Impact of Ethnic Composition on Mechanisms of Change in School-Based Substance Use Intervention Groups.

Delivering alcohol use intervention services in the school setting represents a key approach to engaging youth of all backgrounds, particularly underserved populations, in such programming. Relative progress has been made toward implementing culturally responsive services for youth; however, little is known about the role of ethnic composition on group processes purported to underlie mechanisms of change. We examined associations between ethnic group composition and therapeutic processes within a voluntary, school-based alcohol use intervention at seven schools across three cities (N groups = 353).

Peer Victimization and Adolescent Adjustment: Does School Belonging Matter?

Recent research highlights the role of peer victimization in students' adjustment across a variety of domains (e.g., academic, social), but less often identifies potential mediating variables.

Alcohol and Other Drug Use in Middle School: The Interplay of Gender, Peer Victimization, and Supportive Social Relationships.

The current study examined the impact of supportive social relationships (i.e., teacher support, adult support, school relatedness) and peer victimization on middle school students' substance use.

Social Anxiety and Onset of Drinking in Early Adolescence.

The present study examines several types of social anxiety that may be associated with the onset of alcohol use in middle school students, and whether the relationship differs by sex and grade. Students in the seventh and eighth grades (N = 2621) completed the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents and a measure of lifetime drinking via school-wide surveys. Distinct aspects of social anxiety were associated with higher and lower rates of onset of alcohol use.

Self-medication or social learning? A comparison of models to predict early adolescent drinking.

The current study examined the effects of social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and alcohol expectancies of social behavior change on alcohol involvement to determine whether the self-medication and/or social learning models predicted drinking behavior in a sample of over 400 eighth grade students. Middle school students completed confidential surveys that assessed current alcohol use and expectancies as well as negative affectivity including social anxiety and depressive symptoms. Consistent with the self-medication hypothesis, depressive symptoms predicted more frequent and heavier alcohol use as well as solitary drinking.

An examination of self-medication and rebound effects: Psychiatric symptomatology before and after alcohol or drug relapse.

This study evaluated psychiatric symptoms preceding and following initial posttreatment substance use episodes. 125 veterans meeting DSM-IV criteria for alcohol, cannabis, and/or stimulant dependence at treatment entry were followed with quarterly interviews for one year. Approximately half of the sample met criteria for substance use disorders only (n = 65; SUD-only) and half additionally met criteria for an independent non-substance related Axis I disorder (n = 60; SUD-PSY).

Treatment of adolescent alcohol-related problems. A translational perspective.

In the present chapter we have sought to articulate a translational perspective linking development during adolescence to alcohol treatment and its evaluation. Clearly adolescents with alcohol use disorders cannot be treated as younger versions of adults. The unique demands of their developmental stage permeate all aspects of their behavior, including alcohol use and abuse.

Relapse in alcohol- and drug-disordered adolescents with comorbid psychopathology: changes in psychiatric symptoms.

This study examined reciprocal relationships between posttreatment substance use and psychiatric symptoms in adolescents with both a substance use disorder and an Axis I mental health disorder. Participants (13-18 years old) were recruited from inpatient treatment centers and interviewed during treatment and monthly for 6 months. Participants who relapsed (N=103; 48% female) reported the incidence and severity of psychiatric symptoms experienced before and after their 1st posttreatment substance use.

Psychiatric comorbidity and substance use treatment outcomes of adolescents.

Treatment outcomes of 126 adolescents (13-18 years old) with comorbid substance use disorders (SUDs) and Axis I psychiatric disorders (mood, anxiety, conduct, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders) were compared to 81 SUD adolescents with no additional Axis I disorder. Participants completed structured interviews and symptom measures while participating in an adolescent treatment program and at 6 months following treatment. Results indicated that comorbid youth received more treatment during the outcome period; despite this, more comorbid SUD-Axis I disordered adolescents used substances following treatment than SUD-only youth, even after controlling for socioeconomic status and ethnicity.

Reliability, stability, and factor structure of the Bulimia Test-Revised and Eating Disorder Inventory-2 scales in adolescence.

The Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and Bulimia Test-Revised (BULIT-R) have demonstrated strong reliability and validity in college students and adults. Although used in adolescent samples, little is known about the psychometric properties of these measures for adolescents. The reliability, factor structure, and mean levels of five EDI-2 scales and the BULIT-R were evaluated over 3 years.