Relationships between drinking motives and smoking expectancies among daily smokers who are also problem drinkers

Night Screen Time is Associated with Cognitive Function in Healthy Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

In recent years, a significant shift toward remote work, virtual education, and social distancing measures was witnessed, thereby leading people to increasingly depend on digital devices for communication, work, and entertainment. This increased exposure to screens has raised concerns regarding its potential impact on cognitive function.

Purpose

This study investigated the relationship between screen time and cognitive function among healthy young adults.

Methods

One hundred forty-five healthy individuals (mean age 21.55 ± 2.84 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic information including age, sex, height, weight, and level of education were obtained. Participants reported screen time using a screen time questionnaire. Cognitive function tests including, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) were conducted. Multilinear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between age, sex, level of education, screen time, and cognitive function.

Results

One hundred thirty-nine participants (76 women) completed the study. Increased night screen time, bachelor's educational level, and women were associated with lower PASAT scores (R2=0.258; p≤0.047). Moreover, increased night screen time was associated with lower MoCA scores (R2=0.029; p=0.035). However, no associations were found between night screen time and SDMT scores.

Conclusion

Participants who had higher night screen exposure had lower cognitive scores in the information speed processing, working memory, calculation, and attention domains. Considering these findings, this study emphasizes on the importance of setting a future recommended screen time guidelines for young adults as well as to promote healthy cognitive habits in order to preserve cognitive function and reduce the risk of developing neurodegenerative disease in the future. Future prospective cohort studies involving a more diverse age range is needed.

Psychopathic Traits Are Associated with Lifetime History of Nicotine Dependence among Incarcerated Offenders

Background: Individuals scoring high on psychopathy engage in problematic patterns of alcohol and illicit substance use. However, our understanding regarding the association between psychopathy and nicotine use remains limited, which is surprising, given the detrimental consequences associated with such use. Previous studies have observed significant correlations between psychopathic traits (particularly Factor 2 scores assessing lifestyle/behavioral and antisocial traits from the Psychopathy Checklist - Revised [PCL-R]) and increased frequency of nicotine use. However, no study has investigated whether individuals scoring high on psychopathy are characterized by problematic patterns of nicotine use, including lifetime history of nicotine dependence.Objectives: The current study aimed to address this gap, specifically investigating whether PCL-R scores were associated with higher total scores from the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND).Results: Across both incarcerated men and women, PCL-R total, Factor 2, and Facet 3 (measuring lifestyle/behavioral psychopathic traits) scores were positively correlated with FTND total scores. Additionally, across both samples, hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed these same psychopathy scores remained associated with higher FTND total scores when controlling for additional covariate measures (e.g., age, severity of alcohol and illicit substance use, race, ethnicity, and IQ).Conclusions/Importance: Though associated with small effect sizes, our results support the notion that lifestyle/behavioral psychopathic traits represent a general risk factor for engaging in risky behavior associated with deleterious health consequences, including nicotine use. Our results hold implications for the development of treatment approaches, designed to reduce problematic levels of substance use among individuals scoring high on psychopathy.

Learning from experience: Within- and between-person associations of the consequences, frequency, and versatility of nonsuicidal self-injury

OBJECTIVE

Behavioral models of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) propose that experiencing desirable consequences following NSSI reinforces the behavior. However, these models do not specify whether experiencing more desirable consequences relative to other people (between-person), an individual's own average (within-person), or both, predicts NSSI severity. To address this gap, this study investigated the prospective, within- and between-person associations of desirable NSSI consequences with NSSI frequency (number of episodes) and versatility (number of methods).

METHODS

Two hundred and ten individuals (93.81% female, M_age  = 22.95) with a history of NSSI completed online surveys assessing NSSI consequences, frequency, and versatility every three months for one year.

RESULTS

Within-person increases in desirable emotional consequences were unrelated to NSSI frequency three months later but predicted increases in NSSI versatility. Within-person increases in desirable social consequences predicted decreases in NSSI frequency three months later but were unrelated to NSSI versatility. Between-person variability in desirable consequences was unrelated to NSSI severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings were partially consistent with behavioral models of NSSI. Going forward, we recommend that: (1) behavioral models articulate the salience of within-person fluctuations in consequences; (2) research clarifies the role of social consequences; and (3) clinicians use repeated assessments of emotional consequences to identify periods of elevated NSSI risk.

