Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Losing My Religion (And It Doesn’T Feel So Good) How Alcohol, Drugs, And Religion Affect Hookup Enjoyment Among College Students, William Christmann

Sociology Senior Seminar Papers

In Western media, drugs, alcohol, and casual sex are widely regarded as essential facets of the college experience. It is not only accepted but expected that students will experiment with drugs and explore their sexuality throughout their undergraduate careers. Students who come from religious backgrounds that position such behaviors as against their fundamental beliefs are put in a tricky predicament. How do they participate in behaviors that go directly against their religious ideals? In the current study, I explore the questions “do drug and alcohol use affect college students’ enjoyment of a hookup, and how strong of a role does …

Alcohol Bottles At Fort Snelling: A Study Of American Military Culture In The 19th Century, Katherine Gaubatz

Culminating Projects in Cultural Resource Management

The goal of this research was to explore the theme of alcohol as a social status marker within the realm of the American military frontier in the early to mid-1800s. The study was done as a comparison between the drinking habits of the officers and the enlisted men throughout the occupancy of the selected fort during the 1800s. While glass bottles and alcohol are both extensively studied subjects in anthropology and archaeology, there is a gap in the shape of alcohol’s use as a social status marker within the American military. This thesis hopes to start to fill in that …

Effects Of Alcohol Intoxication On Hostile Attribution Bias And Relational Aggression In Women, Alita M. Mobley

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol intoxication is consistently linked to physical and sexual aggression in men, but not women. The lack of evidence supporting the relationship between alcohol and aggression for women could be due to a failure to measure relational aggression (i.e., harmful social manipulation), the form of aggression more commonly employed by women. Further, alcohol intoxication may interfere with the interpretation of social cues, resulting in greater perceived provocation in ambiguous social interactions and increased aggression. The current study examined the relationship between alcohol intoxication and relational aggression in women and the extent to which interpretation of social cues (i.e., hostile attribution …

Nicotine And Alcohol Interactions, Charles C. J. Frye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Charles C.J. Frye, a graduate student in the Behavior Analysis program at Utah State University, completed this dissertation as part of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology.

Alcohol and Nicotine are the two most commonly abused drugs in the United States, often used at the same time. The goal of the dissertation was to more fully understand how exposure to one drug alters motivation for the other. In Chapter I, we investigated how exposure to nicotine affects relapse for alcohol in rats. Nicotine did not affect relapse for alcohol, possibly due to the method of …

Why Can't Homeless Addicts Get Help Too, Rachael D. Causland

English Department: Research for Change - Wicked Problems in Our World

Homeless people today struggle more with addiction than people who have stability in their life. Whether it’s due to financial issues, or not having a support system, homeless people struggle to get the help they need for both their addiction and their homelessness. A high number of homeless people report to have started an addiction since being homeless, and they do so to stay alive, in turn people are continuing to stay homeless and many of these people are dying of overdoses or just staying stuck in the situation they are forced to deal with alone. There are some states …

Sex Differences In The Acceptability And Short-Term Outcomes Of A Web-Based Personalized Feedback Alcohol Intervention For High School Seniors, Diana M. Doumas, Susan Esp, Rob Turrisi, Laura Bond, Sherise Porchia, Brian Flay

Counselor Education Faculty Publications and Presentations

Despite the escalation of alcohol use through high school, the majority of research on school-based alcohol interventions has been conducted with junior high students or first and second year high school students. Preliminary research indicates a brief, web-based personalized feedback intervention developed for college students (eCHECKUP TO GO) may be a promising program for high school seniors. Although these studies demonstrate positive intervention effects, there is some evidence for greater program efficacy for females in this age group. The current study investigates sex differences in program acceptability of the eCHECKUP TO GO and its relationship to short-term alcohol outcomes among …

