Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons^™

How Did The Dietary Habits Of Patients With Chronic Medical Conditions Change During Covid-19?, Sahil K. Patel, Adarsh Gupta

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

CONTEXT: Previous studies have examined the changes in the dietary habits of general populations during the COVID-19 pandemic but have not focused on specific populations such as those with chronic medical conditions (CMCs). Prior to major vaccination efforts, 96.1% of deaths were attributed to patients with preexisting CMCs, thus it is important to examine how this population has endured changes.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify differences in dietary habits, lifestyle habits, and food attitudes between those with CMCs compared to the populations without chronic medical conditions (non-CMCs) since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS: An …

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury, Suicide Planning, And Suicide Attempt Among High-Risk Adolescents Prior To Psychiatric Hospitalization, Christina M. Sellers, Antonia Díaz-Valdés, Andrew C. Porter, Catherine R. Glenn, Adam Bryant Miller, Adeline Wyman Battalen, Kimberly H. Mcmanama O'Brien

Psychology Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to understand the trajectories of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide plans (SP) in the 90 days prior to inpatient hospitalization, understand the role of NSSI and SP in predicting suicide attempts (SA) on a given day, and to test the interaction between NSSI and SP in predicting same-day SA. Participants included 69 adolescents (77% female, 65% white, 77% Non-Hispanic/Latinx, Mage = 15.77 SDage = 1.00) from an inpatient psychiatric unit. Past 90 day NSSI, SP, and SA were measured using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale and Timeline Follow Back. First, mixed effect models …

Development Of Body Emotion Perception In Infancy: From Discrimination To Recognition, Alison Heck, Alyson Chroust, Hannah B. White, Rachel Lynn Jubran, Ramesh S. Bhatt

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research suggests that infants progress from discrimination to recognition of emotions in faces during the first half year of life. It is unknown whether the perception of emotions from bodies develops in a similar manner. In the current study, when presented with happy and angry body videos and voices, 5-month-olds looked longer at the matching video when they were presented upright but not when they were inverted. In contrast, 3.5-month-olds failed to match even with upright videos. Thus, 5-month-olds but not 3.5-month-olds exhibited evidence of recognition of emotions from bodies by demonstrating intermodal matching. In a subsequent experiment, younger infants …

Relationships Among Apathy, Health-Related Quality Of Life, And Function In Huntington's Disease., Nora E Fritz, Nicholas R Boileau, Julie C Stout, Rebecca Ready, Joel S Perlmutter, Jane S Paulsen, Kimberly Quaid, Stacey Barton, Michael K Mccormack, Susan L Perlman, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Faculty Scholarship

Up to 90% of individuals with Huntington's disease (HD)-a progressive, inherited neurodegenerative disorder-experience apathy. Apathy is particularly debilitating because it is marked by a reduction in goal-directed behaviors, including self-care, social interactions, and mobility. The objective of this study was to examine relationships between variables of apathy, functional status, physical function, cognitive function, behavioral status/emotional function, and health-related quality of life. Clinician-rated measures of physical, cognitive, and behavioral function, including one clinician-rated item on apathy, and self-reported measures of physical function, health-related quality of life, and emotional, cognitive, and social function were collected in a single session from 487 persons …

Physical Aggressiveness And Gray Matter Deficits In Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex, David S. Chester, Donald R. Lynam, Richard Milich, C. Nathan Dewall

Psychology Faculty Publications

What causes individuals to hurt others? Since the famous case of Phineas Gage, lesions of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) have been reliably linked to physically aggressive behavior. However, it is unclear whether naturally-occurring deficits in VMPFC, among normal individuals, might have widespread consequences for aggression. Using voxel based morphometry, we regressed gray matter density from the brains of 138 normal female and male adults onto their dispositional levels of physical aggression, verbal aggression, and sex, simultaneously. Physical, but not verbal, aggression was associated with reduced gray matter volume in the VMPFC and to a lesser extent, frontopolar cortex. Participants …

