ALDH2 Status and Conduct Disorder Mediate the Relationship Between Ethnicity and Alcohol Dependence in Chinese, Korean, and White American College Students.

This study examined aldehyde dehydrogense (ALDH2) gene status, alcohol dehydrogense (ADH2) gene status, conduct disorder, and alcohol dependence in Chinese, Korean, and White American college students. Chinese had a lower rate of alcohol dependence (5%) than Koreans (13%) and Whites (17%). Koreans had a higher rate of conduct disorder (15%) than Whites (9%) and Chinese (6%). The relationship of ethnicity to alcohol dependence was mediated by ALDH2 status and conduct disorder, although Chinese ethnicity remained significant. ADH2 status was not related to alcohol dependence with ALDH2 included, and no interactions were significant. Results suggest that different rates of risk (e.g., conduct disorder) and protective (e.g., ALDH2 status) factors partially account for ethnic differences in rates of alcohol dependence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

ALDH2, ADH1B and alcohol expectancies: Integrating genetic and learning perspectives.

The present study evaluated associations of ALDH2 and ADH1B genotypes with alcohol expectancies and drinking behavior in a sample of Asian American young adults. In addition to assessing global alcohol expectancies, the authors developed a measure of physiological expectancies to evaluate an expectancy phenotype specific to the mechanism by which ALDH2 and ADH1B variations presumably influence drinking behavior. Compared with individuals with the ALDH2*1/*1 genotype, those with the ALDH2*2 allele reported greater negative alcohol expectancies, greater expectancies for physiological effects of alcohol and lower rates of alcohol use. ADH1B was not associated with alcohol expectancies or drinking behavior. Hierarchical models showed that demographic factors, ALDH2 genotype, and expectancy variables explained unique variance in drinking outcomes. Mediation tests showed significant indirect effects of ALDH2 on drinking frequency and peak lifetime consumption through expectancies. These results provide support for influences of genetic factors and alcohol sensitivity on alcohol-related learning and suggest the importance of developing biopsychosocial models of drinking behavior in Asian Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Simultaneous activation of Ca(2+)-dependent K+ and Cl- currents by various forms of stimulation in the membrane of smooth muscle cells from the rabbit basilar artery

In 1997, the Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study resurveyed colleges that participated in a 1993 study. The findings revealed little change in binge drinking: a slight decrease in percentage of binge drinkers and slight increases in percentages of abstainers and frequent binge drinkers. Two of 5 students were binge drinkers (42.7%); 1 in 5 (19.0%) was an abstainer, and 1 in 5 was a frequent binge drinker (20.7%). As was true in 1993, 4 of 5 residents of fraternities or sororities were binge drinkers (81.1%). Asian students showed a greater increase and White students a greater decrease in binge drinking from 1993 to 1997, compared with all other students. Among students who drank alcohol, increases in frequency of drinking; drunkenness; drinking to get drunk; and alcohol-related problems, including drinking and driving, were reported. Binge drinkers in both 1993 and 1997 were at increased risk of alcohol-related problems, and nonbingers at colleges with high binge drinking rates had increased risks of encountering secondhand effects of binge drinking.     

Personality factors and styles among college students who binge eat and drink.

Elevated rates of comorbidity between binge eating and alcohol use problems have been widely documented. Prior studies have examined specific personality traits associated with the co-occurrence of these problems. The current study explores comprehensive personality factors that are associated with the co-occurrence of binge eating and binge drinking among a diverse sample of 208 college undergraduates. Using the Five Factor Model of personality, the authors assessed both comprehensive personality factors and style of impulse control, a personality style defined by different combinations of neuroticism and conscientiousness. On the basis of responses to a screening instrument, college students were assigned to one of four groups: binge eat, binge drink, binge eat and drink, and non-binge. The binge eat and drink group reported a higher level of neuroticism than did students in the binge drink and non-binge groups. Additionally, the binge eat and drink group was more likely to report an undercontrolled style of impulse control than were other groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A genetic association with the development of alcohol and other substance use behavior in Asian Americans.

Studies of Asian adults have found that alcohol use and alcohol dependence are related to variation in the aldehyde, dehydrogenase (ALDH2) gene. To investigate the association of ALDH2 with the development of drug involvement, the authors analyzed retrospective information about the onset and regular use of alcohol and other substances as reported by 180 Asian American college students. Possession of an ALDH2*2 allele was not related to initiation of alcohol use or having ever been intoxicated, but individuals with ALDH2*2 alleles were less likely to be regular drinkers, were less likely to have engaged in a binge-drinking episode, reported a lower number of maximum drinks consumed in a 24-hr period, and were less likely to have used tobacco regularly than those without this genetic variant. These findings suggest that ALDH2 is associated with the development of not only alcohol-related behavior but other substance use behavior as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effects of a brief motivational intervention with college student drinkers.