The synergetic effect of alcohol consumption and cigarettes per day on smoking outcomes expectancies among Latinx adult smokers

The present study investigated alcohol consumption and cigarettes per day in relation to smoking outcome expectancies among Spanish-speaking Latinx daily smokers (N = 371). There was a significant interaction between alcohol consumption and number of cigarettes per day on positive smoking expectancies. Specifically, alcohol consumption has a stronger association with positive expectancies for smoking at lower rates of cigarettes per day. No such interaction was evident for negative consequence smoking expectancies. The current study highlights the potential importance of alcohol consumption and smoking rate for better understanding smoking outcome expectancies among Latinx smokers.

The Relationship Between Neighborhood Disorder and Barriers to Cessation in a Sample of Impoverished Inner-City Smokers in Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Introduction

Economic disparities in rates of smoking have been well documented in many countries. These disparities exist on an individual and geographic or neighborhood level. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between neighborhood physical and social disorder and barriers to smoking cessation among an impoverished urban sample.

Methods

A sample of current smokers were recruited through street outreach, posted advertisements, and word of mouth from impoverished neighborhoods in Baltimore, Maryland, USA for a study of psychosocial factors and smoking behaviors. Neighborhood disorder was assessed with a 10-item scale from the Block Environmental Inventory and barriers to cessation with a 9-item scale.

Results

In the multiple logistic regression model, perceived stress (aOR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.32 to 1.95), neighborhood disorder (aOR= 1.34, 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.63), and level of nicotine dependence (aOR = 1.97), 95% CI = 1.62 to 2.40) were all strongly associated with barriers to cessation.

Conclusion

The results of this study suggest that neighborhood disorder may lead to barriers to cessation among low-income populations. The findings also indicate that tobacco control interventions should examine and address social and physical aspects of impoverished neighborhoods.

Implications

In many countries, tobacco control programs and policies have been less effective among low-income populations as compared to more affluent populations. Little is known about how neighborhood factors influence smoking cessation. This study examined the relationship between neighborhood disorder and barriers to cessation among a low-income population. We recruited a convenience sample of hard-to-reach cigarette smokers from low-income neighborhoods. Even after controlling for level of nicotine dependence and stress, neighborhood disorder was found to be associated with barriers to cessation. The findings suggest the important role of neighborhood disorder as a barrier to smoking cessation.

Psychometric evaluation of the Barriers to Cessation Scale

The Barriers to Cessation Scale (BCS; Macnee & Talsma, 1995a) was developed to assess global and specific perceived barriers that may interfere with the quit process. Although the BCS is widely used in the literature, little scientific work has been devoted to examining the psychometric properties of the measure. Thus, the present study sought to address this gap by evaluating the BCS in a sample of 497 treatment-seeking smokers. The current study examined the factor structure of the BCS, measurement invariance of the BCS subscales across sex and over 2 time points, and evaluated construct validity. Results indicated that the BCS was best modeled by a higher order factor structure wherein the originally proposed 3-factor solution (Addiction, External, and Internal) constituted the lower order and a global factor constituted the higher order factor. The higher order BCS structure demonstrated partial measurement invariance across sex and full measurement invariance from baseline to quit day among treatment seeking smokers. Additionally, expected relations were observed between the BCS subscales and similar and divergent constructs, and predictive validity was partially supported. The current findings provide novel empirical evidence that the BCS is a reliable measure of perceived barriers to smoking cessation across multiple domains and is related to several affective and smoking processes the may interfere with the process of quitting. (PsycINFO Database Record

Treatment attrition: Associations with negative affect smoking motives and barriers to quitting among treatment-seeking smokers

INTRODUCTION

Pre-treatment attrition and perceived barriers for quitting are clinically important processes involved in early phases of quitting smoking. However, less is known about the constructs that may contribute to these processes such as negative affect reduction smoking motives.

METHOD

The current study sought to evaluate the relation between negative affect reduction smoking motives and pre-treatment attrition and perceived barriers for quitting in a sample of 425 treatment-seeking smokers (48.5% female; Mage=37.69 years; SD=13.61) enrolled in a smoking cessation study examining the efficacy of a transdiagnostic panic-smoking cessation treatment relative to a standard smoking cessation treatment.

RESULTS

Results indicated that greater negative affect reduction smoking motives was associated with an increased likelihood of treatment initiation (odds ratio=1.49, CI: 1.09, 2.04). Additionally, negative affect reduction smoking motives was associated with greater perceived barriers for cessation among pre-treatment drop-outs and treatment initiators.

CONCLUSIONS

This initial investigation provides evidence for the possible clinical utility in addressing negative affect reduction smoking motives during early stages of quitting. Additionally, such findings could potentially inform the development of personalized, early stages of quitting interventions for smoking cessation.

The Interactive Effects of Drinking Motives, Age, and Self-Criticism in Predicting Hazardous Drinking

BACKGROUND

Individuals who disclose hazardous drinking often report strong motives to drink, which may occur to modulate views of the self. Investigating self-criticism tendencies in models of drinking motives may help explain who is more susceptible to drinking for internal or external reasons. As much of the research on drinking motives and alcohol use is conducted in young adult or college student samples, studying these relations in a wider age range is clearly needed.

