Browsing by Author "Psychology, School of Science"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 379
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item A critical review of front-loading: A maladaptive drinking pattern driven by alcohol's rewarding effects(Wiley, 2022) Ardinger, Cherish E.; Lapish, Christopher C.; Czachowski, Cristine L.; Grahame, Nicholas J.; Psychology, School of ScienceFront‐loading is a drinking pattern in which alcohol intake is skewed toward the onset of reward access. This phenomenon has been reported across several different alcohol self‐administration protocols in a wide variety of species, including humans. The hypothesis of the current review is that front‐loading emerges in response to the rewarding effects of alcohol and can be used to measure the motivation to consume alcohol. Alternative or additional hypotheses that we consider and contrast with the main hypothesis are that: (1) front‐loading is directed at overcoming behavioral and/or metabolic tolerance and (2) front‐loading is driven by negative reinforcement. Evidence for each of these explanations is reviewed. We also consider how front‐loading has been evaluated statistically in previous research and make recommendations for defining this intake pattern in future studies. Because front‐loading may predict long‐term maladaptive alcohol drinking patterns leading to the development of alcohol use disorder (AUD), several future directions are proposed to elucidate the relationship between front‐loading and AUD.Item A Global Survey on Changes in the Supply, Price, and Use of Illicit Drugs and Alcohol, and Related Complications During the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic(Frontiers Media, 2021-08-06) Farhoudian, Ali; Radfar, Seyed Ramin; Ardabili, Hossein Mohaddes; Rafei, Parnian; Ebrahimi, Mohsen; Zonoozi, Arash Khojasteh; De Jong, Cornelis A. J.; Vahidi, Mehrnoosh; Yunesian, Masud; Kouimtsidis, Christos; Arunogiri, Shalini; Hansen, Helena; Brady, Kathleen T.; ISAM Global Survey Consortium (ISAM-GSC); Potenza, Marc N.; Baldacchino, Alexander Mario; Ekhtiari, Hamed; Psychology, School of ScienceBackground and Aims: COVID-19 has infected more than 77 million people worldwide and impacted the lives of many more, with a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable populations, including people with substance use disorders (SUDs). Quarantines, travel bans, regulatory changes, social distancing, and “lockdown” measures have affected drug and alcohol supply chains and subsequently their availability, price, and use patterns, with possible downstream effects on presentations of SUDs and demand for treatment. Given the lack of multicentric epidemiologic studies, we conducted a rapid global survey within the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) network in order to understand the status of substance-use patterns during the current pandemic. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Worldwide. Participants: Starting on April 4, 2020 during a 5-week period, the survey received 185 responses from 77 countries. Measurements: To assess addiction medicine professionals' perceived changes in drug and alcohol supply, price, use pattern, and related complications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: Participants reported (among who answered “decreased” or “increased”) a decrease in drug supply (69.0%) and at the same time an increase in price (95.3%) globally. With respect to changes in use patterns, an increase in alcohol (71.7%), cannabis (63.0%), prescription opioids (70.9%), and sedative/hypnotics (84.6%) use was reported, while the use of amphetamines (59.7%), cocaine (67.5%), and opiates (58.2%) was reported to decrease overall. Conclusions: The global report on changes in the availability, use patterns, and complications of alcohol and drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic should be considered in making new policies and in developing mitigating measures and guidelines during the current pandemic (and probable future ones) in order to minimize risks to people with SUD.Item A meta-analytic review of the effectiveness of mood inductions in eliciting emotion-based behavioral risk-taking and craving in the laboratory(American Psychological Association, 2023) Um, Miji; Revilla, Rebecca; Cyders, Melissa A.; Psychology, School of ScienceUrgency research supports the role of emotions in risk-taking and craving. However, much of this work is based in self-report. It is not yet known whether existing experimental methods can effectively induce emotion-based risk-taking and craving. The present meta-analysis quantified the effectiveness of mood inductions in inducing risk-taking and craving in the laboratory. We also examined potential moderators, including participant factors, changes in emotional arousal, and study design factors. For negative mood inductions, the degree of changes in risk-taking (k = 35, Hedge’s g (SE) = 0.12 (0.04), 95% CI [0.04 – 0.21]) and craving (k = 37, Hedge’s g (SE) = 0.30 (0.06), 95% CI [0.19 – 0.40]) were small. Increases in emotional arousal were significantly related to increases in craving (B* = 0.26). For positive mood inductions, there was no significant change in