This study consisted of a randomized controlled trial of a 1-session motivational intervention for college student binge drinkers. Sixty students who reported binge drinking 2 or more times in the past 30 days were randomly assigned to either a no-treatment control or a brief intervention group. The intervention provided students with feedback regarding personal consumption, perceived drinking norms, alcohol-related problems, situations associated with heavy drinking, and alcohol expectancies. At 6-week follow-up, the brief intervention group exhibited significant reductions on number of drinks consumed per week, number of times drinking alcohol in the past month, and frequency of binge drinking in the past month. Estimates of typical student drinking mediated these reductions. This study replicates earlier research on the efficacy of brief interventions with college students and extends previous work regarding potential mechanisms of change. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase polymorphism in Asian and American Indian populations: detection of new ALDH2 alleles

Genetic deficiency of the mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) is frequent in Asian peoples where it is an important factor negatively regulating drinking behavior. To obtain additional information on gene geography of known ALDH2 alleles, and look for new variants, ALDH2 genes were evaluated in a Chinese population from Taiwan, a Yakut population of Siberia, and in five North American Indian populations. A novel approach based on a single-strand conformation polymorphism assay, and polymerase chain reaction-directed mutagenesis was developed for genotyping. In the Taiwan Chinese population, the ALDH2(2) allele frequency was 0.319 +/- 0.025, and this allele was not detected in the Yakut population nor in the five North American Indian populations. However, a new allele, ALDH2(3), was detected in Pima Indians at a frequency of 0.044 +/- 0.022, and this allele was also observed in 1 of 49 Pueblo samples. ALDH2(3) is a silent transition 1464 G-->A, and it possibly has a wide distribution among North American Indians. A new subtype of the ALDH2(2) allele, designated as ALDH2(2Taiwan), was found in 1 of 174 Chinese from Taiwan. ALDH2(2Taiwan) is characterized by two G-->A transitions at bases 1486 and 1510, resulting in Glu-->Lys substitutions at both the 479 and 487 positions. Thus, this second nonconservative ALDH2 substitution occurs within the sequence of the already inactive ALDH2(2) allele.     

Integrating biological and behavioral factors in alcohol use risk: The role of ALDH2 status and alcohol expectancies in a sample of Asian Americans.

Prior studies have shown that the ALDH2*2 genetic variant, most common in individuals of Asian descent, is related to heightened sensitivity to alcohol and can serve as a protective factor against alcohol problems. This study explored the effect of this factor on alcohol expectancies. It was hypothesized that (a) individuals with ALDH2*2 alleles would have lower positive expectancies and higher negative expectancies, (b) expectancies would mediate the ALDH2-drinking relation, and (c) ALDH2 status would moderate the expectancy-drinking relation. Data were collected from 171 Asian American university students. Positive expectancy and ALDH2 status were correlated with alcohol use. Mediation and moderation hypotheses were supported only in the female sample. Results were not significant for negative expectancies. These results indicate that ALDH2 status may protect against drinking by lowering positive expectancies and reducing the expectancy-drinking relationship. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acute alcohol tolerance on subjective intoxication and simulated driving performance in binge drinkers.

High rates of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems, including drinking and driving, occur among college students. Underlying reasons for the heightened impaired driving rates in this demographic group are not known. The authors hypothesized that acute tolerance to the interoceptive cues of intoxication may contribute to these maladaptive decisions to drive in binge drinkers. Groups of binge-drinking and non-binge-drinking college students (N = 28) attended sessions during which they received a moderate dose of alcohol (0.65 g/kg) or a placebo. The development of acute tolerance to subjective ratings of intoxication and simulated driving performance was assessed by comparing measures taken during the ascending phase and descending phases of the blood alcohol curve. Compared with placebo, alcohol increased ratings of intoxication and impaired multiple aspects of simulated driving performance in both binge and non-binge drinkers. During the descending phase of the blood alcohol curve, binge drinkers showed acute tolerance to alcohol’s effect on subjective intoxication, and this effect was accompanied by an increased rating of willingness to drive. By contrast, non-binge drinkers showed no acute tolerance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-injury, substance use, and associated risk factors in a multi-campus probability sample of college students.

