Pain and Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Survivors of Childhood Cancer

OBJECTIVES

Theoretical models suggest that anxiety, pain intensity, and pain catastrophizing are implicated in a cycle that leads to heightened fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). However, these relationships have not been empirically examined. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between anxiety symptoms, pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and FCR in childhood cancer survivors and their parents and to examine whether pain catastrophizing predicts increased FCR beyond anxiety symptoms and pain intensity.

METHODS

The participants were 54 survivors of various childhood cancers (Mage=13.1 y, range=8.4 to 17.9 y, 50% female) and their parents (94% mothers). Children reported on their pain intensity in the past 7 days. Children and parents separately completed measures of anxiety symptoms, pain catastrophizing, and FCR.

RESULTS

Higher anxiety symptoms were associated with increased pain intensity, pain catastrophizing, and FCR in childhood cancer survivors. Higher anxiety symptoms and pain catastrophizing, but not child pain intensity, were associated with FCR in parents. Hierarchical linear regression models revealed that pain catastrophizing explained unique variance in both parent (ΔR2=0.11, P<0.01) and child (ΔR2=0.07, P<0.05) FCR over and above the effects of their own anxiety symptoms and child pain.

DISCUSSION

The results of this study provides novel data on the association between pain and FCR and suggests that a catastrophic style of thinking about pain is more closely related to heightened FCR than one's anxiety symptoms or the sensory pain experience in both childhood cancer survivors and their parents. Pain catastrophizing may be a novel intervention target for survivors and parents struggling with fears of recurrence.

Do symptoms of depression and anxiety contribute to heavy episodic drinking? A 3-wave longitudinal study of adult community members

Heavy episodic drinking (or binge drinking) is a significant public health concern. Self-medication using alcohol is often thought to explain the co-occurrence of heavy episodic drinking with depression and anxiety. Yet, there is little longitudinal work examining both depressive and anxiety symptoms and how they are independently related to heavy episodic drinking in adult community samples. To this end, we invited adult community members (N = 102) to come to the lab to complete validated measures of depressive symptoms (composite of CES-D-SF, SCL-90-D, and DASS-21-D), anxiety symptoms (DASS-21-A), and heavy episodic drinking (composite of frequency, severity, and perceptions) at baseline, and again three and six months later. Using a three-wave cross-lagged panel model, we tested reciprocal relations between heavy episodic drinking and each internalizing symptom. We found strong temporal stability in our study variables. Depressive symptoms were associated with increases in heavy episodic drinking, and anxiety symptoms were associated with decreases in heavy episodic drinking. In contrast, heavy episodic drinking did not predict either internalizing symptom over time. Results are consistent with the notion that individuals with greater depressive symptoms use alcohol to self-medicate, and that anxiety symptoms (particularly autonomic arousal) may be potentially protective against future heavy episodic drinking.

Friendship Conflict, Drinking to Cope, and Alcohol-Related Problems: A Longitudinal Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

Drinking to cope with negative affect is a strong predictor of alcohol-related problems. We hypothesized that the association between friendship conflict and alcohol-related problems would be mediated by coping-with-depression motives in emerging adults' close friendships. We used a 4-wave, 4-month longitudinal self-report survey design measuring friendship conflict, coping motives, and alcohol-related problems from 174 same-sex friendship dyads. Participants were recruited from Nova Scotia, Canada between September 2016 and February 2019. Participants had a mean age of 18.66 (SD = 1.17) and were 66.1% female. Data were analyzed using multilevel structural equation modeling. Coping-with-depression motives mediated the link between conflict and alcohol-related problems at the between- and within-subject levels. Unexpectedly, coping-with-anxiety motives was an additional mediator at the within-subjects level. Interventions for emerging adults' problem drinking should consider the influence of friendship conflict and its impact on emerging adults' tendencies to drink to cope with both depression and anxiety. Materials/Syntax: https://osf.io/krs3v/.

