College Student Substance Use Research Articles

Forgiveness, Resentment, Well-Being, and College Student Substance Use in Southern Appalachia and West Texas

ABSTRACT Forgiveness, a construct common to religiousness/spirituality and positive psychology, and resentment are thought to be critical factors in addiction and recovery therefrom. Although empirical evidence is accumulating to support forgiveness as an important factor in addiction recovery, very little work has empirically examined the role of resentment in addiction recovery, including the role of the forgiveness – resentment interface. The association of forgiveness with addiction recovery-related outcomes, as mediated by resentment, in the context of substance (mis)use was examined in two cross-sectional studies among undergraduate college students from three institutions, in this IRB-approved study. Self-forgiveness was consistently associated – both directly and indirectly through resentment – with less psychological distress and less vulnerability to use substances in the context of both alcohol (mis)use and drug (mis)use. Other-forgiveness was similarly associated, but less frequently. Empirical evidence is beginning to emerge to support the long-held anecdotal assumptions regarding the importance of forgiveness and resentment to addiction recovery, with implications for interventions and approaches to treatment for those struggling with substance (mis)use.

Substance use and misuse among college students: Results of an online survey from three neighboring cities of North India.

We estimated prevalence and severity of substance use in college students from three cities in North India and explored demographic correlates of substance use. This was a cross-sectional online survey. We used Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). We contacted respondents through social groups. We performed analyses from the original sample, bootstrapped samples, and random subsamples. A total of 229 (58.3%) respondents reported any lifetime substance use. A third of substance-using respondents were female. Alcohol (54.7%), tobacco (40.2%), and cannabis (15%) use were most commonly reported. Prevalence estimates did not differ between original and subsample analyses. A significant proportion of respondents (alcohol 29.7% and amphetamines 66.7%) were at moderate risk level. Male gender, family history of substance use, and commerce stream correlated with substance use. There were positive correlations between tobacco and alcohol and licit and illicit substance use. The study highlights the need for a comprehensive college substance misuse prevention policy.

Psychological maltreatment and substance use among college students: Psychological distress, belongingness, and social support

Substance use in college students is an important public health problem associated with substantial consequences. It is a critical step to examine risk and protective factors associated with substance use to develop prevention and intervention strategies for promoting college students’ healthy development and well-being. The present cross-sectional study aimed to examine the mediating role of psychological distress in the relationship between childhood psychological maltreatment and substance use and the moderating effect of social support and belongingness in this association among college students. The sample of this cross-sectional study included 382 emerging adults. Participants included 56.8% female and 43.2% male, and they ranged in age between 20 and 29 years (M = 22.05, SD = 2.17). Findings from the study first confirmed that psychological maltreatment was a significant predictor of social support, belongingness, psychological distress, and substance use. Subsequent results revealed that psychological distress mediated the association between psychological maltreatment and college students’ substance use. Also, belongingness and social support had a buffering effect on this association. The findings suggest that psychological maltreatment is a significant risk factor in developing substance use behavior and that belongingness and social support services can serve as protective resources. Based on these results, prevention and intervention services focusing on improving the feeling of belonging and social support could be conducive to the decreased substance use of psychologically maltreated emerging adults.

Moderation of Risks to Sexual Health by Substance Use in College Students With ADHD.

Objective: Poor sexual health is a public health concern for college students and individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet limited information is available on the sexual health of college students with ADHD. Here, the sexual health of college students with and without ADHD was described and moderators of risk to sexual health were identified. Methods: A secondary data analysis of the National College Health Assessment III (Fall 2019, Spring 2020, and Fall 2020 administrations) was conducted using a sample of sexually active undergraduate students (N = 36,236). Logistic regressions were used to compare sexual behaviors and health outcomes of college students with and without self-reported ADHD and test for interactions between ADHD and substance use–related moderators of risk to sexual health (ie, alcohol use, binge drinking, and cannabis use). Results: Compared to non-ADHD peers, college students with ADHD reported more past-year sexual partners (adjusted odds ratio = 1.27; P < .01), lower rates of condom use (aOR = 0.77; P < .001), and higher rates of condomless sex while drinking (aOR = 1.52; P < .001). College students with ADHD reported more sexually transmitted infection diagnoses (aOR = 1.29; P < .01), a greater number of unplanned pregnancies (aOR = 1.72; P < .001), and more emergency contraception use (aOR = 1.19; P < .001). Alcohol use, binge drinking, and cannabis use moderated the relationship between ADHD and sexual health. Conclusions: College students with ADHD represent a vulnerable population for poor sexual health and are differentially impacted by substance use. Indicated sexual health prevention strategies and treatment for college students with ADHD are warranted.