OBJECTIVES

The current study examined the interactive relationship between drinking motives (internal: coping, enhancement; external: social, conformity), levels of self-criticism (internalized, comparative), and age to predict hazardous drinking.

METHODS

Participants (N = 427, Mage = 34.16, 54.8% female) who endorsed drinking within the last year completed an online study assessing these constructs.

RESULTS

Results indicated internalized self-criticism and drinking to cope interacted to predict hazardous drinking for middle-aged adults. However, comparative self-criticism and conformity motives interacted to predict greater hazardous drinking for younger-aged adults. In addition, both social and conformity motives predicted less hazardous drinking for middle-aged adults high in comparative self-criticism.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE

Interventions that target alcohol use could minimize coping motivations to drink while targeting comparative self-criticism in the context of social, and conformity motives.

Higher-Order and Bifactor Models of the Drinking Motives Questionnaire

The Drinking Motives Questionnaire, previously postulated and documented to exhibit a measurement structure of four correlated factors (social, enhancement, conformity, and coping), is a widely administered assessment of reasons for consuming alcohol. In the current study ( N = 552), confirmatory factor analyses tested the plausibility of several theoretically relevant factor structures. Fit indices corroborated the original four-factor model, and also supported a higher-order factor model involving a superordinate motives factor that explicated four subordinate factors. A bifactor model that permitted items to double load on valence type (positive or negative reinforcement) and source type (external or internal) generated mixed results, suggesting that this 2 × 2 motivation paradigm was not entirely tenable. Optimal fit was obtained for a bifactor model depicting a general factor and four specific factors of motives. Latent factors derived from this structure exhibited criterion validity in predicting frequency and quantity of alcohol usage in a structural equation model. Findings are interpreted in the context of theoretical implications of the instrument, alternative factor structures of drinking motives, and assessment applications.

The influence of drinking motives on hookah use frequency among young multi-substance users

PURPOSE

The present work examined the influence of drinking motives on hookah use frequency among individuals reporting both alcohol and hookah use (multi-substance users). Despite growing documentation of cross-substance effects between motives and substance use, limited research has examined these relationships specifically with respect to hookah use.

METHODS

Participants were 134 (75.37% female) hookah and alcohol users, aged 18-47 years (M = 22.17, SD = 3.66) who completed measures of substance use, drinking motives, and reported demographic information. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to investigate the predictive value of drinking motives on hookah use frequency, age taken into account.

RESULTS

Findings showed that hookah use was negatively associated with age (β = -.22, p ≤ .01). The model regressing hookah use on the four drinking motives provided adequate fit (χ² = 314.31, df = 180, p < .05, CFI = .92, RMSEA = .075 [95% CI, .06-.09]). Hookah use was associated negatively with social motives (β = -.43, p < .001) and positively with conformity motives (β = .24, p ≤ .05).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings are consistent with multi-substance use literature suggesting that drinking motives are associated with the use of other substances, including increased hookah use frequency. Additional examinations of cross-substance cognitive processes are needed, particularly with respect to understanding whether hookah use among multi-substance users may be contingent in part on individual factors including negative affectivity.

The influence of cannabis motives on alcohol, cannabis, and tobacco use among treatment-seeking cigarette smokers

OBJECTIVES

The present study evaluated the effects of cannabis motives on multi-substance use in an effort to examine the incremental validity of cannabis motives with respect to substance use outcomes.

METHODS

Participants were 167 treatment-seeking smokers (41.92% female; Mage=28.74; SD=11.88) who reported smoking an average of 10 or more cigarettes daily for at least one year.

RESULTS

Structural equation modeling was used to examine the association between cannabis motives and two dependent variables each for alcohol (drinking frequency and alcohol problems), cannabis (cannabis use frequency and cannabis problems), and tobacco (average cigarettes per day and nicotine dependence). Findings indicated that conformity motives were linked with increases in alcohol problems and cannabis problems. Enhancement motives were associated with increased cannabis use and cannabis problems. Coping motives were linked with increased cannabis use and cannabis problems. Contrary to expectations, expansion motives were associated with reductions in the number of cigarettes smoked per day. Also, results supported expectations that the observed effects due to cannabis motives were unique from shared variance with theoretically relevant covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings supported predictions that cannabis motives would evince effects on the use of multiple substances over and above theoretically relevant variables. However, results indicate that the relationship between cannabis motives and multi-substance use is complex, and therefore, additional research is warranted to better understand substance use intervention.