Opioid Dependency And Its Effects On Alcohol Consumption, Emily V. Flores

Psychology and Counseling Theses

Previous research has found dualistic effects on alcohol consumption with low doses of buprenorphine increasing alcohol and higher doses of buprenorphine reducing alcohol consumption in rats (Ciccocioppo et al., 2006). Other existing research on naloxone treatment and alcohol consumption in opioid use has demonstrated that alcohol consumption decreases after naloxone treatment in rats (Hyytia & Sinclair, 1993). Yet, no research has been conducted on either rats or humans on the effects of buprenorphine and naloxone medication combined. The effects of opioid maintenance therapy are controversial and the relationship between alcohol consumption and opioid dependency treatment is mainly based on literature …

Stress And Alcohol Use: An Experimental Investigation Of Cognitive Mechanisms, Katherine Anne Buckheit

Dissertations - ALL

Research suggests that exposure to stressors is associated with greater alcohol consumption, more alcohol-related problems, and a greater likelihood of Alcohol Use Disorder. Theory suggests that cognitive processes, particularly unconscious cognitive processes, are key in determining a coping strategy but both alcohol and chronic exposure to stressors may interfere with these processes. The current study tested one such process, attention bias to alcohol cues, as a mediator in the stressor-alcohol relationship. Thirty-nine participants who endorsed hazardous alcohol consumption patterns were recruited from the community; eligible participants were randomly assigned to a stress-exposure or non-stressful control condition. Participants completed assessments of …

The Effects Of Alcohol On Bdnf And Cd5 Dependent Pathways, Andrew Jordan Payne

Theses and Dissertations

Alcohol represents the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Yet, despite its prevalent role in impeding human health, there is much to understand about how it elicits its effects on the body and how the body and brain change when an individual becomes physiologically dependent upon alcohol. The work presented herein represents an effort to elucidate the acute and chronic effects of alcohol on the nervous system. We investigate two specific protein pathways and their role in alcohol's effects on the body. The first begins with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which acts on TrkB, and ends …

Alcohol Affects The Reward Pathway Of The Brain Via A6-Containing Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In The Nucleus Accumbens, Elizabeth Qiufeng Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

The prevailing view is that enhancement of dopamine (DA) transmission in the mesolimbic system consisting of DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that project to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) underlies the rewarding properties of ethanol (EtOH) and nicotine (NIC). Although the dogma is that EtOH enhancement of DA neural activity contributes to enhancement of DA transmission, DA neurons are not sensitive to rewarding levels of EtOH. However, VTA GABA neurons are sensitive to low-dose EtOH. We have shown previously that EtOH modulation of DA release in the NAc is mediated by α6-containing nicotinic receptors (α6*-nAChRs), that α6*-nAChRs mediate …

Aerobic Exercise Alters Opioid Receptors Following Chronic Alcohol Exposure, James N. Brundage

Theses and Dissertations

Opioid receptors have been a target of pharmacological manipulation in alcohol use disorder (AUD) recovery protocols for many years. Aerobic exercise, a common adjunct in AUD recovery, is known to modulate opioid receptors (ORs) both during both acute and long term exposure. The three subtypes of ORs: mu (MOR), delta (DOR), and kappa (KOR) are all expressed on neurons in the mesocorticolimbic circuitry. Kappa-opioid receptors are expressed directly on dopamine (DA) neuron terminals in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Mu and Delta ORs are expressed on cholinergic interneurons (CINs) and GABA neurons in the NAc. In alcohol dependent rodents, KORs are …

Alcohol Use And Drinking-Related Eating Restriction Behaviors Among College Students, Peter Preonas

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

The combination of eating restrictions and alcohol use is a prevalent problem on college campuses. Some students engage in eating restrictions prior to drinking to limit their overall caloric intake or to enhance intoxication effects. To date, limited research suggests that drinking-related eating restriction behaviors are associated with additional and unique health risks relative to high-risk drinking or eating restrictions alone. As such, additional research examining this unique, risky set of behaviors is warranted. Consequently, the present study aimed to address gaps in the literature by further examining the risks associated with drinking-related eating restrictions and testing trait factors related …