Long-term alterations in somatosensory functioning in survivors of childhood cancer

ABSTRACT

Cancer and its treatment can have lasting consequences on somatosensation, including pain, which is often underrecognized and undertreated. Research characterizing the impact of cancer on pain and sensory processing in survivors of childhood cancer is scarce. This study aimed to quantify generalized differences in pain and sensory processing in survivors of childhood cancer compared with reference data using a standardized thermal and mechanical quantitative sensory testing (QST) protocol. The association between demographic, clinical (eg, leukemia vs other cancers and treatment exposures), and psychosocial (eg, anxiety and pain catastrophizing) variables and sensitivity to pain and sensory stimuli were also evaluated. Participants were 56 survivors of various types of childhood cancer (52% male, Mage = 13.5 years, SD = 3.2, range = 8-17 years). On average, children were 7 years (SD = 4.1, range = 1.2-16.5) post treatment. Almost all participants (86%) had at least 1 abnormal QST parameter compared with age- and sex-matched reference data; however, few participants self-reported the presence of sensory abnormalities. Generally, participants exhibited reduced sensitivity across the QST parameters examined (Ps < 0.05, ds = 0.40-3.45). A significant minority (45%) also exhibited pain sensitization (P <0.001, d = 0.42). Several risk factors for changes in sensory processing were identified, including current age, history of leukemia, certain treatment exposures (eg, vincristine cumulative dose, major surgery, and bone marrow or stem cell transplant), time off treatment, and higher anxiety and pain catastrophizing scores. Overall, this study demonstrated that somatosensory changes are prevalent in survivors of childhood cancer years after the completion of treatment. Future research is needed to understand long-term implications of altered somatosensation in this complex population.

Double shifts, double trouble: Alcohol as a problematic panacea for working mothers

Alcohol consumption among midlife women has become an area of research focus. We suggest it is important to examine the social roles that many midlife women take on - specifically working mothers. Working mothers balance both employment and the unequal burden of caring/domestic duties, leading to 'double shifts' of paid and unpaid labor. This creates unique stresses that may impact their drinking. This is particularly important as a growing number of mothers re-enter the workforce after childbirth. In this commentary, we suggest that working mothers' drinking tends to be overlooked or even endorsed as a means of managing the gendered stresses they face - stresses which have been exacerbated during the pandemic. We highlight the dearth of literature focusing on the drinking patterns, practices, and motives of working mothers and argue that gendered expectations placed on working mothers may be an increasingly important social determinant of health among this group.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Coping Motives are Independently Associated with Cannabis Craving Elicited by Trauma Cues

Cannabis use is common among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), although its use can ultimately worsen PTSD outcomes. Cannabis-use coping motives may help explain the PTSD-cannabis relationship. Frequent pairing of trauma cues with substance use to cope with negative affect can lead to conditioned substance craving. For the present cue-reactivity study, we examined if PTSD symptoms were associated with cannabis craving elicited by a personalized trauma cue and explored whether coping motives mediated this hypothesized relationship; enhancement motives were included as a comparison mediator. Participants (N = 51) were trauma-exposed cannabis users who completed validated assessments on PTSD symptom severity and cannabis use motives. They were then exposed to a personalized audiovisual cue based on their own traumatic experience after which they responded to questions on a standardized measure regarding their cannabis craving. The results demonstrated that PTSD symptoms were associated with increased cannabis craving following trauma cue exposure, B = 0.43, p = .004, 95% CI [0.14, 0.72]. However, the results did not support our hypothesis of an indirect effect through general coping motives, indirect effect = .03, SE = .08, 95% CI [-.10, .21]. We found an independent main effect of general coping motives on trauma cue-elicited cannabis craving, B = 1.86, p = .002, 95% CI [0.72, 3.01]. These findings have important clinical implications suggesting that clinicians should target both PTSD symptoms and general coping motives to prevent the development of conditioned cannabis craving to trauma reminders in trauma-exposed cannabis users.