Alcohol use among US dental students: Results of a nationwide survey.

Substance use may be a consequence of dental student stress. Studies have examined the alcohol use among medical students, but there are fewer studies among dental students. The purpose of this study was to examine alcohol use in a large geographically diverse sample of US Dental Students. An anonymous web-based survey instrument was modeled after well-known surveys of college student substance use. Survey data collection used best practices for web-based surveys when possible. 2019 responses were collected with the cooperation of fifteen US dental schools (potential sample size: 6029; RR: 7.6%, n=463). 2021 responses were collected using the American Student Dental Association email list (potential sample size: 18,722; RR: 2.2%, n=424). Respondents came from all regions of the US. Thirty-day alcohol usage and binge drinking rates were somewhat higher among dental students than college-age students from other surveys. Women's 30-day prevalence of alcohol use was slightly higher than men, but binge drinking prevalence was greater among men. Prevalence of binge drinking was higher among white students, as was mean drinks per drinking occasion. Students who self-reported below average academic performance were more likely to report drinking to get away from problems and had a higher prevalence of some alcohol-related problems (ARPs). Despite the limitations of this study, the results are consistent with that of other studies. This study has provided some valuable insight into the prevalence of alcohol usage and ARPs among US dental students. Of special concern are the reasons for drinking as mechanisms for relieving tension and stress, which may continue into dental practice.

The Effect of Parental Attachment on Risky Alcohol Use and Disordered Eating Behaviors in College Students

Alcohol use and disordered eating behaviors (DEB) are prevalent among college students. Despite the pervasive influence of a peer culture that promotes and supports drinking and consistent dieting, parents continue to be a primary source of influence for young adults. Young adult college student attachment to their parents may have an important influence on college student alcohol use behaviors and DEBs. The present study examined the effect of parental attachment relationships, DEBs, and alcohol use behaviors for college students. Findings indicate that parent attachment had a significant and negative effect on alcohol use behavior and DEBs. Clinical implications for the treatment of college student substance use and disordered eating are presented and discussed.

Screening illicit substance use in college students: The Chinese version of the Drug Abuse Screening Test

BackgroundThis study investigated the applicability of the Chinese versions of Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) to detect illicit substance use in college students. MethodsThe data arising from a campus prevention program, Screening for Illicit Substance Use in College (SISUC), were utilized to explore the psychometrics of 26 items (DAST-26) and 10 items (DAST-10) versions of DAST in college students (CS group). A group of youth with illicit substance use were enrolled as the Illicit Substance Use group (IS group). A set of self-report questionnaires, including the Chinese version of DAST, were administered. ResultsA total of 1214 participants were recruited as the CS group and 208 as the IS group. The Cronbach’s alpha of DAST-26 was 0.74 in CS and 0.90 in IS; while 0.59 in CS and 0.78 in IS for the DAST-10. At a cut-off of 4 for DAST-26, the sensitivity was 87 % and specificity 97 %. As to DAST-10, a cut-off of 2 produced the sensitivity of 86 % and specificity of 96 %. The area under the curve was 0.943 for DAST-26 and 0.940 for DAST-10. The confirmatory factor analyses found a single-factor solution for the DAST-26 and DAST-10. ConclusionsWith comparison to the DAST-26, the shorter version, DAST-10, may offer promise for detecting illicit substance use in college students.

The moderating role of positive peers in reducing substance use in college students

Objective Young adulthood (18–25) is the peak age for substance use, but friends who engage in positive behaviors may be protective. The present study examined the direct relation between positive peer affiliation and substance use, and whether positive peer affiliation moderated the relation between self-reported sensation-seeking, future orientation, self-regulation and substance use. Participants: Participants were 382 college students (M age = 19.25, SD = 1.33). Method: Participants completed questionnaires assessing substance use, peer affiliation, sensation-seeking, future orientation, and self-regulation. Results: In structural equation models, positive peer affiliation was negatively associated with drunk driving, cigarette use, and marijuana use; and moderated relations between sensation-seeking and substance use, but not cognitive control in the predicted direction. Conclusions: Substance use remains a salient public health concern for college students, but the current study found that having friends who generally engage in positive activities is an important buffer against socioemotional risk factors.

