with birth parents, familytensions, 'tug of love' cases, and other disagreements withsocial services. The article uses carers' comments to describetheir reaction to the 'events'. It then examines the relationshipbetween the 'events' and measures of carer stress, satisfactionwith fostering, and intentions to continue fostering. Overall,two-thirds of the sample had experienced one or more of these'events' and these were associated with a measure of mentalill-health and with attitudes towards continuing fostering.