risk-taking (k = 18, Hedge’s g (SE) = 0.17 (0.11), 95% CI [−0.04 – 0.38]) nor craving (k = 8, Hedge’s g (SE) = −0.10 (0.10), 95% CI [−0.31 – 0.10]); however, false positive feedback produced the largest increase in risk-taking. Study samples using guided imagery produced a moderate decrease in risk-taking. Overall, existing negative mood inductions increased risk-taking and craving in the laboratory to a small degree. Existing positive mood inductions failed to elicit risk-taking or craving, although the literature in this domain was sparser. We suggest that there is a great need to develop and optimize mood induction methods to better study emotion-based risk-taking and craving in the laboratory.Item A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating MBSR for Parkinson’s Disease Patients and Their Caregiving Partners: Effects on Distress, Social support, Cortisol, and Inflammation(Springer, 2022) Siwik, Chelsea J.; Phillips, Kala; Litvan, Irene; Salmon, Paul; Rodgers, Allison; Jablonski, Megan; Sephton, Sandra E.; Psychology, School of ScienceObjectives: To examine the preliminary effects of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program in the management of biopsychosocial stress–related changes associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) among patient/caregiving-partner dyads. Methods: PD patient/caregiving-partner dyads (N = 18) early in the disease trajectory were recruited from a university-affiliated movement disorders clinic and were randomized (1:1) to either the MBSR intervention or the control condition (treatment as usual [TAU]). Mixed methods ANOVAs were conducted to examine primary outcomes (disease-specific distress, perceived social support, circadian rhythmicity [cortisol], and markers of inflammation [IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1beta]) between groups (MBSR vs. TAU) among patients and caregiving partners separately. Results: No participants were lost to follow-up. Given the pilot nature of the current investigation, findings should be interpreted as exploratory opposed to confirmatory. Following MBSR, PD patients reported an increase in disease-specific distress and intrusive thoughts and demonstrated a decrease in mean bedtime cortisol and IL-1beta from baseline to follow-up compared to TAU. Caregiving partners who received MBSR reported an increase in perceived social support and demonstrated improved rhythmicity of diurnal cortisol slopes from baseline to follow-up compared to TAU. Conclusions: Both patients and caregiving partners who received MBSR demonstrated improvements in biomarkers of circadian function, and patients evidenced a decrease in a biomarker of systemic inflammation, pointing to an important area of further investigation. Given that patients reported an increase in disease-specific distress and intrusive thoughts, the salutary effects of MBSR may be experienced physiologically prior to, or in lieu of, psychological effects, although this should be explored further, especially given the improvement in perceived social support reported by caregiving partners.Item A Systematic Approach to Developing Virtual Patient Vignettes for Pediatric Health Equity Research(Mary Ann Liebert, 2022-11-22) Mulchan, Siddika S.; Miller, Megan; Theriault, Christopher B.; Zempsky, William T.; Hirsh, Adam; Psychology, School of ScienceObjective: The aim of this study was to describe a systematic approach to developing virtual patient (VP) vignettes for health equity research in pediatric pain care. Methods: VPs were initially developed to depict the body posture and movements of actual children experiencing pain. Researchers and clinicians with expertise in pediatric pain worked closely with a professional animator to portray empirically supported pain expression in four, full-motion, virtual male characters of two races (i.e., White and Black). Through an iterative process, VPs were refined to (1) appear realistic in a clinical setting and (2) display archetypal pain behavior and expression during a 1-min video clip without sound. Text vignettes were developed with consultation from experts in pain care and presented alongside VPs to assess clinical decision-making. VP vignettes were piloted in a sample of pediatric providers (N=13). Results: Informed by the literature and expertise of stakeholders, several revisions were made to improve VPs' facial grimacing and realism before piloting. VPs appeared to accurately capture important aspects of pain expression and behavior common among pediatric patients with pain disorders. Additional refinements to the text vignettes were made based on provider feedback to improve clarity and clinical relevance. Conclusions: This article presents a working framework to facilitate a systematic approach to developing VP vignettes. This framework is a first step toward advancing health equity research by isolating psychosocial and interpersonal factors affecting provider behavior and decision-making. Future research is needed to validate the use of VP vignettes for assessing provider behavior contributing to health inequities for youth with pain disorders.Item A systematic review of the reasons for quitting and/or reducing alcohol among those who have received