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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Nurse Practitioner Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs When Caring For Transgender People, Catherine Paradiso, Robin M. Lally Dec 2018

Nurse Practitioner Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs When Caring For Transgender People, Catherine Paradiso, Robin M. Lally

Publications and Research

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore Nurse Practitioner (NP) knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs when working with transgender people and to inform about Practitioner education needs.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore (NP) experiences. Focused semistructured interviews were conducted in 2016 with 11 (N = 11) NPs in the northeastern United States who represent various years of experience and encounters with transgender patients. The interviews explored NP knowledge attitudes and beliefs when caring for transgender patients and described their overall experiences in rendering care in the clinical setting. The interviews were professionally transcribed and analyzed …


Association Of Exposure To Police Violence With Prevalence Of Mental Healthsymptoms Among Urban Residents In The United States, Jordan E. Devylder, Hyun-Jin Jun, Lisa Fedina, Daniel Coleman, Deidre Anglin, Courtney Cogburn, Bruce Link, Richard P. Barth Nov 2018

Association Of Exposure To Police Violence With Prevalence Of Mental Healthsymptoms Among Urban Residents In The United States, Jordan E. Devylder, Hyun-Jin Jun, Lisa Fedina, Daniel Coleman, Deidre Anglin, Courtney Cogburn, Bruce Link, Richard P. Barth

Publications and Research

Importance Police violence is reportedly widespread in the United States and may pose a significant risk to public mental health.

Objective To examine the association between 12-month exposure to police violence and concurrent mental health symptoms independent of trauma history, crime involvement, and other forms of interpersonal violence exposure.

Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional, general population survey study of 1221 eligible adults was conducted in Baltimore, Maryland, and New York City, New York, from October through December 2017. Participants were identified through Qualtrics panels, an internet-based survey administration service using quota sampling.

Exposures Past 12-month exposure to police violence, …


Empowering With Prep (E-Prep), A Peer-Led Social Media–Based Intervention To Facilitate Hiv Preexposure Prophylaxis Adoption Among Young Black And Latinx Gay And Bisexual Men: Protocol For A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Viraj V. Patel, Zoë Ginsburg, Sarit A. Golub, Keith J. Horvath, Nataly Rios, Kenneth H. Mayer, Ryunh S. Kim, Julia H. Arnsten Aug 2018

Empowering With Prep (E-Prep), A Peer-Led Social Media–Based Intervention To Facilitate Hiv Preexposure Prophylaxis Adoption Among Young Black And Latinx Gay And Bisexual Men: Protocol For A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial, Viraj V. Patel, Zoë Ginsburg, Sarit A. Golub, Keith J. Horvath, Nataly Rios, Kenneth H. Mayer, Ryunh S. Kim, Julia H. Arnsten

Publications and Research

Background: Young black and Latinx, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (YBLGBM, aged 18-29 years) have among the highest rates of new HIV infections in the United States and are not consistently reached by existing prevention interventions. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an oral antiretroviral regimen taken daily by HIV-uninfected individuals to prevent HIV acquisition, is highly efficacious in reducing HIV acquisition and could help stop the HIV epidemic in YBLGBM. Use of social media (eg, Facebook, Twitter, online dating sites) is ubiquitous among young people, providing an efficient avenue to engage YBLGBM to facilitate PrEP adoption.

Objective: …


Supermarket Retailers’ Perspectives On Healthy Food Retail Strategies: In-Depth Interviews, Olivia Martinez, Noemi Rodriguez, Allison Mercurio, Marie Bragg, Brian Elbel Aug 2018

Supermarket Retailers’ Perspectives On Healthy Food Retail Strategies: In-Depth Interviews, Olivia Martinez, Noemi Rodriguez, Allison Mercurio, Marie Bragg, Brian Elbel

Publications and Research

Background

Excess calorie consumption and poor diet are major contributors to the obesity epidemic. Food retailers, in particular at supermarkets, are key shapers of the food environment which influences consumers’ diets. This study seeks to understand the decision-making processes of supermarket retailers—including motivators for and barriers to promoting more healthy products—and to catalogue elements of the complex relationships between customers, suppliers, and, supermarket retailers.