Low Arousal Positive Emotional Stimuli Attenuate Aberrant Working Memory Processing In Persons With Mild Cognitive Impairment, Lucas S. Broster, Shonna L. Jenkins, Sarah D. Holmes, Gregory A. Jicha, Yang Jiang

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Emotional enhancement effects on memory have been reported to mitigate the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, relative to their manifestation in persons without pathologic aging, these effects may be reduced in magnitude or even deleterious, especially in tasks that more closely model ecologic memory performance. Based upon a synthesis of such reports, we hypothesized that in persons with AD low arousal positive stimuli would evoke relatively intact emotional enhancement effects, but that high arousal negative stimuli would evoke disordered emotional enhancement effects. To assess this, participants with and without mild cognitive impairment (MCI) presumed to be due to AD …

A Rural/Urban Comparison Of Privacy And Confidentiality Concerns Associated With Providing Sensitive Location Information In Epidemiologic Research Involving Persons Who Use Drugs, Abby E. Rudolph, April M. Young, Jennifer R. Havens

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background—Analyses that link contextual factors with individual-level data can improve our understanding of the "risk environment"; however, the accuracy of information provided by participants about locations where illegal/stigmatized behaviors occur may be influenced by privacy/confidentiality concerns that may vary by setting and/or data collection approach.

Methods—We recruited thirty-five persons who use drugs from a rural Appalachian town and a Mid-Atlantic city to participate in in-depth interviews. Through thematic analyses, we identified and compared privacy/confidentiality concerns associated with two survey methods that (1) collect self-reported addresses/cross-streets and (2) use an interactive web-based map to find/confirm locations in rural and …

Partner Relationships And Injection Sharing Practices Among Rural Appalachian Women, Michele Staton, Justin C. Strickland, Martha Tillson, Carl Leukefeld, J. Matthew Webster, Carrie B. Oser

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—The role of relationships in initiating and maintaining women’s risk behaviors has been established. However, understanding factors that may underlie partner relationships and women’s risky drug use, particularly in rural contexts, is limited. This study is the first to examine the association between injecting partners and women’s risky injection practices as a function of relationship power perception.

Methods—Female participants were recruited from three rural jails in the Appalachian region. Women were randomly selected, provided informed consent, and screened for study eligibility criteria. This cross-sectional analysis focuses on women who inject drugs (WWID) during the year before entering jail …

Heroin Use Onset Among Nonmedical Prescription Opioid Users In The Club Scene, Hilary L. Surratt, Steven P. Kurtz, Mance Buttram, Maria A. Levi-Minzi, Maria E. Pagano, Theodore J. Cicero

Center for Health Services Research Faculty Publications

Background—Nonmedical prescription opioid use (NMPOU) is well documented among participants in the club scene, yet prior studies have not examined transition to heroin use. We prospectively examined heroin initiation among a sample of young adults with drug involvement associated with participation in the club scene, to understand factors that influence transition from NMPOU to heroin and to identify opportunities for intervention.

Methods—Data were drawn from a randomized trial that enrolled 750 Miami-based club and prescription drug users through respondent driven sampling, and tested the efficacy of assessment interventions in reducing risk. Participants reported current substance use at baseline, …

Cross-Lagged Relations Between Motives And Substance Use: Can Use Strengthen Your Motivation Over Time?, Christine A. Lee, Karen J Derefinko, Heather A. Davis, Richard S. Milich, Donald R. Lynam

Psychology Faculty Publications

Motives for substance use have garnered considerable attention due to the strong predictive utility of this construct, both in terms of use and problems associated with use. The current study examined the cross-lagged relations between alcohol use and motives, and marijuana use and motives over three yearly assessment periods in a large sample (N = 526, 48% male) of college students. The relations between substance use and motives were assessed at each time point, allowing for the examination of these inter-relations over time. Results indicated different trends based on the type of substance. For alcohol use, cross-lagged trends were …

Sources Of Medical Student Stress, Krishna Subhash Vyas, Terry D. Stratton, Neelkamal S. Soares

