Commentary: Perspectives on alcohol-related gene and environment interplay in diverse populations.

Background And Objectives: Racial/ethnic groups comprise more than 20% of the U.S. population, but many experience disproportionately high risk for alcohol misuse, often resulting in higher rates of alcohol-associated consequences.

Transdisciplinary translational behavioral (TDTB) research: opportunities, barriers, and innovations.

The translation of basic behavioral science discoveries into practical strategies represents a promising approach to developing more effective preventive interventions to improve health. Since translational research inevitably involves making use of diverse perspectives from multiple disciplines, it is best conducted as a transdisciplinary enterprise. In this paper, we discuss current strategies used by NIH to support transdisciplinary translational behavioral (TDTB) research, summarize successful efforts, and highlight challenges encountered in conducting such work (ranging from conceptual to organizational to methodological).

Psychophysiological responses to stress following alcohol intake in social drinkers who are at risk of hazardous drinking.

We examined whether social drinkers whose drinking behavior poses a risk for harmful consequences exhibit altered psychobiological responses to stress following moderate alcohol intake. At risk (n=17) and low risk drinkers (n=27), as identified by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, completed two laboratory stress sessions, one in which they consumed a drink with alcohol and one without alcohol. Subjective and physiological measures were obtained throughout the study.

Advancing American Indian and Alaska Native substance abuse research: current science and future directions.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have disproportionately high rates of substance abuse yet there is little empirical research addressing this significant public health problem. This paper is an introduction to a special issue that includes cutting edge science in this research area. We identify several areas that require consideration in this field and indicate how the papers in the special issue address these gaps.

Effects of residential learning communities on drinking trajectories during the first two years of college.

Objective: Participation in residential learning communities (RLCs) is associated with lower rates of alcohol consumption among college students. This study used variable- and pattern-centered analytic approaches to examine the influence of RLCs on the drinking behavior of students during their first 2 years in college.

Method: A Web-based survey was administered to a stratified random sample of 1,196 first-year students (51.

Heavy episodic drinking and its consequences: the protective effects of same-sex, residential living-learning communities for undergraduate women.

Gender and living environment are two of the most consistent factors associated with heavy episodic drinking on college campuses. This study aimed to determine group differences in alcohol misuse and its attendant consequences between undergraduate women living in four distinct on-campus residential environments. A Web-based survey was self-administered to a stratified random sample of full-time students attending a large Midwestern University, and living in four distinct on-campus residential environments: 1) single-sex (all female) residential learning communities (RLCs), 2) mixed-sex (male and female) RLCs, 3) single-sex (all female) non-RLCs and 4) mixed-sex (male and female) non-RLCs.

Reasons for nonresponse in a web-based survey of alcohol involvement among first-year college students.

This study conducted a follow-up telephone survey of a probability sample of college students who did not respond to a Web survey to determine correlates of and reasons for nonresponse. A stratified random sample of 2502 full-time first-year undergraduate students was invited to participate in a Web-based survey. A random sample of 221 students who did not respond to the original Web survey completed an abbreviated version of the original survey by telephone.

Alcohol involvement and participation in residential learning communities among first-year college students.

Objective: Residential learning communities (RLCs) on U.S. college campuses are assumed to build connections between formal learning opportunities and students' living environment.