Methods

We recruited 20 supermarket retailers from a convenience sample of full service supermarkets and national supermarket chain headquarters serving low- and high-income consumers in urban and non-urban areas of New York. Individuals responsible for making …


Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And A History Of Pervasive Gender-Based Violence Among Women Asylum Seekers Who Have Undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Retrospective Case Review, Hazel Lever, Deborah Ottenheimer, Jimmitti Teysir, Elizabeth Singer, Holly G. Atkinson Jul 2018

Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And A History Of Pervasive Gender-Based Violence Among Women Asylum Seekers Who Have Undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Retrospective Case Review, Hazel Lever, Deborah Ottenheimer, Jimmitti Teysir, Elizabeth Singer, Holly G. Atkinson

Publications and Research

We sought to evaluate the frequency of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and any experiences of violence in women who had undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and were seeking asylum in the United States. We undertook a retrospective qualitative descriptive study of FGM/C cases seen in an asylum clinic over a 2-year period. Standardized questionnaires provided quantitative scores for anxiety, depression and PTSD. Clients’ personal and physician medical affidavits were analyzed for experiences of violence. Of the 13 cases, anxiety and depression were exhibited by 92 and 100% of women, while all seven women screened for PTSD had symptoms. Qualitative analysis revealed …


Should Patients With Diabetes Be Encouraged To Integrate Social Media Into Their Care Plan?, Arun R. Nelakurthi, Angela Marinilli Pinto, Curtiss B. Cook, Lynne Jones, Mary Boyle, Jieping Ye, Theodoros Lappas, Jingrui He Jul 2018

Should Patients With Diabetes Be Encouraged To Integrate Social Media Into Their Care Plan?, Arun R. Nelakurthi, Angela Marinilli Pinto, Curtiss B. Cook, Lynne Jones, Mary Boyle, Jieping Ye, Theodoros Lappas, Jingrui He

Publications and Research

AIM: To evaluate the use of social media of individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM).

MATERIALS & METHODS: Both web-based and in-clinic surveys were collected from individuals with DM. Descriptive and correlation analyses were employed to evaluate respondents' diabetes-specific social networking site behaviors.

RESULTS: Forty-five patients with DM completed the web-based survey and 167, the clinic-based survey, of whom only 40 visited diabetes-specific social networking sites. Analysis of online survey data indicated that self-reported adherence to lifestyle recommendations was significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with visiting the sites. Clinic-based survey data found that patients who reported using DM-specific web sites monitored home glucose values more often and had better compliance with insulin administration (both p < 0.05) compared with nonusers.

CONCLUSION: This study provides insight into why individuals visit DM-specific social networking sites. Certain self-management behaviors may improve as …


The Social Provision Of Healthcare To Migrants In The Us And In China, Van C. Tran, Katharine M. Donato Jun 2018

The Social Provision Of Healthcare To Migrants In The Us And In China, Van C. Tran, Katharine M. Donato

Publications and Research

This article develops a comparative analysis of healthcare provision to migrants in the US and in China. It proceeds in three parts. First, we begin by describing the growth of the unauthorized population and trace the evolution of social provision of healthcare to immigrants, highlighting the restrictive nature of federal social provisions and greater autonomy of state and local governments in redefining eligibility criteria in the US. Second, we examine the impact of legal status on healthcare access and utilization among Mexicans, using original data from the 2007 Hispanic Healthcare Survey and the Mexican Migration Project. We find that unauthorized …


Everyone Is Responsible For A Culture Of Safety, Linda Paradiso Mar 2018

Everyone Is Responsible For A Culture Of Safety, Linda Paradiso

Publications and Research

Whether you’re a direct-care nurse or a leader, you’re responsible for speaking up and taking action to keep patients safe. As front line workers, direct care nurses are error identifiers. The organizations where they work are responsible to create systems that are safe. Nurse leaders are responsible to develop environments that encourage speaking up and are free of punitive response. In a perfect world, discipline is based on the behavioral choice a person makes not the injury to the patient.