Craving and emotional responses to trauma and cannabis cues in trauma-exposed cannabis users: Influence of PTSD symptom severity

Conditioned craving to trauma cues and avoidance learning have both been implicated in the high concurrence of trauma-related distress and substance misuse. Using a cue-exposure paradigm involving personalized trauma, cannabis, and neutral cues, we examined if conditioned craving and/or elevated negative affect to trauma cues are mechanisms linking PTSD and cannabis use disorder. Fifty-one trauma-exposed cannabis users were randomly presented the three cue types. Craving and emotional responses were evaluated after each cue using the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire-Short Form (Heishman et al., 2001) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al., 1988). Relief cannabis craving (compulsivity and emotionality) was significantly higher after trauma than cannabis and neutral cues (p's < 0.001) and was also higher among those with more severe PTSD symptoms (p's < 0.05). The relationship between PTSD symptom severity and cannabis craving was stronger after trauma than cannabis cues for the compulsivity component of craving (p < .05). Relief craving was also higher after the cannabis cue than after the neutral cue (expectancy and purposefulness; p < .001). Negative affect was significantly higher: after trauma than cannabis and neutral cues (p's < 0.001); and among those with more severe PTSD symptoms (p < . 005). Positive affect was significantly lower after trauma than cannabis cues (p < .05). Trauma cue exposure might promote cannabis misuse through conditioned craving as well as the desire to relieve negative affect. Conditioned cannabis craving involving an uncontrollable compulsion to use cannabis in response to trauma reminders appears particularly likely among cannabis users with more severe PTSD symptoms.

Do anxiety sensitivity and impulsivity interact in predicting exercise involvement in emerging adult drinkers and cannabis users?

Anxiety sensitivity (AS; i.e. fear of arousal-related sensations) and impulsivity (i.e. tendency to act quickly without regard for longer-term consequences) represent risks for low physical activity participation. Theoretically, higher impulsivity may exacerbate the negative exercise behaviours of high AS individuals given the tendency of impulsive individuals to favour immediate (e.g. watching TV) over delayed rewards (e.g. the benefits of exercise). Our goal was to investigate the main and interactive effects of AS and impulsivity on physical activity levels at varying exercise intensities. Participants were 178 emerging adults (Mean age = 21.9; 68.8% women). Higher AS was associated with less engagement in vigorous intensity exercise. Moderator analyses revealed an AS x impulsivity interaction: high AS predicted significantly less engagement in moderate intensity exercise at low impulsivity levels and marginally more engagement in moderate intensity exercise at high impulsivity levels. Finally, higher impulsivity was associated with more time spent walking. Cognitive behavioural therapy for high AS, or teaching individuals with high AS to focus on immediate, external rewards of exercise, may help them engage in more physical activity. Given the wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits of exercise involvement, developing effective strategies to increase such involvement in high AS individuals is vital.

Moral Foundations Theory Among Autistic and Neurotypical Children

Morality can help guide behavior and facilitate relationships. Although moral judgments by autistic people are similar to neurotypical individuals, many researchers argue that subtle differences signify deficits in autistic individuals. Moral foundation theory describes moral judgments in terms of differences rather than deficits. The current research, aimed at assessing autistic individuals' moral inclinations using Haidt's framework, was co-designed with autistic community members. Our aim was to describe autistic moral thinking from a strengths-based perspective while acknowledging differences that may pose interpersonal challenges among autistic youth. We assessed 25 autistic and 23 neurotypical children's moral judgments using the Moral Foundations Questionnaire for Kids. We used semi-structured interviews and qualitative analysis with a subset of participants to describe children's moral reasoning. Analyses suggested that autistic and neurotypical children make similar judgments about moral transgressions across all five moral foundations. General linear mixed modeling showed that the greatest predictor of recommending punishment was how bad children deemed moral transgressions to be. We also found a trend that autistic children were more likely to recommend punishment for harmless norms violations than were neurotypical children. Future research could use longitudinal methods to understand the development of moral judgments among autistic and neurotypical children.

