Lingering Effects of COVID-19 Stressors on Mental Health and Alcohol Use in Middle Aged to Older Adults.

Background: Older adults have faced not only health threats but grave mental health challenges since the emergence of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Using factor analysis, this study is the first to identify the underlying dimensions of COVID-19-related stressors, then examine the relationship between these factors and mental health and alcohol use/misuse longitudinally in a middle aged to older adult sample in the United States.

Methods: As part of a long-term follow-up study, 921 survey participants completed measures of COVID-related stressors, psychological distress, and alcohol use/misuse in a 2020 survey.

Effects of chronic workplace harassment on mental health and alcohol misuse: a long-term follow-up.

Background: Research on the impacts of exposure to workplace harassment (WH) is largely cross-sectional, and existing prospective studies generally are between two and five years of follow-up, with the longest US study being 10 years. However, the effects of exposure to WH may persist longer, particularly if exposure has been chronic. This study fills this gap by examining effects of prior exposure to chronic sexual and generalized WH on psychological distress and alcohol misuse over an approximately 25 year study period.

Relationships between school harassment and problematic drinking in a college sample: Is need for approval a moderator?

Examines whether a personality characteristic, need for approval, moderates the relationship between harassment exposure and alcohol misuse over time in a college sample, and compare the results between genders. Six waves of data (fall 2011 to fall 2015) were collected from 1,240 study participants sampled from eight colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States. Two-level mixed modeling was conducted separately for exposure to sexual and generalized harassment and modeled separately for women and men.

Alcohol-related effects of POST-9/11 discrimination in the context of the great recession: Race/ethnic variation.

Objectives: This study examined whether race/ethnic variation in discrimination is differentially associated with economic adversity during the period of the Great Recession for Blacks and Latinos compared to non-Hispanic Whites, thereby contributing to higher rates of alcohol use and problematic drinking among these groups.

Methods: Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data from a national mail survey.

Results: The association of 9/11-related discrimination with problem-related drinking substantially derives from the association between 9/11-related discrimination and recession-era economic adversity.

Age Cohort Variation in Drinking among People with Physical Impairments: Politically-oriented Coping in the Wake of the Great Recession.

People with physical impairments are at greater risk for economic hardship and more alcohol-related problems compared to the general population. We address age cohort differences in modes of coping with economic adversity and the extent to which modes of coping explain the relationships between age cohort membership and drinking outcomes among people with physical impairments. 176 respondents with physical impairments derived from a national sample completed a mail survey.

Effects of Workplace Generalized and Sexual Harassment on Abusive Drinking Among First Year Male and Female College Students: Does Prior Drinking Experience Matter?

Background: Workplace harassment, a known risk factor for adult drinking, is understudied in college samples, but may help explain observed gender differences in drinking patterns.

Objective: We examine effects of sexual and generalized workplace harassment on changes in drinking behavior over the first semesters of college, and the extent to which these effects differ based on prematriculation drinking for men and women students.

Method: Data derive from two waves of a longitudinal study of eight Midwestern colleges and universities.

It isn't all just fun and games: Collegiate participation in extracurricular activities and risk for generalized and sexual harassment, psychological distress, and alcohol use.

Collegiate extracurricular activities, despite their benefits, may place students at an increased risk for experiencing harassment. This study utilizes multiple waves of data from an online longitudinal survey to examine how participation in college activities (intramural sports, fraternities/sororities, school clubs) relates to experiences of sexual and generalized harassment and outcomes (psychological distress, heavy alcohol use) among undergraduates (N = 1852, 58.6% female, 57.

Risk factors and outcomes of chronic sexual harassment during the transition to college: Examination of a two-part growth mixture model.

A two-part latent growth mixture model was implemented in order to examine heterogeneity in the growth of sexual harassment (SH) victimization in college and university students, and the extent to which SH class membership explains substance use and mental health outcomes for certain groups of students. Demographic risk factors, mental health, and substance use were examined as they related to chronically experienced SH victimization. Incoming freshmen students (N = 2855; 58% female; 54% White) completed a survey at five time points.

Economic Stressors and Psychological Distress: Exploring Age Cohort Variation in the Wake of the Great Recession.

This study examined processes linking age cohort, economic stressors, coping strategies and two indicators of psychological distress (i.e. depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms).

Economic stressors and alcohol-related outcomes: exploring age cohort differences.

Objectives: This study examined processes linking age cohort, economic stressors, coping strategies and two drinking-related outcomes (i.e., past-month drinking and problematic drinking).

Chronic Generalized Harassment During College: Influences on Alcohol and Drug Use.

The experience of chronic generalized harassment from others can have a deleterious impact on individuals over time. Specifically, coping resources may be taxed, resulting in the use of avoidant coping strategies such as substance use. However, little is known about the experience of chronic generalized harassment (e.

Economic stressors and alcohol-related outcomes: exploring gender differences in the mediating role of somatic complaints.