The Relationship Between In-Session Commitment Language And Daily Self-Reported Commitment To Reduce Or Abstain From Drinking, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Paul Amrhein, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Jon Morgenstern Jan 2018

The Relationship Between In-Session Commitment Language And Daily Self-Reported Commitment To Reduce Or Abstain From Drinking, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Paul Amrhein, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Background: Motivational interviewing is hypothesized to operate by enhancing a client’s internal motivation to change. Past research operationalizes this process by measuring in-session statements for change (i.e., change talk), yet relationships between change talk and other measures of motivation have yet to be substantiated. This study tested whether in-session change talk predicted subsequent reports of commitment to abstain or moderate drinking assessed via ecological momentary assessment (EMA), and explored each of their contributions to drinking outcomes. Method: Secondary data analysis was performed on data from 48 study participants who received therapy within a randomized controlled trial testing mechanisms of actions …


Comparing Daily Drivers Of Problem Drinking Among Older And Younger Adults: An Electronic Daily Diary Study Using Smartphones, Alexis Kuerbis, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Sijing Shao, Jessica Houser, Frederick Muench, Jon Morgenstern Jan 2018

Comparing Daily Drivers Of Problem Drinking Among Older And Younger Adults: An Electronic Daily Diary Study Using Smartphones, Alexis Kuerbis, Hayley Treloar Padovano, Sijing Shao, Jessica Houser, Frederick Muench, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Background—By 2030, numbers and proportions of older adults with substance-use problems are expected to increase. While risk factors for problem drinking in late life have been identified, it remains unknown whether these factors drive daily drinking among older problem drinkers. This study examined the daily drivers of drinking among problem drinkers, moderated by age, utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Method—Participants (N=139), ages 20–73, received daily EMA online surveys completed via a smartphone prior to initiation of treatment. Multilevel modeling tested the moderating impact of age on within- and between-person relationships between drinking and focal predictors (mood, loneliness, boredom, stress, poor …


Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld Jan 2018

Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Occupational health psychology (OHP) is a cross-disciplinary subspecialty within psychology. OHP derives from two disciplines within applied psychology, health psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. OHP is also linked to disciplines outside of psychology, such as occupational medicine and public health. The discipline has roots in eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth century thinkers, including Adam Smith, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim, and Max Weber. These thinkers were concerned with the impact of the organization of work and the business cycle on human life. Later research by Elton Mayo, Marie Jahoda, Walter B. Cannon, Hans Selye, and investigators at the University of Michigan’s …


Teaching Third-Year Medical Students To Address Patients’ Spiritual Needs In The Surgery/Anesthesiology Clerkship, Holly G. Atkinson, David Fleenor, Susan M. Lerner, Edward Poliandro, Joseph Truglio Jan 2018

Teaching Third-Year Medical Students To Address Patients’ Spiritual Needs In The Surgery/Anesthesiology Clerkship, Holly G. Atkinson, David Fleenor, Susan M. Lerner, Edward Poliandro, Joseph Truglio

Publications and Research

Introduction: Despite many patients wanting physicians to inquire about their religious/spiritual beliefs, most physicians do not make such inquiries. Among physicians who do, surgeons are less likely than family and general practitioners and psychiatrists to do so.

Methods: To address this gap, we developed a 60-minute curriculum that follows the Kolb cycle of experiential learning for third-year medical students on their surgery/anesthesiology clerkship. The session includes definitions of religion/spirituality, an overview of the literature on spirituality in surgery, a review of the FICA Spiritual History Tool, discussion of the role of the chaplain and the process of initiating a chaplain …


Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld Jan 2018

Occupational Health Psychology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Occupational health psychology (OHP) is a cross-disciplinary subspecialty within psychology. OHP derives from two disciplines within applied psychology, health psychology and industrial/organizational psychology. OHP is also linked to disciplines outside of psychology, such as occupational medicine and public health. The discipline has roots in 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century thinkers, including Adam Smith, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim, and Max Weber. These thinkers were concerned with the impact of the organization of work and the business cycle on human life. Later research by Elton Mayo, Marie Jahoda, Walter B. Cannon, Hans Selye, and investigators at the University of Michigan’s Institute …