Examining Social Influences on Why We Drink: Perceived Drinking Motives in the Social Network Impact Individuals' Own Drinking Motives and Alcohol Use

Introduction: A significant body of research has investigated the impacts of social influence and social selection on binge drinking and risk factors for binge drinking in emerging adults; however, one risk factor for binge drinking that has yet to be thoroughly investigated in this regard is drinking motives. Preliminary research suggests the motives of others may impact emerging adults' own alcohol use indirectly through their own motives (i.e., social influence). While these are important findings, research to date has been only conducted with adolescents or dyads and has not examined selection (i.e., selecting social network members with similar motives). We filled these gaps with a longitudinal egocentric social network design. Methods: Emerging adults (N = 177) completed measures on their alcohol use, drinking motives, and social networks at baseline (T1) and four-month follow-up (T2). Results: A cross-lagged panel model indicated T1 perceived network drinking motives predicted T2 participant drinking motives (for all motives but social), but T1 participant drinking motives did not predict T2 perceived network drinking motives. Path analysis indicated T1 perceived network drinking motives predicted T2 participant binge drinking frequency indirectly through T2 participant drinking motives for enhancement, coping-with-anxiety, and conformity, but not social or coping-with-depression, motives. Discussion: Results suggests drinking motives of those around emerging adults impact their own drinking motives, and indirectly, their own alcohol use. We found evidence of social influence, but not social selection. Conclusion: It appears that those around emerging adults have the capacity to influence their drinking behaviors and drinking motives.

Risk and protective factors for posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth in parents of children with intellectual and developmental disorders

BACKGROUND

Parents of children with intellectual and developmental disorders often experience potentially traumatic events while caring for their children. Heightened posttraumatic stress (PTS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG) have been found in this population.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to explore risk and protective factors for their PTS and PTG.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 385 parents (average age M = 43.14 years, SD = 7.40; 95.3% mothers).

RESULTS

Parenting trauma showed an adverse effect on developing PTS (beta = 0.25, p < .01) and a positive role in promoting PTG (beta = 0.16, p < .01). Social support was protective in its correlation with lower levels of PTS (beta = -0.12, p < .01) and higher levels of PTG (beta = 0.22, p < .01). Barriers to care were associated with increased PTS (beta = 0.23, p < .01), but unrelated to PTG (beta = .01, p = .855). Negative parenting showed a significant, but small, correlation with more severe PTS (beta = 0.11, p < .05), and was unrelated to PTG (beta = -0.09, p = .065).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study increases the understanding of posttraumatic reactions in parents, predominantly mothers, of children with IDD and identified parenting-related trauma, social support, and barriers to mental health care as predictive factors of the reactions. More research is needed to confirm and validate the effects of the discussed factors. Although causation can not be inferred, prompt and adequate screening and therapeutic resources should be provided to those mothers who were exposed to multiple stressful caregiving events and had limited healthcare access and less support from their spouses, peers, and caregiving partners.

HIGHLIGHTS

Parents of a child with Intellectual and Developmental Disorders with parenting trauma had higher posttraumatic stress (PTS) and posttraumatic growth (PTG).Social support was related to lower PTS and higher PTG.Barriers to care were related to higher PTS but unrelated to PTG.

Trauma-informed Approaches to Substance Use Interventions with Indigenous Peoples: A Scoping Review

Indigenous Peoples experience disproportionately higher rates of problematic substance use. These problems are situated in a context of individual and intergenerational trauma from colonization, residential schools, and racist and discriminatory practices, policies, and services. Therefore, substance use interventions need to adopt a trauma-informed approach. We aimed to synthesize and report the current literature exploring the intersection of trauma and substance use interventions for Indigenous Peoples. Fourteen databases were searched using keywords for Indigenous Peoples, trauma, and substance use. Of the 1373 sources identified, 117 met inclusion criteria. Literature on trauma and substance use with Indigenous Peoples has increased in the last 5 years (2012-2016, n = 29; 2017-2021, n = 48), with most literature coming from the United States and Canada and focusing on historical or intergenerational trauma. Few articles focused on intersectional identities such as 2SLGBTQIA+ (n = 4), and none focused on veterans. There were limited sources (n = 25) that reported specific interventions at the intersection of trauma and substance use. These sources advocate for multi-faceted, trauma-informed, and culturally safe interventions for use with Indigenous Peoples. This scoping review illuminates gaps in the literature and highlights a need for research reporting on trauma-informed interventions for substance use with Indigenous Peoples.