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: Key elements in the clinical practice of prevention, health and wellness are best cultivated in medical professionals during undergraduate medical training. This study explores students' self-assessed stress relative to gender, academic expectations, and level of medical training to guide development of targeted wellness interventions. Methods: In early 2012, undergraduate (M1-M4) students in four Southeastern U.S. allopathic medical schools were surveyed about health-related attitudes and behaviors. Results: A total of 575 students returned completed questionnaires. Students in the preclinical years (M1-M2), especially females, reported significantly higher stress levels. Academic expectations and satisfaction were also significantly implicated. Discussion: These findings highlight …

Healthcare Contact And Treatment Uptake Following Hepatitis C Virus Screening And Counseling Among Rural Appalachian People Who Use Drugs, Dustin B. Stephens, April M. Young, Jennifer R. Havens

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Since 2009, Kentucky has led the United States in cases of acute HCV, driven largely by injection drug use in rural areas. Improved treatment regimens hold promise of mitigating the impact and transmission of HCV, but numerous barriers obstruct people who inject drugs (PWID) from receiving care, particularly in medically underserved settings.

Methods—503 rural people who use drugs were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and received HCV screening and post-test counseling. Presence of HCV antibodies was assessed using enzyme immunoassay of dried blood samples. Sociodemographic and …

N-Acetylcysteine Reduces Cocaine-Cue Attentional Bias And Differentially Alters Cocaine Self-Administration Based On Dosing Order, B. Levi Bolin, Joseph L. Alcorn Iii, Joshua A. Lile, Craig R. Rush, Abner O. Rayapati, Lon R. Hays, William W. Stoops

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Disrupted glutamate homeostasis is thought to contribute to cocaine-use disorder, in particular, by enhancing the incentive salience of cocaine stimuli. n-Acetylcysteine might be useful in cocaine-use disorder by normalizing glutamate function. In prior studies, n-acetylcysteine blocked the reinstatement of cocaine seeking in laboratory animals and reduced the salience of cocaine stimuli and delayed relapse in humans.

Methods—The present study determined the ability of maintenance on n-acetylcysteine (0 or 2400 mg/day, counterbalanced) to reduce the incentive salience of cocaine stimuli, as measured by an attentional bias task, and attenuate intranasal cocaine self-administration (0, 30, and 60 mg). Fourteen individuals …

Pathway Of Protection: Ethnic Identity, Self-Esteem, And Substance Use Among Multiracial Youth, Sycarah Fisher, Tamika C. B. Zapolski, Chelsea Sheehan, Jessica Barnes-Najor

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Fifty percent of adolescents have tried an illicit drug and 70% have tried alcohol by the end of high school, with even higher rates among multiracial youth. Ethnic identity is a protective factor against substance use for minority groups. However, little is known about the mechanisms that facilitate its protective effects, and even less is known about this relationship for multiracial youth. The purpose of the present study was to examine the protective effect of ethnic identity on substance use and to determine whether this relationship operated indirectly through self-esteem, a strong predictor of substance use for among adolescent populations. …

Is Sex With Older Male Partners Associated With Higher Sexual Risk Behavior Among Young Black Msm?, Nicholas Chamberlain, Leandro A. Mena, Angelica Geter, Richard A. Crosby

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

Participants at a sexual health clinic completed a survey with questions regarding sexual risk behavior and partner characteristics. Of 585 participants eligible for analysis, 124 reported generally having older male partners. These participants were significantly more likely to be HIV-infected (p < 0.001), have four or more sex partners as a “bottom” (p = 0.04), have concurrent partners (p = 0.01), and have partners suspected of having an sexually transmitted infection (p = 0.05) than participants without older partners. With analysis restricted to HIV− individuals, risk behaviors did not differ significantly between the groups. HIV− individuals with older partners may be at increased risk of HIV infection due …