Perception Of American–English Vowels By Early And Late Spanish–English Bilinguals, Miriam Baigorri, Luca Campanelli, Erika S. Levy Jan 2018

Perception Of American–English Vowels By Early And Late Spanish–English Bilinguals, Miriam Baigorri, Luca Campanelli, Erika S. Levy

Publications and Research

Increasing numbers of Hispanic immigrants are entering the US and learning American–English (AE) as a second–language (L2). Previous studies investigating the relationship between AE and Spanish vowels have revealed an advantage for early L2 learners for their accuracy of L2 vowel perception. Replicating and extending such previous research, this study examined the patterns with which early and late Spanish–English bilingual adults assimilated naturally-produced AE vowels to their native vowel-inventory and the accuracy with which they discriminated the vowels. Twelve early Spanish–English bilingual, 12 late Spanish–English bilingual, and 10 monolingual listeners performed perceptual-assimilation and categorical-discrimination tasks involving AE /i,ɪ,ɛ,ʌ,æ,ɑ,o/. Early bilinguals …


Burnout Research: Eyes Wide Shut, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent, Renzo Bianchi Jan 2018

Burnout Research: Eyes Wide Shut, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

In a study published in a recent issue of Critical Care Medicine, Colville and Smith (2017) found modest overlap between burnout and depression and assumed that burnout and depression are distinct entities. For four reasons, we think that the study is seriously flawed. First, Colville and Smith assessed burnout symptoms with an abbreviated version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the psychometric properties of which are unclear. Second, they used clinically and theoretically arbitrary cutoff scores for categorizing burnout, a modus operandi that, unfortunately, has become commonplace in studies of medical professionals. Third, participants could be categorized as “burned out” …


"Burned Out" At Work But Satisfied With One's Job: Anatomy Of A False Paradox, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi Jan 2018

"Burned Out" At Work But Satisfied With One's Job: Anatomy Of A False Paradox, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

In a recent study of 346 US neurosurgery residents Attenello et al reported that 67% of their participants suffered from burnout. The authors also found that 81% of surveyed residents were satisfied with their career. Attenello et al described their results as paradoxical. We criticize their methodology.


Burnout Syndrome And Depression, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent Jan 2018

Burnout Syndrome And Depression, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

In this chapter, we proposed an overview of burnout, from the introduction of the construct in the mid-1970s to the growing realization that the syndrome was better conceived of as a depressive condition. Recent studies have shown that the distinction between burnout and depression is problematic, both theoretically and empirically. The history of burnout research suggests that transdisciplinary communication and methodological standards should be strengthened to avoid the proliferation of constructs that, in fact, refer to the same phenomena. Construct proliferation, a transgression of the scientific canon of parsimony, is considered a major problem today because it undermines theory building …


A Neglected Problem In Burnout Research, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent Jan 2018

A Neglected Problem In Burnout Research, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

Although we share with Eckleberry-Hunt et al. (2018) some of their criticisms regarding the problematic conceptualization of burnout, we are perplexed by the authors’ silence regarding burnout–depression overlap, which is arguably the most troubling problem attached to the burnout construct. The extensive research suggests that burnout reflects a combination of depressive responses. The emotional exhaustion component of burnout involves fatigue and depressed mood, two diagnostic criteria for depressive disorders. Maslach et al. (2001) wrote that there is “a predominance of dysphoric symptoms” in burnout. Depersonalization symptoms are commonly found in depressed individuals. Diminished personal accomplishment reflects well-known depressive manifestations of …


On The “Bubble” Of Burnout's Prevalence Estimates, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi, Laura Hawryluck, Peter G. Brindley Jan 2018

On The “Bubble” Of Burnout's Prevalence Estimates, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi, Laura Hawryluck, Peter G. Brindley