The impact of depressed mood and coping motives on cannabis use quantity across the menstrual cycle in those with and without pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Reported rates of cannabis use among Canadian females are increasing. Female cannabis users progress to cannabis use disorder more rapidly than males (telescoping) and have higher rates of emotional disorder comorbidity. Addictive behaviors may change, along with mood and motivations, across the menstrual cycle (MC), particularly for females with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This study aimed to determine whether increases in depressed mood and coping motives would predict increased cannabis use pre-menstrually/menstrually, particularly among females with PMDD. We also assessed positive mood and enhancement motive ratings to establish specificity of predicted depressed mood and coping motive results.

DESIGN

Observational study using data collected across 32 days using electronic daily diary methods.

SETTING

Nova Scotia, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Sixty-nine naturally cycling female cannabis users (Mean (M) age = 29.25, Standard Deviation  (SD) = 5.66) with and without retrospectively identified PMDD (via structured clinical interview) and prospectively identified PMDD (via elevated pre-menstrual depressed mood). Self-reported MC phase was validated using salivary progesterone concentrations.

MEASUREMENTS

Depressed/positive mood, coping-/enhancement-motivated cannabis use, and cannabis use quantity.

FINDINGS

Coping motives explained heightened cannabis use pre-menstrually/menstrually in those with retrospectively identified PMDD. Depressed mood explained increased cannabis use menstrually in those with retrospectively/prospectively identified PMDD. Moreover, prospectively identified PMDD significantly moderated the relationship between depressed mood and cannabis use quantity menstrually. In those with prospectively identified PMDD, positive mood and enhancement motives were associated with decreased cannabis use during the follicular/ovulatory phases. Females with versus without retrospectively identified PMDD also displayed greater overall cannabis use quantity (M [SD] = 3.44[2.84] standard joint equivalents versus 1.85[1.82], respectively; U = 277.50, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Depressed mood may explain heightened cannabis use menstrually in females with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder. Coping motives may explain heightened cannabis use pre-menstrually/menstrually in females with retrospectively identified with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder.

Reactivity to Daily Self-Monitoring of Cannabis Use in Biological Females

Assessment reactivity involves changes to behaviours from self-monitoring those behaviours (Nelson & Hayes, 1981). In the substance use field, reactivity has been identified both as a potential confound in daily diary research (Cohn et al., 2015) and as a possible intervention tool in clinical practice (Cohn et al., 2018). Reactivity to daily self-monitoring of alcohol and tobacco use has been inconsistent in prior research. Reactivity to daily self-monitoring of cannabis use quantity has received far less study. This study involved secondary analyses of data from N = 88 females who self-monitored their cannabis use for 32 days. We examined objective reactivity of cannabis use to daily self-monitoring by assessing changes in daily cannabis use over 32 days. We also explored participants' perceptions of the impact daily self-monitoring had on their cannabis use at study completion (i.e., subjective reactivity). In hurdle models testing objective reactivity, neither probability of cannabis use, nor quantity of cannabis use, changed significantly over the study period. Many respondents (45%) reported no subjective reactivity, though a slight majority (55%) reported some subjective reactivity. Subjective reactivity did not moderate objective reactivity over time; however, higher subjective reactivity was significantly associated with increased variability (interquartile range [IQR]) in cannabis use across the self-monitoring period. Overall, reactivity appears unlikely to confound research utilizing daily diary cannabis measures, and daily self-monitoring of cannabis use may be unlikely to serve as a useful stand-alone intervention for reducing cannabis use in non-treatment-seeking individuals. Potential clinical implications of the novel finding of a link between subjective reactivity and objective cannabis use variability are discussed.

Clarifying the Factor Structure of the Self-Compassion Scale

Abstract. Self-compassion is associated with greater well-being and lower psychopathology. There are mixed findings regarding the factor structure and scoring of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). Using confirmatory factor analysis, we tested and conducted nested comparisons of six previously posited factor structures of the SCS. Participants were N = 1,158 Canadian undergraduates (72.8% women, 26.6% men, 0.6% non-binary; Mage = 19.0 years, SD = 2.3). Results best supported a two-factor hierarchical model with six lower-order factors. A general self-compassion factor was not supported at the higher- or lower-order levels; thus, a single total score is not recommended. Given the hierarchical structure, researchers are encouraged to use structural equation models of the SCS with two latent variables: self-caring and self-coldness. A strength of this study is the large sample, while the undergraduate sample may limit generalizability.