This study examined processes linking economic stressors, somatic complaints, and two alcohol-related outcomes (past-month drinking and problematic drinking). Structural equation models of data from a national survey revealed that somatic complaints partly explain the association between economic stressors and problematic drinking. The associations of both economic stressors and somatic complaints with problematic drinking were significantly greater for men than women.

The great recession and drinking outcomes: protective effects of politically oriented coping.

Research derived from the stress paradigm suggests that certain types of coping (e.g., problem-focused coping instead of behavioral disengagement) are protective against problem-related drinking to deal with social stressors.

Age Differences in the Longitudinal Relationship between Work-Family Conflict and Alcohol Use.

Research on the relationship between work-family conflict and alcohol use has generally shown small effects possibly due to failure to include important individual differences relevant to the experience of work-family conflict and alcohol use, notably age. This study examined whether the relationships between aspects of work-family conflict and alcohol use variables differed by age. Participants were 543 individuals (51.

Bullying victimization among college students: negative consequences for alcohol use.

This study reports the prevalence of bullying victimization at school and work among college freshmen and the relationships between victimization and changes in alcohol consumption and alcohol problems. Web survey data at 2 time points from a sample of 2118 freshmen from 8 colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States indicated that 43% of students experienced bullying at school and that 33% of students experienced bullying at work. Bullying, particularly at school, consistently predicted alcohol consumption and problematic drinking, after controlling for baseline drinking and other school and work stressors.

Work-family conflict and alcohol use: examination of a moderated mediation model.

Research consistently documents the negative effects of work-family conflict; however, little research focuses on alcohol use. This study embraces a tension reduction theory of drinking, wherein alcohol use is thought to reduce the negative effects of stress. The purpose of the study was to test a moderated mediation model of the relationship between work-family conflict and alcohol use in a Chicagoland community sample of 998 caregivers.

Sex differences in mediating and moderating processes linking economic stressors, psychological distress, and drinking.

Objective: Given the recent downturn in the U.S. economy, we considered in this study the processes linking economic stressors, psychological distress, and two alcohol-related outcomes (past-month drinking and problematic drinking).

The Great Recession, somatic symptomatology and alcohol use and abuse.

While most research has examined the long-term effects of alcohol consumption on health, the current study examines how health status impacts on drinking behavior. Using data from a national study conducted between 2010 and 2011 to assess the impact of the recession on drinking behavior, this study examines how economic hardships linked to the recent economic recession affect physical health, and how physical health may in turn affect alcohol use. Structural equation models were used to test the predicted associations.

Drinking in the age of the Great Recession.

The United States has been experiencing the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression. This article presents the Life Change Consequences of the Great Recession (LCCGR), an instrument depicting work and personal life-related stressors reflecting the enduring effects of the Great Recession. A national sample of 663 respondents completed a mail survey including this instrument and measures of drinking outcomes.

Duration of sexual harassment and generalized harassment in the workplace over ten years: effects on deleterious drinking outcomes.

Although harassment in the workplace has been linked to deleterious drinking outcomes, researchers have yet to examine the long-term effects of chronic workplace harassment. During a 10-year longitudinal mail survey, university employees (N = 2,265) were administered measures of sexual harassment, generalized workplace harassment, and problematic drinking. Using growth mixture modeling, two latent classes of workplace harassment emerged: infrequent and chronic.

A natural history study of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Objective: There is a need for natural history chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) studies from random, community-based, multi-ethnic populations.

Design: The present study examined the course of CFS from Wave 1 to Wave 2, which spanned over a ten year period of time, and, assessed whether socio-environmental and symptomatology factors were associated with CFS status over the ten year period.

Results: There was relative stability over time on critical measures of disability, fatigue, support, optimism and coping over time.

CFS prevalence and risk factors over time.

The present natural history study examined the course of CFS from 1995-97 (Wave 1) to approximately 10 years later (Wave 2) from a random, community-based, multi-ethnic population. The rate of CFS remained approximately the same over the period of time from Wave 1 to Wave 2, although a high level of mortality was found (18% of those with medical or psychiatric exclusions group, 12.5% for the CFS group).

Caregiver burden and alcohol use in a community sample.

Little attention has been paid to the relationship between caregiver burden and alcohol use. It is important to examine the particular aspects of caregiver burden that most influence alcohol use. A mail survey was conducted using a representative sample of 998 employed Chicago residents who provided informal care for at least one person.

Mental health service utilization and drinking outcomes in a national population sample: are there racial/ethnic differences?

Racial and ethnic disparities in alcohol use and alcohol-related problems have been well-documented. Less information is available about possible disparities in outcomes related to mental health services utilization. The differential effect of mental health services use by race on drinking outcomes was examined.

Terrorism, distress, and drinking: vulnerability and protective factors.

Research has demonstrated effects of 9/11 on distress and drinking outcomes in individuals directly affected and indirectly affected across the United States. Fewer studies have addressed vulnerability and protective factors shown to moderate the effects of stress exposure. We report findings from a Midwestern workplace cohort study.