Substance Use in College Students: A Comparative Study on French and Moroccan Students

This paper is a comparative study related to the project Volubilis "Moroccan and French students: comparative approach". Volubilis survey is a part of an integrated project between the University of Grenoble Alpes and Hassan II University of Casablanca. This research project aims at collecting data related to students consumption of addictive substances, who enroll in faculty of humanities, economy and sciences of the Universities of the Rhône Alpes region (Lyon and Grenoble) and Hassan II University of Casablanca (e.g. tobacco, alcohol, cannabis...). In order to conduct a comparative study and to come out with effective results. Our sample is made up of 350 students from Hassan II University in Casablanca and 1464 students from Rhône-Alpes universities their average age is 22 years old for both.

Mummy, daddy, and addiction: Implicit insecure attachment is associated with substance use in college students.

Indirect measures of cognition have become an important tool in research on addiction. To date, however, no research has examined whether indirect measures of parent attachment relate to substance use. To examine this issue, a sample of college students (N = 121) was asked to complete two measures of explicit attachment (the Relationship Questionnaire; Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991, and the Adult Attachment Styles; Collins & Read, 1990), and a measure of implicit attachment (the Single Category Implicit Association Test, Karpinski & Steinman, 2006). The indirect attachment measure assessed the strength of automatic mental association between the concepts parents and secure. Participants also completed different measures of tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol use. Results showed that, for most of the participants, the parents were considered a source of security at both the explicit and implicit levels. Direct and indirect attachment measures were not related to each other. Overall, explicit attachment was not related to substance use. However, implicit attachment was significantly associated with the use of licit (tobacco) and illicit (cannabis) drugs. We also found some evidence that polydrug use is especially common among students with an insecure implicit attachment. This is the first study to examine how implicit attachment processes relate to addictive behaviors. The results suggest that implicit attachment, thought to reflect unconscious traces of past experiences, is a better predictor of substance use in college students than direct, self-reported measures of attachment. Further studies should examine whether implicit attachment is associated with severe substance use disorders in clinical populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Experienced harms from substance use among college students: A latent class analysis

ABSTRACTMany college students experience personal consequences from their own substance use as well as secondhand effects resulting from other students’ substance use. Our study identifies meaningful subgroup response patterns representing the construct of experienced harms, that is, the combined harms resulting from personal substance use and the substance use of others. In this sample six latent classes of harms experienced by participants were identified. The classes ranged from a No Harms group to a group of eleven harms – Severe Harms. We demonstrated that harms class membership was directly related to the level of involvement with substances. As the level of substance use increased – demonstrated by membership in latent classes of progressive involvement with substances – the odds of membership in a more serious experienced harms class increased. Participants reporting early onset of any substance were more likely to be members in any of the experienced harms latent classes than members of the No Harms class. Elucidating the exposure to harm associated with college student substance use behavior through an expanded focus on the patterns of experienced effects (i.e., personal consequences and secondhand effects) advances current research on a nationally-recognized problem.

Does it Matter What We Drink? Beverage Type Preference Predicts Specific Alcohol-Related Negative Consequences Among College Students

Background: College student substance use has been a problem for many years. In particular, heavy alcohol consumption can create issues with academics, social relationships, and overall functioning. Unitary measures of generic alcohol consumption (e.g., drinking frequency) are important predictors of alcohol-related negative consequences, but the small amount of specific-beverage research available suggests that assessing beverage type consumed may enhance prediction. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to expand knowledge of alcoholic beverage preference in relation to negative consequences and confirm the factor structure of the RAPI proposed by Martens et al. (2007) in a college student sample. Methods: In addition, the present study expanded current knowledge by assessing beverage preference type in relation to specific negative consequences on the RAPI. Results: Results replicated the three-factor structure originally found by Martens et al. (2007). Moreover, results found that individuals consuming shots of liquor or alcohol mixed with caffeine reported higher overall RAPI scores and higher scores on the Abuse/Dependence and Personal Consequences factors but not the Social Consequences factor than those consuming mixed drinks, beer, or wine. Conclusions/Importance: This research might inform discussions with incoming college freshman about not only alcohol consumption and negative consequences but the dangers of drinking specific types of alcohol beverages such as shots and/or alcohol mixed with caffeine.

Supplemental Material for Mummy, Daddy, and Addiction: Implicit Insecure Attachment Is Associated With Substance Use in College Students

Supplemental Material for Mummy, Daddy, and Addiction: Implicit Insecure Attachment Is Associated With Substance Use in College Students

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Substance Use

An evidence review of mild TBI (mTBI) sequela was undertaken to explore associations between mTBI and substance use in college students. The pilot study included a convenience sample of college students. The results did not support a statistically significant relationship between mTBI and substance use disorders (SUDs). These findings were contradictory from existing and emerging evidence; however, the magnitude of this relationship remains unclear and further supports the need for continued research.

Religiosity as a Substance Use Protective Factor Among Female College Students.