A matter of perspective: The convergent and incremental validity of informant-reported drinking motives

INTRODUCTION

Drinkers have social and affective reasons for using alcohol ('drinking motives'). Historically, drinking motives are self-reported. Informant-reports of drinking motives may be useful in corroborating self-report data. Thus, we investigated the correspondence between self- and informant-reports of drinking motives and the incremental validity of informant-reported motives in predicting targets' future alcohol problems.

METHODS

Measures were completed by 174 university-aged, same-sex drinking buddy dyads (66% women) across two waves separated by 30 days. Dyad members who contacted study organisers were treated as targets, and their buddies as informants. Targets self-reported their own drinking motives at baseline, as well as their own alcohol problems at baseline and 30 days later. Informants reported on targets' drinking motives at baseline.

RESULTS

Self- and informant-reports of targets' internal drinking motives (coping-depression and enhancement) showed significant, small positive correlations. Informants-reports of these same internal drinking motives (as well as coping-anxiety) predicted change in targets' alcohol problems over time, thereby providing additional predictive validity beyond that provided by targets' self-reports.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

We encourage incorporating informant-reported internal drinking motives when assessing risk for escalating problem drinking in emerging adult drinkers.

Reasons for Listening to Music Vary by Listeners' Anxiety Sensitivity Levels

Listening to music aids regulation of emotional arousal and valence (positive vs. negative). Anxiety sensitivity (AS; fear of arousal-related sensations) increases the risk for emotion dysregulation and associated coping behaviors such as substance use and exercise avoidance. The relationship between AS and music listening, however, has received very little attention. This study (1) used exploratory factor analysis of 53 items drawn from three previously validated measures of reasons for music listening to identify the core reasons for listening to music among university students and (2) explored associations between AS and reasons for music listening. Undergraduates (N = 788; 77.7% women; Mage = 19.20, SDage = 2.46) completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3, Motives for Listening to Music Questionnaire, Barcelona Musical Reward Questionnaire, and Brief Music in Mood Regulation Scale. Six core reasons for music listening were identified: Coping, Conformity, Revitalization, Social Enhancement, Connection, and Sensory-Motor. Over and above age and gender, AS was associated with Coping and Conformity-reasons that involve relief from aversive emotions. AS also was associated with listening for Connection reasons. AS was not associated with Revitalization, Social Enhancement, or Sensory-Motor-reasons that involve rewards such as heightened positive emotions. Results suggest that individual differences may influence why people incorporate music listening into their day-to-day lives. Further longitudinal and experimental research is needed to establish directionality and causality in the observed relationship of AS to relief-oriented reasons for music listening. Findings may guide music therapists' efforts to tailor treatment for individuals at risk for anxiety and related mental health problems.

Evaluating cannabidiol (CBD) expectancy effects on acute stress and anxiety in healthy adults: a randomized crossover study

RATIONALE

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to attenuate stress and anxiety, but little is known about the extent to which such effects result from pharmacological versus expectancy factors.

OBJECTIVES

We evaluated whether CBD expectancy alone could influence stress, anxiety, and mood, and the extent to which beliefs regarding CBD effects predicted these responses.

METHODS

In this randomized crossover study, 43 health adults (23 women) attended two experimental laboratory sessions, where they self-administered CBD-free hempseed oil sublingually. During one session, they were (incorrectly) informed that the oil contained CBD and in the other session, that the oil was CBD-free. Following administration, participants engaged in the Maastricht Acute Stress Test (MAST). Heart rate variability (HRV) was assessed continuously, and subjective state was assessed at baseline, 90-min following oil administration, immediately following the MAST, and after a 10-min recovery period.

RESULTS

The CBD expectancy condition was associated with increased sedation as well as with changes in HRV that were consistent with heightened anticipatory stress regulation. Overall, there were no systematic changes in subjective stress, or anxiety, according to expectancy condition. However, participants who endorsed strong a priori beliefs that CBD has anxiolytic properties reported significantly diminished anxiety in the CBD expectancy condition.