This research examined two questions: (1) What is the prevalence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among college students, overall and by gender, academic level, and sexual orientation? (2) To what extent is SIB associated with different forms of substance use and other risk behaviors? A probability sample of 5,689 students completed an Internet survey on self-injury, mental health, and substance use. Past-year prevalence of SIB was 14.3%, with undergraduates significantly more likely than graduate students to engage in SIB. Drug use and frequent binge drinking were associated with higher rates of SIB. Among those who engaged in any SIB, those who used drugs had higher depression scores, higher prevalence of cigarette smoking, and higher rates of binge eating. In a multiple logistic regression model predicting SIB, depression, cigarette smoking, gambling, and drug use were significant predictors. Information about those at risk for SIB is critical for the design of prevention and intervention efforts as colleges continue to grapple with risky behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preventing binge drinking during early adolescence: One- and two- year follow-up of a school-based preventive intervention.

Examined the effectiveness of a school-based prevention program on reducing binge drinking in a sample of minority, inner-city, middle-school students. Rates of binge drinking were compared among 1,713 youths who received the program beginning in the 7th grade 9n?=?1,713) and acontrol group (n?=?1,328) that did not. The prevention program had protective effects in terms of binge drinking at the 1-year (8th grade) and 2-year (9th grade) follow-up assessments. The proportion of binge drinkers was over 50% lower in the intervention group relative to the control group at the follow-up assessments. There were also several significant program effects on proximal drinking variables, including drinking knowledge, pro-drinking attitudes, and peer drinking norms. These findings indicate that a school-based drug abuse prevention approach previously found to be effective among White youth significantly reduced binge drinking among urban minority youth. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hip fracture incidence among elderly Asian-American populations

This study estimated national age- and sex-specific nontraumatic hip fracture incidence rates for elderly Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans, and Korean Americans. Based on a 50 percent sample of 1992 Medicare enrollees with the race/ethnicity code "Asian" and "other," cohorts of persons with distinctive Chinese (n = 24,366), Japanese (n = 28,762), and Korean (n = 5,470) names were followed passively for 2 years for a hospitalization with a diagnostic code indicating hip fracture. Cohorts of whites and blacks were followed for comparison. Year of immigration was deduced from the year of issuance of the Social Security number. Age-adjusted hip fracture incidence was lower for all three Asian-American groups than for whites. For females, the standardized fracture ratio relative to whites was 30.1 for Chinese, 73.2 for Japanese, and 52.8 for Koreans; for males, the standardized fracture ratio was 41.9 for Chinese, 58.1 for Japanese, and 90.7 for Koreans. Persons whose Social Security numbers were issued after the immigration Act of 1965 had an adjusted relative risk of 1.37 (95% confidence interval 1.05-1.78) compared with those in the US before that year, after adjustment for age, sex, and ethnic group.     

Protective behavioral strategies and the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences among college students.

Approximately 40% of college students reported engaging in heavy episodic or "binge" drinking in the 2 weeks prior to being surveyed. Research indicates that college students suffering from depression are more likely to report experiencing negative consequences related to their drinking than other students are. The reasons for this relationship have not been well-studied. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine whether use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS), defined as cognitive-behavioral strategies an individual can use when drinking alcohol that limit both consumption and alcohol-related problems, mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences among college students. Data were obtained from 686 participants from a large, public university who were referred to an alcohol intervention as a result of violating on-campus alcohol policies. Results from structural equation modeling analyses indicated that use of PBS partially mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and alcohol-related negative consequences. Implications for clinicians treating college students who report experiencing depressive symptoms or consuming alcohol are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differences in familism values and caregiving outcomes among Korean, Korean American, and White American dementia caregivers.

Recent theories have suggested that burden and distress among dementia caregivers may be higher in American culture, which emphasizes individualism, and lower in cultures with higher levels of familism. However, immigrants may experience higher levels of burden because of acculturation with attendant values, conflicts and stresses. Forty-four Korean caregivers and 32 Korean American caregivers were compared with 54 White American caregivers on sociodemographic variables, familism, burden, anxiety, and depression. Familism was highest in Korean caregivers and lowest in Whites, with Korean Americans in the middle. Koreans and Korean Americans reported higher levels of burden. Koreans showed higher levels of depression and of anxiety than White American caregivers, with Koreans and Korean Americans higher than Whites on anxiety. These results suggest a need for greater specificity in theories about familism values, with attention to the specific meaning of familism in different cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An exploratory examination of the associations among racial and ethnic discrimination, racial climate, and trauma-related symptoms in a college student population.