Publications and Research

Hawryluck and Brindley (2018) addressed the issue of burnout—a syndrome thought to be induced by job stress—among critical care medicine (CCM) practitioners. Although we agree that the practice of CCM can be stressful, relying on burnout as an indicator of the practitioners’ response to occupational adversity is unwarranted. Despite its popularity, burnout remains poorly defined. Disconcertingly, investigators have widely relied on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) for “diagnosing” burnout in spite of the fact that the MBI is not a diagnostic instrument.Experiencing fatigue or distancing oneself from one’ work—what burnout is about—is not necessarily a sign of ill-being in itself. …


Burnout-Depression Overlap: Nomological Network Examination And Factor-Analytic Approach, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld Jan 2018

Burnout-Depression Overlap: Nomological Network Examination And Factor-Analytic Approach, Renzo Bianchi, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Burnout has been defined as a condition in which individuals are left exhausted by a long-term confrontation with unmanageable job stressors. The question of whether burnout reflects anything other than depressive responses to unresolvable stress remains an object of debate. In this 911-participant study (83% female; mean age: 42.36), we further addressed the issue of burnout-depression overlap. Burnout was assessed with the exhaustion subscale of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and depression with the PHQ-8. The relationships of burnout and depression with three jobrelated variables – illegitimate work tasks, work-nonwork interference, and job satisfaction – and three “context-free” variables …


Interpretation Bias Toward Ambiguous Information In Burnout And Depression, Renzo Bianchi, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Jay Verkuilen, Chantal Berna Jan 2018

Interpretation Bias Toward Ambiguous Information In Burnout And Depression, Renzo Bianchi, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Jay Verkuilen, Chantal Berna

Publications and Research

Burnout has been defined as a job-related syndrome combining pervasive fatigue and loss of motivation. In recent years, evidence has mounted that burnout may reflect a depressive condition. In this study, we expanded on past investigations of burnout-depression overlap by focusing on interpretation biases toward ambiguous information among the two entities. We conducted a web-based study involving 1056 participants (83% female; mean age: 42.87). Burnout symptoms were assessed with the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure and depressive symptoms with the PHQ-9. The Ambiguous Scenarios Test (AST), a measure of interpretation bias validated among dysphoric individuals, was the outcome of interest. The AST …


When We Say 'Physician Burnout,' We Really Mean Depression, Irvin Sam Schonfeld Jan 2018

When We Say 'Physician Burnout,' We Really Mean Depression, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

There has been controversy regarding the extent to which burnout overlaps depression. I enumerate eight reasons explaining to why depression is at the heart of burnout. Some of these reasons pertain to the highly similar work-related causes of burnout and depression, burnout adherents' faulty categorical and dimensional conceptualizations of burnout and depression, problematically high correlations between emotional exhaustion (the core of burnout) and depressive symptoms, research on physicians and dentists that underline burnout-depression overlap, and the problem of alexithymia being similarly related to burnout and depression. Suggestions for addressing the problem of burnout-depression among physicians are presented.


Is A Meta-Analytic Approach To Burnout’S Prevalence Timely?, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi Jan 2018

Is A Meta-Analytic Approach To Burnout’S Prevalence Timely?, Eric Laurent, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

Cañadas‐De la Fuente et al. performed a meta‐analysis of the prevalence of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment—the three definitional components of the burnout syndrome—among nursing professionals working in oncology units. All in all, their meta‐analysis was inconclusive because of the very state of burnout research. Because there is mounting evidence that burnout is a depressive condition, we recommend that investigators focus on depression, rather than burnout, in occupational health research and practice.


