The effect of impulsivity and drinking motives on alcohol outcomes in college students: a 3-year longitudinal analysis

Objective: Substance use is a public health concern and cross-sectional studies have found that impulsivity and drinking motives influence substance use in emerging adults. Despite these findings, longitudinal studies with nuanced measures of impulsivity and drinking motives are needed. Participants: The current study investigated the three-year relationship between impulsivity-related traits, drinking motives, sex, and drinking outcomes in a sample of 509 college students (47.47% male; 81% White). Methods: The effects of impulsivity traits and drinking motives on problematic drinking outcomes were evaluated using linear mixed effects models. Results: The results confirmed the hypothesized relationship between traits of impulsivity, drinking motives, and alcohol outcomes over time. Further, sex significantly interacted with drinking motives longitudinally in its relationship with alcohol use outcomes. Conclusions: These results indicate that intervention efforts may need to be tailored to specific individual attributes to target direct correlates of alcohol use behavior to increase effectiveness.

Person-Environment Fit, Substance Use Attitudes, and Early Adolescent Substance Use

BACKGROUND

Adolescent substance use is a national health concern. While the literature is clear on the prevalence of substance use during the adolescent developmental period, a dearth of literature is available on the developmental contexts, particularly the influence of school factors, in which substance use occurs.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the intermediary role of substance use attitudes on the relationship between school racial composition and alcohol and marijuana use in a sample of sixth to eighth graders.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 4228 middle school students (89% White; 53% female) in the Midwest. A moderated mediation analysis was conducted on the relationship between school racial composition, substance use attitudes, and substance use, with race as the moderator.

RESULTS

Results indicated a significant relationship between the percentage of White or Black students in a school and alcohol or marijuana use and that this relationship was mediated by substance use attitudes. These relationships did not differ significantly by student race. Conclusions/Importance: Preliminary findings indicate the importance of considering school racial composition as a systems level risk or promotive factor for attitudes toward substance use as well as substance use outcomes.

Psychological characteristics of volunteers in studies on gambling

Advertisements were published in local newspapers asking for volunteers to participate in a study on gambling. A battery of eleven questionnaires was mailed to the subjects assessing pathological gambling behavior, sociodemographic characteristics, motivation to gamble, erroneous perceptions about gambling, superstitious beliefs, depressive symptoms, social anxiety and avoidance, alcohol and drug abuse, problem-solving skills, and marital satisfaction. Subjects received $10 when they returned the questionnaires fully completed. Response rate was over 95%. Surprisingly, 29% of the respondents met the criterion for probable pathological gambling (score of 5 or more on the SOGS) and a further 16% were identified as potential pathological gamblers (scores of 3 or 4). The potential and probable pathological gamblers showed significant differences on motivational and cognitive variables related to gambling compared to those subjects who showed no signs of pathological gambling. The probable pathological gamblers reported significantly more signs of poor psychosocial functioning than the other two groups, including depressive symptoms, poor problem orientation, drug and alcohol abuse, and interpersonal conflict. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.

Prevalence of ocular hemorrhage in patients receiving warfarin therapy

BACKGROUND

Warfarin, the drug most commonly used for outpatient anticoagulation therapy, has bleeding as its main side effect. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of ocular hemorrhage in patients receiving warfarin and to compare it to the prevalence in the general population.

METHODS

Patients receiving warfarin therapy who were attending the anticoagulation clinic at a tertiary care hospital in Montreal between October and December 1996 received a flyer inviting them to have their eyes examined to look for "ocular bleeding." Consenting patients were examined for subconjunctival hemorrhage, gross hyphema, and vitreous and retinal hemorrhages through external ocular examination and funduscopic examination with the pupils dilated using direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy.

RESULTS

Of the 1225 patients seen at the clinic 126 (10%) agreed to participate. Four patients (3%) were found to have intraretinal hemorrhage at the time of examination. All hemorrhages were visually insignificant.

INTERPRETATION

The risk of retinal hemorrhage in patients without preexisting ocular disease, such as retinal neovascularization or choroidal vasculopathy, who are receiving warfarin therapy is so small that it should not deter physicians from prescribing this drug when indicated.