Digital Commons Network^™

Behavioral Couples Treatment For Substance Use Disorder: Secondary Effects On The Reduction Of Risk For Child Abuse, Michelle L. Kelley, Adrian J. Bravo, Abby L. Braitman, Adrienne K. Lawless, Hannah R. Lawrence

Psychology Faculty Publications

Risk for child abuse was examined prior to and after behavioral couples treatment (BCT) among 61 couples in which one or both parents were diagnosed with substance use disorder (SUD). All couples were residing with one or more school-age children. Mothers and fathers completed pretreatment, post-intervention, and 6 month post-intervention follow-up assessments. Results of piecewise latent growth models tested whether the number of BCT sessions attended and number of days abstinent from drugs and alcohol influenced relationship satisfaction and its growth over time, and in turn if relationship satisfaction and change in relationship satisfaction influenced risk for child abuse. For …

Finding Success In Failure: Using Latent Profile Analysis To Examine Heterogeneity In Psychosocial Functioning Among Heavy Drinkers Following Treatment, Adam D. Wilson, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson, Katie Witkiewitz

Psychology Faculty Publications

Aims- To estimate differences in post-treatment psychosocial functioning among treatment failures' (i.e. heavy drinkers, defined as 4+/5+ drinks for women/men) from two large multi-site clinical trials and to compare these levels of functioning to those of the purported treatment successes' (i.e. non-heavy drinkers).

Design- Separate latent profile analyses of data from two of the largest alcohol clinical trials conducted in the United States, COMBINE (Combined Pharmacotherapies and Behavioral Interventions) and Project MATCH (Matching Alcoholism Treatments to Client Heterogeneity), comparing psychosocial outcomes across derived classes of heterogeneous treatment responders.

Setting- Eleven US academic sites in COMBINE, 27US treatment sites local to …

Identifying Patterns Of Situational Antecedents To Heavy Drinking Among College Students, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Abby L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background- Emerging adults have the highest prevalence of heavy drinking as compared to all other age groups. Given the negative consequences associated with such drinking, additional research efforts focused on at-risk consumption are warranted. The current study sought to identify patterns of situational antecedents to drinking and to examine their associations with drinking motivations, alcohol involvement, and mental health functioning in a sample of heavy drinking college students.

Method- Participants were 549 (65.8% women) college student drinkers.

Results- Latent profile analysis identified three classes based on likelihood of heavy drinking across eight situational precipitants. The High Situational Endorsement' group reported …

A Latent Profile Analysis Of Drinking Patterns Among Nonstudent Emerging Adults, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abby L. Braitman, Amy L. Stamates, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Research indicates that nonstudent emerging adults, as compared to their college-attending peers, are at higher risk for experiencing alcohol-related problems, including alcohol use disorders. The present study sought to extend the limited research on nonstudent drinking by (1) identifying sub-groups of nonstudent drinkers based on their drinking patterns and (2) determining the extent to which social-cognitive between-person factors related to drinking (i.e., social expectancies, perceived drinking norms, social drinking motivations) distinguish these sub-groups. Participants were 195 (65.1% men) nonstudent emerging adult heavy episodic drinkers recruited from the community. Mean age was 21.88 (SD = 2.08) years and 45.4% were unemployed. …

Molly Users Versus Non-Users In A Sample Of College Alcohol Drinkers: Differences In Substance-Related Harms And Sensation Seeking, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Amy L. Stamates, Brynn E. Sheehan, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Molly is one form of MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) that is touted to be more pure and potentially less harmful than other forms, such as ecstasy. Media reports and case studies suggest that this drug is popular among college students and is related to adverse health problems. The current study sought to address the knowledge gaps about Molly by examining whether users differ in substance use outcomes and sensation seeking than nonusers. Specifically, this study tested whether Molly users engaged in heavier use of other substances and experienced more substance-related harms in general than nonusers. Further, the current study investigated whether …

A Preliminary Investigation Of Caffeinated Alcohol Use During Spring Break, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Cathy Lau-Barraco

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Caffeinated alcoholic beverages (e.g., Red Bull and vodka) are popular but associated with negative consequences. CABs may be particularly popular during Spring Break, a potentially risky social event.