Online Communication Settings And The Qualitative Research Process: Acclimating Students And Novice Researchers, Katherine Gregory Jan 2018

Online Communication Settings And The Qualitative Research Process: Acclimating Students And Novice Researchers, Katherine Gregory

Publications and Research

In the last 20 years, qualitative research scholars have begun to interrogate methodological and analytic issues concerning online research settings as both data sources and instruments for digital methods. This article examines the adaptation of parts of a qualitative research curriculum for understanding online communication settings. I propose methodological best practices for researchers and educators that I developed while teaching research methods to undergraduate and graduate students across disciplinary departments and discuss obstacles faced during my own research while gathering data from online sources. This article confronts issues concerning the disembodied aspects of applying what in practice should be rooted …


What Is The Difference Between Depression And Burnout? An Ongoing Debate, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi, Stefano Palazzi Jan 2018

What Is The Difference Between Depression And Burnout? An Ongoing Debate, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi, Stefano Palazzi

Publications and Research

Il burnout è concepito come una sindrome che si sviluppa in risposta a condizioni di lavoro cronicamente avverse. Si ritiene che il burnout comporti esaurimento emotivo, depersonalizzazione e riduzione della realizzazione personale. Storicamente, tuttavia, il burnout è stato difficile da separare dalla depressione. In effetti, i sintomi del burnout coincidono con i sintomi della depressione. L'evidenza della validità discriminante del burnout nei confronti della depressione è debole, sia a livello empirico sia a livello teorico. L'esaurimento emotivo, il nucleo del burnout, riflette una combinazione di umore depresso e affaticamento / perdita di energia e si correla molto bene con altri …


Burnout And Depressive Symptoms Are Not Primarily Linked To Perceived Organizational Problems, Renzo Bianchi, Eric Mayor, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent Jan 2018

Burnout And Depressive Symptoms Are Not Primarily Linked To Perceived Organizational Problems, Renzo Bianchi, Eric Mayor, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Eric Laurent

Publications and Research

In this 257-participant study (76% female; mean age: 44.84), we examined two ideas that are widespread among burnout researchers: (a) the idea that burnout is primarily related to occupational-level factors; and (b) the idea that burnout should be considered a sentinel indicator in research on negative occupational outcomes. We investigated the links between burnout and a series of generic and work-related variables, namely, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, extraversion, effort-reward imbalance in the job (ERI), social support at work (SSW), and turnover intention. Burnout was assessed with the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure, depressive symptoms with the PHQ-9, neuroticism and extraversion with the NEO-Five …


More Than Taking A Chair: The Perceived Group Social Dynamics Of Alcoholics Anonymous Related To Changes In Spiritual Practices, Alexis Kuerbis, J. Scott Tonigan Jan 2018

More Than Taking A Chair: The Perceived Group Social Dynamics Of Alcoholics Anonymous Related To Changes In Spiritual Practices, Alexis Kuerbis, J. Scott Tonigan

Publications and Research

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting attendance and spiritual practices are established predictors of abstinence. This study utilized longitudinal data from two studies of AA to investigate 1) how perceived within meeting social dynamics in AA meetings affect later AA attendance, and thus exposure to the emphasis of spiritual practices and 2) influence the extent that spiritual gains are mobilized, beyond AA attendance. Findings revealed that greater group cohesion was associated with lower AA attrition, and that expressiveness, or openness, of the group predicted reported practice of spiritual behaviors. Findings reveal distinct group dynamics may foster distinct mechanism of change of AA …


Exploration Of Treatment Matching To Problem Drinker Characteristics With Motivational Interviewing And Non-Directive Client-Centered Psychotherapy For Problem Drinkers, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Svetlana Levak, Sijing Shao, Jon Morgenstern Jan 2018

Exploration Of Treatment Matching To Problem Drinker Characteristics With Motivational Interviewing And Non-Directive Client-Centered Psychotherapy For Problem Drinkers, Alexis Kuerbis, Jessica Houser, Svetlana Levak, Sijing Shao, Jon Morgenstern

Publications and Research

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a known effective intervention for alcohol use disorder (AUD). MI's mechanisms of action remain inconsistently substantiated, and research in this area has been reliant on identifying relationships through strength of association rather than experimental manipulation of active ingredients. In two previous studies, a pilot and a larger replication study, we disaggregated MI into its hypothesized active ingredients by creating three conditions: MI, Spirit Only MI (SOMI, in which evocation of change talk was proscribed), and a non-therapy condition (NTC). Results from both studies yielded equivalent findings across all three conditions. In the current analyses, data from …