Impulsive Personality Dimensions Are Associated With Altered Behavioral Performance And Neural Responses In The Monetary Incentive Delay Task, Ruolei Gu, Yang Jiang, Seth Kiser, Chelsea L. Black, Lucas S. Broster, Yue-Jia Luo, Thomas H. Kelly

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Individual differences in dimensions of impulsivity personality including disinhibition and sensation seeking modulate approach responses to reinforcing stimuli, such as drugs and money. The current study examined the effects of monetary incentive on both behavioral performance and electrophysiological activity among individuals varying in disinhibition and sensation seeking. The monetary incentive delay (MID) task was completed under electroencephalogram (EEG) recording. Behavioral data showed that higher disinhibition and sensation-seeking were associated with lower performance accuracy. Event-related potential (ERP) data showed that high reinforcement cues elicited a larger late positive component (LPC) than other conditions among high disinhibition participants, indicating its strong emotional …

A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial Of N-Acetylcysteine For Cannabis Use Disorder In Adults, Kevin M. Gray, Susan C. Sonne, Erin A. Mcclure, Udi E. Ghitza, Abigail G. Matthews, Aimee L. Mcrae-Clark, Kathleen M. Carroll, Jennifer S. Potter, Katharina Wiest, Larissa J. Mooney, Albert Hasson, Sharon L. Walsh, Michelle R. Lofwall, Shanna Babalonis, Robert W. Lindblad, Steven Sparenborg, Aimee Wahle, Jacqueline S. King, Nathaniel L. Baker, Rachel L. Tomko, Louise F. Haynes, Ryan G. Vandrey, Frances R. Levin

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a prevalent and impairing condition, and established psychosocial treatments convey limited efficacy. In light of recent findings supporting the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for CUD in adolescents, the objective of this trial was to evaluate its efficacy in adults.

Methods—In a 12-week double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial, treatment-seeking adults ages 18–50 with CUD (N=302), enrolled across six National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network-affiliated clinical sites, were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a 12-week course of NAC 1200 mg (n=153) or placebo (n=149) twice daily. All …

Examining The Protective Effect Of Ethnic Identity On Drug Attitudes And Use Among A Diverse Youth Population, Tamika C. B. Zapolski, Sycarah Fisher, Devin E. Banks, Devon J. Hensel, Jessica Barnes-Najor

Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology Faculty Publications

Ethnic identity is an important buffer against drug use among minority youth. However, limited work has examined pathways through which ethnic identity mitigates risk. School-aged youth (N = 34,708; 52 % female) of diverse backgrounds (i.e., African American (n = 5333), Asian (n = 392), Hispanic (n = 662), Multiracial (n = 2129), Native American (n = 474), and White (n = 25718) in grades 4–12 provided data on ethnic identity, drug attitudes, and drug use. After controlling for gender and grade, higher ethnic identity was associated with lower past month drug use …

Social Rejection Magnifies Impulsive Behavior Among Individuals With Greater Negative Urgency: An Experimental Test Of Urgency Theory, David S. Chester, Donald R. Lynam, Richard S. Milich, C. Nathan Dewall

Psychology Faculty Publications

Impulsivity is a multifaceted trait with substantial implications for human well-being. One facet of impulsivity is negative urgency, the tendency to act impulsively in response to negative affect. Correlational evidence suggests that negative affect magnifies impulsive behavior among individuals with greater negative urgency, yet causal evidence for this core pillar of urgency theory is lacking. To fill this gap in the literature, participants (N = 363) were randomly assigned to experience social rejection (a situation shown to induce negative affect) or acceptance. Participants then reported their subjective negative affect, completed a behavioral measure of impulsivity, and reported their negative …

A Randomized Trial Of Brief Assessment Interventions For Young Adults Who Use Drugs In The Club Scene, Steven P. Kurtz, Mance E. Buttram, Maria E. Pagano, Hilary L. Surratt

Center for Health Services Research Faculty Publications

Background—Efficacious interventions to reduce drug use and its consequences for club drug using populations are not apparent in the literature. We tested interviewer-(CAPI) and self-administered (ACASI) comprehensive health and social risk assessments as distinct interventions compared to waitlist control.