CONCLUSIONS

CBD expectancy alone impacted several subjective and physiological responses. Additionally, expectancy-related factors were implicated in anxiolytic effects of CBD for those who believed it was helpful for such purposes, emphasizing the need to measure and control for CBD-related expectancies in clinical research that involves the administration of CBD.

Personality to Prescription Drug Misuse in Adolescents: Testing Affect Regulation, Psychological Dysregulation, and Deviance Proneness Pathways

Background: Fifteen to 25-year-olds are the age group most likely to misuse prescription drugs. Few studies have tested theory-driven models of adolescent risk for prescription drug misuse. Moreover, rarely are distinct pathways to different forms of prescription drug misuse considered. Methods: We tested mediational paths from personality to mental health symptoms to prescription drug misuse, informed by etiological models of addiction. We specified pathways from particular personality traits to unique forms of prescription drug misuse via specific mental health symptoms. We used semi-longitudinal data collected across two waves of the Co-Venture Trial. Our sample included students from 31 Canadian high schools tested in Grade 9 (n = 3,024) and again in Grade 10 (n = 2,869; 95% retention). Personality (hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, impulsivity, sensation seeking) was assessed in Grade 9. Mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, ADHD, conduct disorder) and prescription drug misuse (opioids, sedatives/tranquilizers, stimulants) were assessed at both time points. Results: Consistent with the negative affect regulation model, hopelessness was specifically associated with opioid misuse via depressive symptoms, and anxiety sensitivity was specifically associated with sedative/tranquilizer misuse via anxiety symptoms. Consistent with positive affect regulation, sensation seeking was directly associated with stimulant misuse. Consistent with the psychological dysregulation model, impulsivity was associated with stimulant misuse via ADHD symptoms. And consistent with the deviance proneness model, impulsivity was also associated with unconstrained (i.e., all three forms of) prescription drug misuse via conduct disorder symptoms. Conclusions: Screening for adolescents high in hopelessness, anxiety sensitivity, sensation seeking, or impulsivity and providing them with personality-matched cognitive-behavioral interventions may be helpful in preventing or mitigating prescription drug misuse. Our results point to the specific mental health symptoms that are important to target in each of these personality-matched interventions.

COVID-19 psychological and financial stress and their links to drinking: A dyadic analysis in romantic couples

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented event for the entire world. Stay-at-home orders, many children being taught at home, health anxieties, and the subsequent economic downturn have collectively resulted in significant stress. Recent work has established that some individuals report drinking more in response to experiencing pandemic-related stress, but data has largely been limited to individuals and to psychological stress. Methods: This research investigated how own (actor) and partner psychological and financial stress about the pandemic were associated with alcohol consumption, high-intensity drinking frequency, coping motives, and alcohol-related problems in a sample of 118 couples during the month of July 2020. We also explored whether own (actor) and partner effects were moderated by gender. Results: Results using indistinguishable Actor-partner interdependence models (APIMs) demonstrated that own psychological stress was associated with higher scores on all drinking indices, and own financial stress was associated with higher coping motives and alcohol-related problems. Partner psychological and financial stress was related to own greater endorsement of coping motives, and partner financial stress was related to own greater endorsement of alcohol-related problems. In APIMs with mixed-sex couples, men's psychological and financial stress were positively related to both his own and his partner's drinks per week, high-intensity drinking, and coping motives. Men's financial stress was also positively related to his own and his partner's alcohol-related problems. Conclusions: Results provide considerable insight into couple dynamics related to pandemic stress and have direct implications for alcohol prevention and treatment efforts as we navigate this serious crisis. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Two aspects of psychological functioning in undergraduates with a history of reading difficulties: anxiety and self-efficacy

Reading difficulties have been associated with problems in psychological functioning, including challenges in both anxiety and self-efficacy. This study was designed to determine whether such psychological functioning problems are specific to the academic sphere or more global. First-year undergraduate students with and without a history of reading difficulties (n = 40 and 46, respectively) completed standardized questionnaires on general and academic anxiety, and social and academic self-efficacy. Students with a history of reading difficulties reported higher academic anxiety, but comparable general anxiety, relative to those with no such history. Students with a history of reading difficulties also reported lower academic self-efficacy, but comparable social self-efficacy, relative to those with no such history. These findings suggest that students with a history of reading difficulties, as compared to those without such history, experience academic-specific mental health symptoms involving heightened anxiety and low self-efficacy as they enter university. These results point to the need for focused and targeted assessments to be able to capture difficulties they experience with anxiety and self-efficacy and interventions to help them cope with these difficulties. More broadly, the findings have implications for how universities assess academic vulnerabilities and provide access to specific course accommodations.