alcohol use disorder treatment(Elsevier, 2024-11-19) Prestigiacomo, Christiana; Fisher-Fox, Lindsey; Cyders, Melissa A.; Psychology, School of ScienceResearch has primarily studied reasons for quitting and/or reducing alcohol use in non-treatment samples. This systematic review aimed to characterize the reasons for quitting and/or reducing alcohol use among those who have received treatment for AUD and examine how reasons endorsed differ across measurement methods used. Articles were identified through PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed, and CINAHL. Twenty-one articles met inclusion criteria. Thematic coding revealed 21 unique themes in reasons for quitting and/or reducing. Common reasons included physical health issues, misalignment with personal goals, family influence, and social factors-also noted in non-treatment populations. Unique themes like hitting rock bottom and avoiding disapproval were identified, potentially linked to treatment initiation or development. The measurement approach influenced the reasons reported, highlighting the need for standardized methods. Common reasons are fundamental and are not a result of treatment, while others are unique to individuals who have received AUD treatment, which may suggest that they are critical in leading one to seek treatment or may be developed during treatment. Assessing and tailoring treatment based on these reasons may enhance outcomes. Standardizing how we measure reasons for quitting or reducing alcohol is crucial for comparing studies and improving treatment. Future research should evaluate reasons over time, assess their importance at different treatment stages, and use varied assessment strategies for comprehensive insights.Item Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective(Sage, 2025) Whitener, MacKenzie; Khazvand, Shirin; Carson, Ian; Martin, Anna; Salyers, Michelle; Cyders, Melissa; Aalsma, Matthew; Zapolski, Tamika; Psychology, School of ScienceAdolescence is characterized by heightened emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and engagement in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use, violence, and unprotected sexual activity. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention that targets emotion regulation and impulsivity among adolescents, proven effective at decreasing high-risk behaviors. However, limited research exists on adolescents' perceptions of DBT-A, particularly in schools. The current study aimed to understand adolescents' perspectives on a DBT-A skills group delivered within urban high schools in a midwestern state. The study sample of 18 youth (mean age 14.7; 66.7% male; 38.9% Black) completed individual semi-structured qualitative interviews assessing their perspectives on the DBT-A skills group. Interview topics included the program's impact on youths' daily lives, risk-taking behaviors, skill acquisition, and general feedback about the group. Fifteen of the eighteen participants (86%) reported acceptability of the program, expressing that they enjoyed the content and would recommend the group to peers. Participants observed positive impacts on their daily lives, including self-reported enhanced ability to regulate their emotions, communicate with teachers, effectively adapt their mindsets and motivations, and make healthy relationship decisions. Additionally, some noted an increased feeling of connection to their peers following the group. Delivering the DBT-A skills group in schools was shown to have high rates of acceptability among youth and resulted in improved emotion regulation and reduced impulsivity. Further research is needed to assess long-term effects of this program and to identify best training practices for school staff to implement and sustain the program long-term.Item Acceptability and Efficacy of an Adapted School-Based Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Group for Adolescents: A Qualitative Perspective(Sage, 2025) Whitener, MacKenzie; Khazvand, Shirin; Carson, Ian; Martin, Anna; Salyers, Michelle; Cyders, Melissa; Aalsma, Matthew; Zapolski, Tamika; Psychology, School of ScienceAdolescence is characterized by heightened emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, and engagement in high-risk behaviors, such as substance use, violence, and unprotected sexual activity. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A) is an evidence-based intervention that targets emotion regulation and impulsivity among adolescents, proven effective at decreasing high-risk behaviors. However, limited research exists on adolescents' perceptions of DBT-A, particularly in schools. The current study aimed to understand adolescents’ perspectives on a DBT-A skills group delivered within urban high schools in a midwestern state. The study sample of 18 youth (mean age 14.7; 66.7% male; 38.9% Black) completed individual semi-structured qualitative interviews assessing their perspectives on the DBT-A skills group. Interview topics included the program’s impact on youths’ daily lives, risk-taking behaviors, skill acquisition, and general feedback about the group. Fifteen of the eighteen participants (86%) reported acceptability of the program, expressing that they enjoyed the content and