In this study, we examined the association among perceptions of racial and/or ethnic discrimination, racial climate, and trauma-related symptoms among 289 racially diverse college undergraduates. Study measures included the Perceived Stress Scale, the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist—Civilian Version, and the Racial Climate Scale. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that Asian and Black students reported more frequent experiences of discrimination than did White students. Additionally, the MANOVA indicated that Black students perceived the campus racial climate as being more negative than did White and Asian students. A hierarchical regression analysis showed that when controlling for generic life stress, perceptions of discrimination contributed an additional 10% of variance in trauma-related symptoms for Black students, and racial climate contributed an additional 7% of variance in trauma symptoms for Asian students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Social environmental selection as a mediator of gender, ethnic, and personality effects on college student drinking.

Structural equation modeling was used to test the mediational role of social environmental selection on alcohol use in cross-sectional samples of 447 students from a rural state university and 421 students from an urban private university. Results showed that male gender, White ethnicity, and sensation seeking were uniquely associated with greater alcohol use. Mediational analyses indicated that socioenvironmental factors (i.e., Greek involvement, friends' approval of drinking/getting drunk) were positively associated with alcohol use and significantly accounted for parts of the effects of ethnicity and sensation seeking, but not gender, on alcohol use. Results suggest that White students and those high on sensation seeking may drink more heavily in college, in part because they select social environments in which alcohol use is encouraged. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Finding common ground for effective campus-based prevention.

This commentary reviews the controversy over use of the term binge drinking to describe college student alcohol consumption, argues for abandoning the term, and explains how doing so will help unify and reinvigorate campus-based prevention work. Binge drinking has been defined for men as 5 or more drinks in a row at least once in the previous 2 weeks and as 4 or more drinks for women. There is no scientific basis for focusing on this measure to the exclusion of other consumption measures; neither is there justification for labeling such consumption binge drinking, which reinforces an exaggerated view of student drinking. To build support for environmental management strategies to reduce alcohol-related problems, campus officials should avoid terminology that demonizes students and instead embrace the responsible majority of college students as an essential part of the solution. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adolescents' reference-group choices, self-esteem, and adjustment.

330 Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White high school students reported their reference-group label as mainstream, bicultural, or strongly ethnically identified. Compared with other groups, White students were significantly more likely to be mainstream. Across ethnic groups, students reporting a strong ethnic identification held attitudes that were significantly more separatist, reported more ethnic pride, engaged in less cross-ethnic contact out of school, reported more cross-ethnic conflict, and used English significantly less often than other reference groups. Reference-group label was not associated with significant ethnic differences in self-esteem, social competence, or grade point average (GPA). The generational status of minority students is discussed as a potential influence mediating the impact of reference group on adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

How trajectories of reasons for alcohol use relate to trajectories of binge drinking: National panel data spanning late adolescence to early adulthood.

Developmental changes in both alcohol use behaviors and self-reported reasons for alcohol use were investigated. Participants were surveyed every 2 years from ages 18 to 30 as part of the Monitoring the Future national study (analytic weighted sample size N = 9,308; 53% women, 40% college attenders). Latent growth models were used to examine correlations between trajectories of binge drinking and trajectories of self-reported reasons for alcohol use across young adulthood. Results revealed developmental changes in reasons for use and correlations between the patterns of within-person change in frequency of binge drinking and within-person change in reasons for use. In particular, an increase in binge drinking between ages 18 and 22 was most positively correlated with slopes of using alcohol to get high and because of boredom. Continued binge drinking between ages 22 and 30 was most strongly correlated with using alcohol to get away from problems. Almost no moderation by gender, race, college attendance, employment, or marital status was found. Binge drinking and reasons for alcohol use traveled together, illustrating the ongoing and dynamic connections between changes in binge drinking and changes in reasons for use across late adolescence and early adulthood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Progression into and out of binge drinking among high school students.

The current study examined binge drinking among high school students over an academic year. Adolescent drinkers (N?=?621; 58% female) were grouped into 4 trajectories: drinkers (35%), increasers (14%), decreasers (16%), and persistent binge drinkers (35%). Prospective analyses indicated several factors that predicted escalation and de-escalation of binge drinking. Increasers were more likely to regularly use alcohol and cigarettes at a younger age than drinkers. Compared with decreasers, persistent binge drinkers reported regular alcohol and marijuana use at younger ages. Lower levels of perceived student drinking appeared to be a protective factor for onset of binge drinking. The results highlight the need to study precursors to the naturally occurring fluctuations in binge drinking and suggest factors that may accentuate the risk of binge drinking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)