Sex differences in maladaptive emotional and behavioral responses to COVID-19: What is the role of personality?

Males are more non-adherent to public health measures for containing COVID-19 while females experience more COVID-19-related distress. Personality traits may influence both non-adherence and distress. We examined sensation seeking (SS), anxiety sensitivity (AS), impulsivity, and hopelessness as traits potentially associated with non-adherence and distress in response to COVID-19. Furthermore, we sought to understand if known sex differences in SS (male > female) and AS (female > male) may explain sex differences on these two COVID-19 outcomes. In the first month of the pandemic, 400 adults (mean age = 32.16 years; 45.3%F) completed the Substance Use Risk Profile Scale to assess personality. Degree of adherence to public health recommendations and COVID-19-related distress were also measured. Male sex was indirectly related to poorer adherence to stay-at-home advisories via SS, and female sex was indirectly related to higher COVID-19 distress via AS. Personality-targeted interventions may help reduce non-adherence and COVID-19 distress, potentially reducing sex differences.

Examining Associations Between Social Networking Site Alcohol-Specific Social Norms, Posting Behavior, and Drinking to Cope During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Emerging research suggests that there may be important links between social networking site (SNS) use and alcohol consumption specific to COVID-19. In addition, substantial research indicates that descriptive normative perceptions are a strong predictor of drinking behavior more generally. However, less is known about SNS-specific norms and how they might be associated with health-related behavior. Thus, the primary goal of this study was to determine whether descriptive normative perceptions for alcohol posting related to COVID-19 on SNSs are associated with both personal SNS posting behavior and drinking to cope with COVID-19-related stress, among a sample of 587 adults (48.4 percent women; mean age = 48.7 years) across the United States. All study procedures were approved by the local IRB. Results indicate that perceiving same-age peers to be posting on SNSs about their alcohol use to cope with pandemic-related stress/boredom is associated with both an increased likelihood of making such postings oneself and increased drinking to cope with the pandemic. Results have important implications for prevention and intervention efforts aimed to curb risky drinking during the pandemic and suggest that SNS behavior and norms should be incorporated into these strategies.

Trait Impulsivity Impedes Maturing Out of Problem Drinking Among Socially Anxious Undergraduates

AIMS

Alcohol use follows a developmental trajectory-steadily increasing and peaking in the early stages of emerging adulthood (e.g. first year of university) and declining thereafter. While most individuals 'mature out' of problem drinking as they move through emerging adulthood, some continue to drink heavily and experience serious problems. Tension reduction theory identifies social anxiety (SA) as a potential risk factor for problem drinking during emerging adulthood. However, mixed data suggest that the associations between SA and drinking behaviours are not straightforward. Cross-sectional studies demonstrate that socially anxious emerging adults are at risk for problem drinking, but only if they are also high in trait impulsivity. This study aimed to expand on previous work by examining trait impulsivity as moderator of the prospective associations between SA and maturing out of problem drinking in emerging adulthood.

METHODS

Undergraduates (N = 302) completed online self-reports at regular intervals (6-months) over an 18-month period, resulting in four waves of data.

RESULTS

Unconditional latent growth curve models indicated that alcohol problems (but not use) declined linearly over time. Next, conditional growth curve models revealed that SA was associated with impeded maturing out of alcohol problems, but this effect was only present in socially anxious participants with high levels of trait impulsivity.

CONCLUSION

Our study advances growing literature on the crucial moderating role that impulsivity plays in the SA pathway to problem drinking. Clinical interventions for problem drinking among socially anxious students should both assess for and target concurrent impulsivity.