Methods—750 men and women ages 18-39 with multidrug use and heterosexual behavior were randomized in equal proportions to the three conditions. Instrumentation included well-tested measures of drug use, risky sex, mental distress and substance dependence.

Results—The sample was 56% male; mean age=25. Reported risk behaviors and health consequences did not differ by assessment modality. Adjusted HLM analyses showed …

Comparing Adult Cannabis Treatment-Seekers Enrolled In A Clinical Trial With National Samples Of Cannabis Users In The United States, Erin A. Mcclure, Jacqueline S. King, Aimee Wahle, Abigail G. Matthews, Susan C. Sonne, Michelle R. Lofwall, Aimee L. Mcrae-Clark, Udi E. Ghitza, Melissa Martinez, Kasie Cloud, Harvir S. Virk, Kevin M. Gray

Center on Drug and Alcohol Research Faculty Publications

Background—Cannabis use rates are increasing among adults in the United States (US) while the perception of harm is declining. This may result in an increased prevalence of cannabis use disorder and the need for more clinical trials to evaluate efficacious treatment strategies. Clinical trials are the gold standard for evaluating treatment, yet study samples are rarely representative of the target population. This finding has not yet been established for cannabis treatment trials. This study compared demographic and cannabis use characteristics of a cannabis cessation clinical trial sample (run through National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network) with three nationally …

Neurophysiological Capacity In A Working Memory Task Differentiates Dependent From Nondependent Heavy Drinkers And Controls, Michael J. Wesley, Joshua A. Lile, Mark T. Fillmore, Linda J. Porrino

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Determining the brain-behavior profiles that differentiate heavy drinkers who are and are not alcohol dependent will inform treatment efforts. Working memory is linked to substance use disorders and can serve as a representation of the demand placed on the neurophysiology associated with cognitive control.

Methods—Behavior and brain activity (via fMRI) were recorded during an N-Back working memory task in controls (CTRL), nondependent heavy drinkers (A-ND) and dependent heavy drinkers (A-D). Typical and novel step-wise analyses examined profiles of working memory load and increasing task demand, respectively.

Results—Performance was significantly decreased in A-D during high working memory load …

Compulsive Buying And Quality Of Life: An Estimate Of The Monetary Cost Of Compulsive Buying Among Adults In Early Midlife, Chenshu Zhang, Judith S. Brook, Carl G. Leukefeld, Mario De La Rosa, David W. Brook

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

The aims of this study were to examine the associations between compulsive buying and quality of life and to estimate the monetary cost of compulsive buying for a cohort of men and women at mean age 43. Participants came from a community-based random sample of residents in two New York counties (N=548). The participants were followed from adolescence to early midlife. The mean age of participants at the most recent interview was 43.0 (SD=2.8). Fifty five percent of the participants were females. Over 90% of the participants were white. Linear regression analyses showed that compulsive buying was significantly associated with …

The Behavioral Addiction Indoor Tanning Screener (Baits): An Evaluation Of A Brief Measure Of Behavioral Addictive Symptoms, Jerod L. Stapleton, Joel J. Hillhouse, Rob Turrisi, Katie Baker, Sharon L. Manne, Elliot J. Coups

Joel Hillhouse

No abstract provided.

A Pilot Investigation Of Acute Inhibitory Control Training In Cocaine Users, Joseph L. Alcorn, Erika Pike, William W. Stoops, Joshua A. Lile, Craig R. Rush

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Disrupted response inhibition and presence of drug-cue attentional bias in cocaine-using individuals have predicted poor treatment outcomes. Inhibitory control training could help improve treatment outcomes by strengthening cognitive control. This pilot study assessed the effects of acute inhibitory control training to drug- and non-drug-related cues on response inhibition performance and cocaine-cue attentional bias in cocaine-using individuals.