Research exists about religiosity as a substance use protective factor. However, there is little attention of this issue regarding Israeli female college students. Undergraduate religious and secular students were studied. Religious students reported lower last month tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and non-medical prescription drug use. Secular females who smoked, missed class because of party habits and reported easy access to cannabis had a higher probability of binge drinking. This study contributes to knowledge about religiosity and college student substance use, and it provides useful information for their mental health and well-being.

A Primer on College Student Substance Use Disorders Screening, Assessment, and Treatment Planning

ABSTRACTSignificant numbers of college students experience negative consequences due to their misuse of alcohol and other drugs. For far too many, some of these effects are ruinous of their lives, and for well more than a thousand each year, life ending. This article first provides an overview of the scope of this problem. It then covers both assessment and intervention starting with brief and standard assessment inventories followed by a perspective on comprehensive focused counseling that incorporates an assessment of multiple life areas. A case is made that many students have substance use disorders issues either as primary problems or auxiliary to other concerns. Treatment planning based on a comprehensive approach to change, and the role of ongoing utilization of change measures, is then discussed. A basic premise of the article is that due to a lack of education, training, and exposure, many college mental health practitioners underdiagnose and underattend to the presence of substance use disorders problems. Many clinical staff members have never taken an academic course focused on this treatment issue or have done little by way of continuing education on this topic, so they may lack the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes related to the provision of helpful comprehensive care and consequently make the error of focusing exclusively on the substance use disorders related behaviors.

Ethnic–Racial Socialization, Social Bonds, and College Student Substance Use

ABSTRACTUsing survey data from a diverse college student sample (N = 1,728), this study tested how three types of parental ethnic-racial socialization received during the respondents’ youth were indirectly associated with substance use through their impact on the development of social bonds. Cultural socialization and preparation for bias messages indirectly decreased substance use, while promotion of mistrust messages indirectly increased substance use. By-group analyses indicated some ethnic and gender differences. Overall, the findings point to the importance of examining ethnic-racial socialization as a multidimensional construct in relation to social bonds to understand its impact on young adult substance use.

Drinking, Cigarette Smoking, and Employment Among American College Freshmen at a Four-Year University

ABSTRACTBackground: For American college students, alcohol and cigarette use are important health concerns, and employment concurrent with school attendance is on the rise. Given the lifelong importance of employment and substance use trajectories begun in college, parsing out the relationship between the two is meaningful. Objectives: This study's purpose is to determine whether employment during college is associated with substance use. Methods: Cross-sectional associations between employment (work hours, earnings) and substance use (drinking frequency, drinking quantity, smoking frequency) were estimated using partial proportional odds models in a sample of N = 1457 freshmen attending a large, public 4-year university in 2011, after accounting for demographics, personality, social environment, and parental influences. Results: Working 10 more hours and earning $50 more per week as a freshman had modest positive associations with higher smoking frequency and with moderate drinking frequency and quantity prior to adjustment. After adjustment, work hours remained modestly associated with moderate drinking frequency and quantity. No adjusted associations were found among employment measures and smoking or between weekly earnings and drinking frequency. Different relationships emerged for moderate versus heavy alcohol use frequency and quantity. Conclusions: Both employment and substance use are commonplace among college freshmen. After extensive controls for potential confounders, the relationship between the two appears modest. Employment may yet play a role in college student substance use, but work hours and earnings are likely only small parts of a larger web of influences on drinking and smoking.

Experiencias psicóticas atenuadas y consumo de sustancias en universitarios

Psychotic disorders, as well as psychotic-like experiences and substance use, have been found to be associated. The main goal of the present study was to analyse the relationship between psychoticlike experiences and substance use in college students. The simple comprised a total of 660 participants (M = 20.3 years, SD = 2.6). The results showed that 96% of the sample reported some delusional experience, while 20.3% reported at least one positive psychotic-like experience. Some substance use was reported by 41.1% of the sample, differing in terms of gender. Substance users reported more psychoticlike experiences than non-users, especially in the positive dimension. Also, alcohol consumption predicted in most cases extreme scores on measures of delusional ideation and psychotic experiences. The association between these two variables showed a differentiated pattern, with a stronger relationship between substance use and cognitive-perceptual psychotic-like experiences. To some extent, these findings support the dimensional models of the psychosis phenotype and contribute a better understanding of the links between psychoticlike experiences and substance use in young adults. Future studies should further explore the role of different risk factors for psychotic disorders and include models of the gene-environment interaction.

Editorial: Refining Prevention: Genetic and Epigenetic Contributions.

Editorial: Refining Prevention: Genetic and Epigenetic Contributions.