Objectives: We aimed to identify the prevalence of Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use, determine how caffeinated alcohol use Spring Break drinking habits differ from usual, and examine the association between Spring Break caffeinated alcohol use and alcohol-related problems.

Methods: Data were collected from 95 college students during March of 2013 and 2014. Students completed questionnaires of their alcohol and caffeinated alcohol use before and during Spring Break and Spring Break alcohol-related …

Depressive Symptoms And Alcohol-Related Problems Among College Students: A Moderated-Mediated Model Of Mindfulness And Drinking To Cope, Adrian J. Bravo, Matthew R. Pearson, Leah E. Stevens, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: In college student samples, the association between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related problems has been found to be mediated by drinking-to-cope motives. Mindfulness-based interventions suggest that mindfulness may attenuate the conditioned response of using substances in response to negative emotional states, and trait mindfulness has been shown to be a protective factor associated with experiencing fewer alcohol-related problems. In the present study, we examined trait mindfulness as a moderator of the indirect associations of depressive symptoms on alcohol-related problems via drinking-to-cope motives. Method: Participants were undergraduate students at a large, southeastern university in the United States who drank at least …

Large Reductions Are Possible In Older Driver Crashes At Intersections, Siby Samuel, Yusuke Yamani, Danald L. Fisher

Psychology Faculty Publications

Among all crash types, the largest percentage of older driver fatalities occur at intersections. Many explanations have been offered for older drivers' increased risks of crashing at intersections; however, only recently was it determined that older drivers were much less likely to glance for latent threats after entering an intersection than middle-aged drivers. In response, training programmes were designed to increase the frequency of such glances. The programmes have proven effective, doubling the frequency of these glances for up to a period of two years post-training. The programmes take only an hour to administer and are not directly targeted at …

The Course And Interrelationship Of Maternal And Paternal Perinatal Depression, James F. Paulson, Sharnail D. Bazemore, Janice H. Goodman, Jenn A. Leiferman

Psychology Faculty Publications

The aims of the study were to describe course of depression in both mothers and fathers from the third trimester of pregnancy through 6 months postpartum and to examine the relationship between maternal and paternal depression. Hypotheses were as follows: (a) Depressive symptoms would be correlated between parents and (b) earlier depressive symptoms in one parent would predict later increases in depression in the other. Eighty cohabitating primiparous couples were recruited from prenatal OBGYN visits and community agencies and enrolled during pregnancy, between 28-week gestation and delivery. Participants completed measures of depression on four occasions: baseline and 1, 3, and …

Alcohol Expectancies Mediate The Relationship Between Age Of First Intoxication And Drinking Outcomes In College Binge Drinkers, Amy L. Stamates, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Ashley Linden-Carmichael

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: While prior research has shown that age of first intoxication (AI) is associated with negative alcohol outcomes, limited research has examined factors accounting for this relationship. Alcohol expectancies, or beliefs about the effects of alcohol, may explain such associations as both positive and negative expectancies have been shown to be key predictors of drinking outcomes.

Objective: The present study examined expectancies as mediators between early AI and alcohol-related outcomes.

Method: Data collection occurred in 2012 and 2013. Participants were college students (N = 562, 65.8% women) who completed an online survey including measures of alcohol use history, alcohol expectancies, …

Standardized Patient Encounters Periodic Versus Postencounter Evaluation Of Nontechnical Clinical Performance, T. Robert Turner, Mark W. Scerbo, Gayle A. Gliva-Mcconvey, Amelia M. Wallace

Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Standardized patients are a beneficial component of modern healthcare education and training, but few studies have explored cognitive factors potentially impacting clinical skills assessment during standardized patient encounters. This study examined the impact of a periodic (vs. traditional postencounter) evaluation approach and the appearance of critical verbal and nonverbal behaviors throughout a standardized patient encounter on scoring accuracy in a video-based scenario.