A Daily Diary Examination Of Microaggressions And Alcohol Use Among Emerging Adult Bisexual Women: The Role Of Alcohol Demand, Sarah J. Ehlke

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Bisexual women are at far greater risk for alcohol use, alcohol-related negative consequences, and alcohol use disorder than heterosexual or lesbian women. However, research on sexual minority women often combines lesbian and bisexual women into a single group. One possible explanation for the increased alcohol use and associated consequences among bisexual women relates to their experiences of discrimination or microaggressions that are daily insults and comments, intentional or unintentional, about their sexuality from both the heterosexual and sexual minority communities. Thus, it is possible that bisexual women drink to cope with microaggressions. Specifically, bisexual women may drink more and have …

The Mediating Effects Of Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy On The Associations Between Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies And Alcohol Use Outcomes, Kray Scully

Dissertations

Alcohol use continues to pose a serious public health problem at universities across the U.S., largely due to the extent of consumption and frequency of negative consequences experienced among college students. Alcohol protective behavioral strategies (PBS-A) are an empirically supported repertoire of safe drinking behaviors college students can use to monitor and control their alcohol consumption as well as limit harm while drinking. However, there remains a need to better understand how cognitive mechanisms, such as drinking refusal self-efficacy (DRSE), help explain college student safe alcohol use behaviors to enhance evidenced-based intervention and prevention efforts. Recently, studies that examined the …

Drinking To Cope: Effects Of Anxiety On Generation Of Self-Regulation Strategies, Lauren Hurd

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to utilize motivational and self-regulatory processes, specifically the principle of emotional transfer (PET), to elucidate mechanisms underlying the transition from casual alcohol use to dependence in young adults with elevated anxiety. Utilizing a script-driven imagery procedure, the proposed study examined the effects of manipulated state anxiety on 1) the amount, content, and commitment to freely generated anxiety reduction strategies, and 2) the level of craving for alcohol. Young adult college students (N = 69; ages 18-24; 76.8% women) were randomly assigned to either the high (n = 35) or low (n = 34) anxiety condition. After script …

Regulation Of Gabaa Receptor Subunit Expression In Substance Use Disorders, Jeffrey S. Barker, Rochelle M. Hines

Psychology Faculty Research

The modulation of neuronal cell firing is mediated by the release of the neurotransmitter GABA (γ-aminobuytric acid), which binds to two major families of receptors. The ionotropic GABAA receptors (GABAARs) are composed of five distinct subunits that vary in expression by brain region and cell type. The action of GABA on GABAARs is modulated by a variety of clinically and pharmacologically important drugs such as benzodiazepines and alcohol. Exposure to and abuse of these substances disrupts homeostasis and induces plasticity in GABAergic neurotransmission, often via the regulation of receptor expression. Here, we review the regulation of GABAAR subunit expression in …

The Effect Of Hurricane Sandy On Mental Health Outcomes Of New Yorkers, Kacper Perkowski

Theses and Dissertations

This study’s objective is to evaluate the effect of Hurricane Sandy on the long-term mental health of New Yorkers. Health data spanning from 2010-2014 was obtained through the Community Health Survey. Difference-in-differences regressions were employed to evaluate the relationship. The results show Hurricane Sandy had no statistically significant effect on any key mental health variables.

Roles Of Race And Adverse Neighborhood Conditions In Urban Youth Alcohol Behavior, Jin Zhao

Theses - ALL

Substantial racial disparities exist in adolescent alcohol behaviors. Although racial minority adolescents are less likely to drink, when they drink, they experience similar or greater levels of negative drinking consequences compared to Whites. However, such racial disparities have rarely been examined within the neighborhood environmental context. This study examined whether racial differences exist in the prospective association between adverse neighborhood conditions (i.e., disadvantage and disorder) at Year 1 (Y1) and adolescents’ current drinker status and risk for hazardous drinking at Year 2 (Y2) in racially diverse urban high school students. Data were drawn from a two-wave, one-year prospective health study …

Consequences Of In Utero Exposure To Alcohol With A Focus On Behavioral Outcomes, Brittany N. Bamberg