would recommend the group to peers. Participants observed positive impacts on their daily lives, including self-reported enhanced ability to regulate their emotions, communicate with teachers, effectively adapt their mindsets and motivations, and make healthy relationship decisions. Additionally, some noted an increased feeling of connection to their peers following the group. Delivering the DBT-A skills group in schools was shown to have high rates of acceptability among youth and resulted in improved emotion regulation and reduced impulsivity. Further research is needed to assess long-term effects of this program and to identify best training practices for school staff to implement and sustain the program long-term.Item Acceptance and commitment therapy for fatigue interference in advanced gastrointestinal cancer and caregiver burden: protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial(BMC, 2021-04-20) Mosher, Catherine E.; Secinti, Ekin; Kroenke, Kurt; Helft, Paul R.; Turk, Anita A.; Loehrer, Patrick J., Sr.; Sehdev, Amikar; Al-Hader, Ahmad A.; Champion, Victoria L.; Johns, Shelley A.; Psychology, School of ScienceBackground: Fatigue interference with activities, mood, and cognition is one of the most prevalent and bothersome concerns of advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer patients. As fatigue interferes with patient functioning, family caregivers often report feeling burdened by increasing responsibilities. Evidence-based interventions jointly addressing cancer patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden are lacking. In pilot studies, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown promise for addressing symptom-related suffering in cancer patients. The current pilot trial seeks to test a novel, dyadic ACT intervention for both advanced GI cancer patients with moderate-to-severe fatigue interference and their family caregivers with significant caregiving burden or distress. Methods: A minimum of 40 patient-caregiver dyads will be randomly assigned to either the ACT intervention or an education/support control condition. Dyads in both conditions attend six weekly 50-min telephone sessions. Outcomes are assessed at baseline as well as 2 weeks and 3 months post-intervention. We will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of ACT for improving patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden. Secondary outcomes include patient sleep interference and patient and caregiver engagement in daily activities, psychological flexibility, and quality of life. We will also explore the effects of ACT on patient and caregiver physical and mental health service use. Discussion: Findings will inform a large-scale trial of intervention efficacy. Results will also lay the groundwork for further novel applications of ACT to symptom interference with functioning and caregiver burden in advanced cancer.Item Acceptance and commitment therapy for patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden in advanced gastrointestinal cancer: Results of a pilot randomized trial(Sage, 2022) Mosher, Catherine E.; Secinti, Ekin; Wu, Wei; Kashy, Deborah A.; Kroenke, Kurt; Bricker, Jonathan B.; Helft, Paul R.; Turk, Anita A.; Loehrer, Patrick J., Sr.; Sehdev, Amikar; Al-Hader, Ahmad A.; Champion, Victoria L.; Johns, Shelley A.; Psychology, School of ScienceBackground: Fatigue often interferes with functioning in patients with advanced cancer, resulting in increased family caregiver burden. Acceptance and commitment therapy, a promising intervention for cancer-related suffering, has rarely been applied to dyads coping with advanced cancer. Aim: To examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy for patient-caregiver dyads coping with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Primary outcomes were patient fatigue interference and caregiver burden. Design: In this pilot trial, dyads were randomized to six weekly sessions of telephone-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy or education/support, an attention control. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and at 2 weeks and 3 months post-intervention. Setting/participants: Forty patients with stage III-IV gastrointestinal cancer and fatigue interference and family caregivers with burden or distress were recruited from two oncology clinics and randomized. Results: The eligibility screening rate (54%) and retention rate (81% at 2 weeks post-intervention) demonstrated feasibility. At 2 weeks post-intervention, acceptance and commitment therapy participants reported high intervention helpfulness (mean=4.25/5.00). Group differences in outcomes were not statistically significant. However, when examining within-group change, acceptance and commitment therapy patients showed moderate decline in fatigue interference at both follow-ups, whereas education/support patients did not show improvement at either follow-up. Acceptance and commitment therapy caregivers showed medium decline in burden at 2 weeks that was not sustained at 3 months, whereas education/support caregivers showed little change in burden. Conclusions: Acceptance and commitment therapy showed strong feasibility, acceptability, and promise and warrants further testing.