Methods: Forty-nine standardized patients scored either periodically or at only 1 point in time (postencounter) a healthcare provider's verbal and nonverbal clinical performance during a videotaped standardized patient encounter. The healthcare provider portrayed in this study was …

Object Affordances Potentiate Responses But Do Not Guide Attentional Prioritization, Yusuke Yamani, Atsunori Ariga, Yuki Yamada

Psychology Faculty Publications

Handled objects automatically activate afforded responses. The current experiment examined whether objects that afford a response are also prioritized for attentional processing in visual search. Targets were pictures of coffee cups with handles oriented either to the right or the left. Subjects searched for a target, a right-handled vs. left -handled coffee cup, among a varying number of distractor cups oriented in the opposite direction. Responses were faster when the direction of target handle and the key press were spatially matched than mismatched (stimulus -response compatibility (SRC) effect), but object affordance did not moderate slopes of the search functions, indicating …

Neural Responses To Maternal Praise And Criticism: Relationship To Depression And Anxiety Symptoms In High-Risk Adolescent Girls, Robin L. Aupperle, Amanda S. Morris, Jennifer S. Silk, Michael M. Criss, Matt R. Judah, Sally G. Eagleton, Namik Kirlic, Jennifer Byrd-Craven, Raquel Phillips, Ruben P. Alvarez

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: The parent-child relationship may be an important factor in the development of adolescent depressive and anxious symptoms. In adults, depressive symptoms relate to increased amygdala and attenuated prefrontal activation to maternal criticism. The current pilot study examined how depressive and anxiety symptoms in a high-risk adolescent population relate to neural responses to maternal feedback. Given previous research relating oxytocin to maternal behavior, we conducted exploratory analyses using oxytocin receptor (OXTR) genotype.

Methods: Eighteen females (ages 12-16) listened to maternal praise, neutral, and critical statements during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Participants completed the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire and the Screen …

Paying For Infrastructure In An Urban Environment: Roles Of Ideological Beliefs And Self-Interest In Support For Two Funding Mechanisms, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Lenahan O'Connell, Khairul A. Anuar, Kaitrin Mahar

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

This study examines public preferences for two revenue options—fuel taxes and tolls—to finance transportation infrastructure in an urban area with the use of the results of a survey of residents of the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia. Specifically, the study addresses two related research questions: (a) To what extent do residents support instituting tolls, increasing the fuel tax, or both? (b) What roles do self-interest and ideological beliefs play in support of increasing the fuel tax, imposing tolls, or doing both? The study finds that 50% of respondents expressed a willingness to support fuel taxes or tolls for infrastructure, …

The Sea Is Rising… But Not Onto The Policy Agenda: A Multiple Streams Approach To Understanding Sea Level Rise Policies, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Katharine Neill, Burton St. John Iii, Ivan K. Ash, Kaitrin Mahar

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

There has been little policy effort to address sea level rise in coastal states in the US. It is important to examine, at the state level, how the multitude of different (and changing) actors with different preferences and perspectives contribute to such inertia. This study examines state-level legislative inaction with regards to sea level rise. Using Kingdon's multiple streams framework, we draw a picture of the policy landscape in Virginia as one where the problem of sea level rise is perceived as a low priority, with little consensus on achievable policy solutions, and is politically controversial. We find that policy …

Health-Related Quality Of Life In Athletes: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis, Megan N. Houston, Matthew C. Hoch, Johanna M. Hoch

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context: Assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after injury is important. Differences in HRQOL between nonathletes and athletes and between injured and uninjured athletes have been demonstrated; however, the evidence has not been synthesized.

Objective: To answer the following questions: (1) Does HRQOL differ among adolescent and collegiate athletes and nonathletes? (2) Does HRQOL differ between injured adolescent and collegiate athletes or between athletes with a history of injury and uninjured athletes or those without a history of injury?

Data Sources: We systematically searched CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and PubMed. A hand search of references was also conducted.

Study Selection: …

School Counseling Faculty Perceptions And Experiences Preparing Elementary School Counselors, Emily Goodman-Scott, Jennifer S. Watkinson, Ian Martin, Kathy Biles

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

School counselors’ job roles and preferences reportedly vary by educational level (i.e., elementary, middle and high school); however, several organizations, such as the American School Counselor Association, conceptualize and recommend school counseling practice and preparation through a K–12 lens. Little is known about how or if school counseling faculty members vary their preparation for specific educational levels. In this article, we discuss a national, mixed methods study of school counseling faculty (N = 132) experiences and perceptions regarding school counselor preparation for the elementary level. We focused on elementary school counselors due to their unique roles. Findings included faculty’s varied …