Honors Thesis

In utero exposure to alcohol can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), which encompasses a range of developmental disorders. The prevalence of FASD has been estimated to impact approximately 40,000 children in the U.S. each year. These individuals are at a greater risk for cognitive dysfunction, dementia, and seizures. The goal of this study was to determine the influence of in utero exposure to alcohol on cognition and behavior in adolescent and adult rats. Pregnant rats were fed an alcohol diet (3% alcohol) throughout their gestational period or control diet (no alcohol). Pups were weaned and pair-housed within sex …

Why Now? Examining Antecedents For Substance Use Initiation Among African American Adolescents., Tamika Zapolski, Tianyi Yu, Gene Brody, Devin Banks, Allen Barton

Psychology Faculty Works

Current adolescent substance use risk models have inadequately predicted use for African Americans, with limited knowledge on differential predictability as a function of developmental period. Among a sample of 500 African American youth (ages 11–21), four risk indices (i.e., social, attitudinal, intrapersonal, and racial discrimination) were examined in the prediction of alcohol, marijuana, and cigarette initiation during early (ages 11–13), mid (ages 16–18) and late (ages 19–21) adolescence. Results showed that when developmental periods were combined, racial discrimination was the only index that predicted initiation for all three substances. However, when risk models were stratified based on developmental period, variation …

Social And Individual-Level Identities And College Male Alcohol Use Behaviors: Examining The Utility Of Protective Behavioral Strategies, Robert Bearden Whitley

Dissertations

Recent literature has consistently identified conformity to traditional masculine norms as motivating hazardous drinking behaviors of college men. Given the high prevalence of hazardous drinking among college men and the particular negative consequences that emerge secondary to it, additional research is needed in this area to better identify possible intervention targets. The present study sought to better elucidate the proximity of male norm conformity to drinking behaviors through including a specific identity factor related to alcohol use: drinking identity. Secondary to this goal, this study also sought to examine how these factors of identity predicted the safe drinking behaviors of …

Alcohol_Focused Drowning Prevention Campaigns: What Do We Know And What Should We Do Now?, Hannah Calverley, Lauren Petrass, Jennifer Blitvich

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Alcohol and drugs have been identified as key risk factors for youth (aged 15-24 years) and adult drownings in high-income countries (HIC). Whilst alcohol specific drowning prevention education programs have been developed and implemented, youth continue to be over-represented in drowning statistics, including those linked with alcohol. Therefore, this project aimed to: (i) review and assess all alcohol themed drowning prevention campaigns within HICs; (ii) determine whether the campaign had undergone evaluation for effectiveness; and (iii) provide recommendations to improve the effectiveness of future interventions. For each of the eighty-one HICs identified for the 2019 fiscal year, searches of peer-reviewed …

Exploring Alcohol Use, Cannabis Use, And Desire To Dissociate In College Female Victims Of Sexual Violence, Gabrielle Krause, Jessie Tibbs, Antover Tuliao, Dennis Mcchargue

UCARE Research Products

Almost 20% of undergraduate women experience some type of completed sexual assault before graduating college. Experiencing a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, has been shown to increase difficulties with emotion regulation, and both PTSD symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties have been associated with marijuana-use coping motives (Bonn-Miller et al., 2011). Additionally, prior research has found that emotion dysregulation predicts alcohol involved sexual assault (AISA) in the short term, and alcohol problems increases the risk for AISA in the long term (Messman-Moore et al., 2014). This suggests a cyclical relationship in coping drinking motives. This study seeks to further examine …

The Gender Gap In Alcohol Deaths Is Much Larger In Some States Than Others, Erin Bisesti

Population Health Research Brief Series

Alcohol-related deaths have been on the rise in the U.S. over the past several years. Men have higher rates of alcohol-related death than women, and the gender gap is largest in the western and southern regions of the U.S. This brief describes which states have the highest rates of alcohol-related death among men and women.