Methods—Participants who met criteria for a cocaine-use disorder underwent five sessions of inhibitory control training to either non-drug-related cues (i.e., rectangles) or cocaine cues (n=10/condition) in a single day. Response inhibition and attentional bias were assessed prior to and following training using …

Functional Human Grin2b Promoter Polymorphism And Variation Of Mental Processing Speed In Older Adults, Yang Jiang, Ming Kuan Lin, Gregory A. Jicha, Xiuhua Ding, Sabrina L. Mcilwrath, David W. Fardo, Lucas S. Broster, Frederick A. Schmitt, Richard J. Kryscio, Robert H. Lipsky

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

We investigated the role of a single nucleotide polymorphism rs3764030 (G > A) within the human GRIN2B promoter in mental processing speed in healthy, cognitively intact, older adults. In vitro DNA-binding and reporter gene assays of different allele combinations in transfected cells showed that the A allele was a gain-of-function variant associated with increasing GRIN2B mRNA levels. We tested the hypothesis that individuals with A allele will have better memory performance (i.e. faster reaction times) in older age. Twenty-eight older adults (ages 65-86) from a well-characterized longitudinal cohort were recruited and performed a modified delayed match-to-sample task. The rs3764030 polymorphism was …

Psychosocial Factors Related To The Intergenerational Transmission Of Externalizing Behaviors In Early Midlife, Chenshu Zhang, Judith S. Brook, Neo K. Morojele, Mario De La Rosa, Carl G. Leukefeld, David W. Brook

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: To study the intergenerational transmission of externalizing behaviors. Methods: Participants came from a community-based random sample of residents in two upstate New York counties (N = 548). Data were collected from mothers at mean age 40 and from their children from adolescence (mean age = 14, SD = 2.8) to early midlife (mean age = 43, SD = 2.8) at seven time points. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to study the psychosocial factors as related to externalizing behaviors in early midlife. Results: First, maternal externalizing behaviors were indirectly associated with the offspring's externalizing behaviors …

Buprenorphine Physician Supply: Relationship With State-Level Prescription Opioid Mortality, Hannah K. Knudsen, Jennifer R. Havens, Michelle R. Lofwall, Jamie L. Studts, Sharon L. Walsh

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background: Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for opioid use disorder but the supply of buprenorphine physicians is currently inadequate to address the nation’s prescription opioid crisis. Perception of need due to rising opioid overdose rates is one possible reason for physicians to adopt buprenorphine. This study examined associations between rates of growth in buprenorphine physicians and prescription opioid overdose mortality rates in US states.

Methods: The total buprenorphine physician supply and number of physicians approved to treat 100 patients (per 100,000 population) were measured from June 2013 to January 2016. States were divided into two groups: those with rates of …

Curbing The Dui Offender's Self-Efficacy To Drink And Drive: A Laboratory Study, Walter Roberts, Mark T. Fillmore

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background—People arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) are at high risk to reoffend. One reason for this high rate of recidivism among DUI offenders is that these individuals systematically underestimate the degree to which alcohol impairs their ability to drive. This study compared perceived and objective driving ability following alcohol and performance feedback in drivers with and without a history of DUI.

Method—Adult drivers with (n = 20) and without (n = 20) a history of DUI arrest attended two dose challenge sessions where they received 0.64 g/kg alcohol or placebo, completed a simulated driving …

Developmental Origins Of Cardiovascular Disease: Impact Of Early Life Stress In Humans And Rodents, Margaret O. Murphy, Dianne M. Cohn, Analia S. Loria

Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) hypothesizes that environmental insults during childhood programs the individual to develop chronic disease in adulthood. Emerging epidemiological data strongly supports that early life stress (ELS) given by the exposure to adverse childhood experiences is regarded as an independent risk factor capable of predicting future risk of cardiovascular disease. Experimental animal models utilizing chronic behavioral stress during postnatal life, specifically maternal separation (MatSep) provides a suitable tool to elucidate molecular mechanisms by which ELS increases the risk to develop cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. The purpose of this review is to highlight current epidemiological …