The Affordable Care Act And Addiction Treatment: Preparing The Undergraduate Human Services Professional, Chaniece Winfield, Rebekah Cole, Laurie Craigen

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

The steady growth of the substance abuse and addiction field in addition to the passing of the Affordable Care Act (ACT) increases the need for competent and credentialed substance abuse professionals. As generalists in the helping field, human services professionals would benefit from education and sufficient credentialing in substance abuse and addiction treatment. The authors of this article suggest that substance abuse and addiction education be considered for inclusion at the accreditation level for human services programs. Furthermore, a discussion of the Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) international credential and its benefits and implications for human services professionals will be …

Part 5: The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Community In Hampton Roads, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Region Reports: Hampton Roads

A 2012-2014 Gallup Poll reported that 4.4 percent of the population of Hampton Roads is LGBTQ in orientation. Available data suggest that LGBTQ women fare relatively better economically speaking than LGBTQ men. Norfolk and Virginia Beach are viewed as the region’s friendliest cities for members of the LGBTQ community.

Stem In General Education: Does Mathematics Competence Influence Course Selection, Mary C. Enderson, John Ritz

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Many students enroll in college programs to prepare for their future careers. All are required to complete general studies courses. At one university, technology and STEM courses fulfill a part of the natural science and technology general education requirements. This study uses a survey design to explore why 332 students chose to enroll in a STEM technology course. Results found most enroll because their advisor suggests the course, it meets a general education major requirement, and the course is offered at a convenient time. Fewer enroll in the course because they would like to find out more about STEM fields, …

Application Of Visual Cues On 3d Dynamic Visualizations For Engineering Technology Students And Effects On Spatial Visualization Ability: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Petros Katsioloudis, Vukica Jovanovic, Mildred Jones

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Several theorists believe that different types of visual cues influence cognition and behavior through learned associations; however, research provides inconsistent results. Considering this, a quasi-experimental study was done to determine if there are significant positive effects of visual cues (color blue) and to identify if a positive increase in spatial visualization ability for students in engineering technology courses is observed. According to the results of this study it is suggested that the use of the specific visual cue (color blue) provides no statistically significant higher scores versus the treatment that did not utilize any visual cues.

Impacts Of Music On Sectional View Drawing Ability For Engineering Technology Students As Measured Through Technical Drawings, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Mildred Jones, Vukica Jovanovic

STEMPS Faculty Publications

Results from a number of studies indicate that the use of different types of music can influence cognition and behavior; however, research provides inconsistent results. Considering this, a quasi-experimental study was conducted to identify the existence of statistically significant effects on sectional view drawing ability due to the impacts of music. In particular, the study compared the use of three different types of music; classical, rock, heavy metal and whether a significant difference exists towards sectional view drawing ability, among engineering technology students. According to the results of this study it is suggested that the impact of music provides no …

Part 8: Liberty University: A Higher Education Phenomenon, Center For Economic Analysis And Policy, Old Dominion University

State of the Commonwealth Reports

Christian-centered Liberty University has a combined on-campus and online enrollment of more than 100,000 students and has accumulated an endowment of $1.4 billion. The university’s long-term aspiration is to be considered in the same breath as Notre Dame is for Roman Catholics and Brigham Young is for Mormons.

Differences In Weekday Versus Weekend Drinking Among Nonstudent Emerging Adults, Cathy Lau-Barraco, Abby L. Braitman, Ashley N. Linden-Carmichael, Amy L. Stamates

Psychology Faculty Publications

In the current investigation, we sought to examine "day-of-the-week" drinking of an at-risk sample of nonstudent emerging adults and whether specific factors are associated with differential drinking patterns. Our study aims were to (a) identify differences in weekday versus weekend drinking, and (b) examine specific expectancies (i.e., sociability, tension reduction) and demographic factors (e.g., age, sex) relating to weekend versus weekday drinking after controlling for harmful drinking and holiday drinking. Participants were heavy-drinking noncollege attenders recruited from the community (N = 238; 63.4% men, 35.7% women; M age = 21.92 years). They reported daily drinking for the previous 30 days …

Personalized Boosters For A Computerized Intervention Targeting College Drinking: The Influence Of Protective Behavioral Strategies, Abby L. Braitman, James M. Henson

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: Computerized interventions are cost-effective and can quickly deliver individual feedback to many students. However, in-person interventions are more efficacious. The current study sought to improve the efficacy of a popular online intervention via e-mailed boosters with personalized feedback.