To Serve And Protect: Examining The Relationship Between Selling Alcohol In College Football Venues And Negative Fan Behaviors, Nels Popp, Archer Bane, Steven Howell, Barbara Osborne

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Currently, many university and college athletics administrators are weighing the decision to sell alcoholic beverages at on-campus sporting events. Prior studies have found negative behaviors related to binge drinking spike on college campuses during football gamedays. However, empirical research examining the effect of a policy change regarding the selling of alcoholic beverages in college athletic venues on fan behavior remains somewhat limited. The current study examined longitudinal campus police records at 12 institutions which have recently changed their in-venue alcohol policy. Results from the analysis confirm prior studies suggesting negative behaviors increase on home football game days. The decision to …

The Internal, External And Extended Microbiomes Of Hominins, Robert R. Dunn, Katherine R. Amato, Elizabeth A. Archie, Mimi Arandjelovic, Alyssa N. Crittenden, Lauren M. Nichols

Anthropology Faculty Research

The social structure of primates has recently been shown to influence the composition of their microbiomes. What is less clear is how primate microbiomes might in turn influence their social behavior, either in general or with particular reference to hominins. Here we use a comparative approach to understand how microbiomes of hominins have, or might have, changed since the last common ancestor (LCA) of chimpanzees and humans, roughly six million years ago. We focus on microbiomes associated with social evolution, namely those hosted or influenced by stomachs, intestines, armpits, and food fermentation. In doing so, we highlight the potential influence …

Attitudes About Date Rape: Context And Consent, Hannah Mae Strom

Theses and Dissertations

Sexual assault, and date rape specifically, is a prevalent problem among college students. Many factors influence students’ attitudes about these situations such as the closeness of the relationship and alcohol consumed at the time of the incident. These same factors similarly influence attitudes about reporting an assault. The development of mobile proximity-based dating applications (dating apps) has added a new, and largely under-researched, factor of influence to attitudes about perceptions of sexual consent. The current study used vignettes to examine college students’ perceptions of sexual consent and attitudes about reporting in a date rape scenario. The vignettes varied to explore …

Population Demographics: Predictors Of The Relationship Between Alcohol Use Disorder And Major Depression, Mei Grace Behrendt

Honors Theses

This thesis examines both biological and social explanations of alcohol use disorder (AUD) and major depression (MD) through a thorough review of current literature. Using multiple logistic regression analyses exploring the sociodemographic and alcohol use factors that contribute to reporting of major depression symptoms with data from the 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this thesis demonstrates how there are health disparities that exist among different demographic populations. Specifically, certain demographic characteristics such as racial or ethnic identity, gender, and socioeconomic status may contribute to increased risk of developing and reporting episodes of lifetime and past year major …

Drug Use Behaviors: 2020 Treatment Providers Survey, Dataset, And Interview Final Reports, Jeanette Harder, December Lange Treacy, Liam Heerten-Rodriguez, Jodi Gabel, Daniel Kreuzberg, Rachel Lubischer, Jennifer L. Smith

Reports

The purpose of this needs assessment is to deepen DOP’s (NE DHHS Drug Overdose Prevention (DOP) program) understanding of individuals’ drug use behaviors in Nebraska through the lens of treatment providers.

The results of this study will aid DOP in providing training and other resources to treatment centers, focusing prevention efforts, and informing their strategic plan and future studies. Ultimately, this study will support DOP’s efforts to reduce opioid-involved fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Nebraska.

Remember That Party Last Night? Examining The Effects Of Binge-Like Alcohol On Memory, Anna Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

Alcohol is a widely available drug that is often abused. Studies have shown alcohol-induced memory loss in humans and animals; however, the large amount of alcohol often necessary to observe such loss and use of involuntary drinking paradigms in animals makes translation difficult. The current study was designed to look at voluntary binge-like drinking behavior and memory in rodents. We anticipated decreases in working memory function following consumption of binge-like alcohol in mice and expected a greater deficit in mice experiencing acute withdrawal during the memory task. The present study explored drinking behaviors in adult C57BL/6J mice (18 male, 18 …