Participants: Participants were 213 student drinkers at a southeastern public university, ages 18-24. Methods: Students were randomized into (1) intervention only, or (2) intervention plus booster. Alcohol consumption and related problems were assessed at baseline, 2weeks post, and 4weeks post.

Results: Boosters yielded reductions in drinking, but not alcohol-related problems. Boosters were associated with significant reductions for drinking frequency, heavy drinking …

Correcting Misconceptions About Gamification Of Assessment: More Than Sjts And Badges, Michael B. Armstrong, Jared Z. Ferrell, Andrew B. Collmus, Richard N. Landers

Psychology Faculty Publications

Describing the current state of gamification, Chamorro-Premuzic, Winsborough, Sherman, and Hogan () provide a troubling contradiction: They offer examples of a broad spectrum of gamification interventions, but they then summarize the entirety of gamification as “the digital equivalent of situational judgment tests.” This mischaracterization grossly oversimplifies a rapidly growing area of research and practice both within and outside of industrial–organizational (I-O) psychology. We agree that situational judgment tests (SJTs) can be considered a type of gamified assessment, and gamification provides a toolkit to make SJTs even more gameful. However, the term gamification refers to a much broader and potentially more …

Early Adverse Experiences And Health: The Transition To College, Kelly B. Filipkowski, Kristin E. Heron, Joshua M. Smyth

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective: This study cross-sectionally and prospectively examined the impact of adversity experienced prior to college on the health and well-being of students adjusting to their first college semester. Methods: Two-hundred sixteen (216) first-year students completed measures of adverse life experiences, perceived stress, physical symptoms, and health-related behaviors during the first 2 weeks of college entry and again at the end of the first semester. Results: Reported adversity prior to college predicted greater perceived stress and physical symptoms at college entry and an increase in physical symptoms over the semester; perceived stress mediated the prospective changes. Early adversity …

Health Service Utilization And Poor Health Reporting In Asthma Patients, Joshua G. Behr, Rafael Diaz, Muge Akpinar-Elci

VMASC Publications

The management and treatment of adult asthma has been associated with utilization of health services. Objectives: First, to investigate the likelihood of health service utilization, including primary care, emergency department, and hospital stays, among persons diagnosed with an asthma condition relative to those that do not have an asthma condition. Second, to examine the likelihood of poor physical health among asthma respondents relative to those that do not have an asthma condition. Third, to demonstrate that these relationships vary with frequency of utilization. Fourth, to discuss the magnitude of differences in frequent utilization between asthma and non-asthma respondents. Data …

Building Resiliency In Response To Sea Level Rise And Recurrent Flooding: Comprehensive Planning In Hampton Roads, Joshua G. Behr, Rafael Diaz, Molly Mitchell

VMASC Publications

[Introduction]

Over the past few decades, the Hampton Roads region, with its extensive coastline, has been experiencing more frequent flooding from surges and precipitation caused by tropical storms, nor’easters and heavy thunderstorms (Figure 1). Recurrent flooding is “flooding that occurs repeatedly in the same area over time due to precipitation events, high tides or storm surge.”¹ The recurrence of tidal/surge flooding in Hampton Roads has increased from 1.7 days of “nuisance” flooding per year in 1960 to 7.3 days per year in 2014.² Although there is no definitive region-wide data to document the increases in precipitation-induced flooding, there …

Panic That Spreads Sociobehavioral Contagion In Pedestrian Evacuations, Terra Elzie, Erika Frydenlund, Andrew J. Collins, R. Michael Robinson

VMASC Publications

Crowds are a part of everyday public life, from stadiums and arenas to school hallways. Occasionally, pushing within the crowd spontaneously escalates to crushing behavior, resulting in injuries and even death. The rarity and unpredictability of these incidents provides few options to collect data for research on the prediction and prevention of hazardous emergent behaviors in crowds. This study takes a close look at the way states of agitation, such as panic, can spread through crowds. Group composition—mainly family groups composed of members with differing mobility levels—plays an important role in the spread of agitation through the crowd, ultimately affecting …