Ellen E. Haynes

A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Mindfulness and Acceptance Group Therapy for Residential Substance Use Patients

ABSTRACT Background: Substance use disorders are understood as a chronically relapsing condition that is difficult to treat. However, in recent years there have been promising developments in the treatment of substance use disorders, specifically with interventions based on mindfulness and acceptance and commitment therapy. Little research has examined whether these types of interventions may positively impact residential substance use treatment outcomes. Objectives: Thus, in the current study we developed and examined, in a randomized controlled trial, a 4-week, eight-session, adjunctive mindfulness and acceptance group therapy for patients in residential substance use treatment. Our primary outcomes were substance use cravings, psychological flexibility, and dispositional mindfulness at treatment discharge. Methods: Patients (N = 117) from a private residential substance use facility were randomized to receive the adjunctive mindfulness and acceptance group or treatment-as-usual. Patients were assessed at treatment intake and at discharge from a 28–30-day residential program. Results: Although treatment groups did not statistically differ at discharge on any primary outcome, small effect sizes favored the mindfulness and acceptance group on cravings and psychological flexibility. Conclusions/Importance: Continued research is needed to determine whether the addition of mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions improve outcomes long term following residential substance use treatment.

Cannabis use and dating violence among college students: A call for research

Dating violence is a serious and prevalent problem on college campuses. Although there is a robust literature documenting that alcohol use is consistently associated with increased risk for perpetrating dating violence, little research has examined the role of cannabis in dating violence perpetration. With increasing legalisation of cannabis throughout the world, it is imperative to understand what role, if any, cannabis may play in the important public health problem of dating violence. In this commentary, we discuss the current state of the research on cannabis and dating violence and suggest avenues for additional research in this area. It is critical that we conduct methodologically sound research on the association between cannabis and dating violence so that we can understand what role, if any, cannabis exerts on this important problem. [Shorey RC, Haynes E, Strauss C, Temple JR, Stuart GL. Cannabis use and dating violence among college students: A call for research. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:17-19].

Marijuana use is associated with intimate partner violence perpetration among men arrested for domestic violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem. Substance use, particularly alcohol, is a robust risk factor for IPV. There is a small but growing body of research demonstrating that marijuana use is positively associated with IPV perpetration. However, research on marijuana use and IPV has failed to control for other known predictors of IPV that may account for the positive association between marijuana use and IPV perpetration. Therefore, the current study examined whether marijuana use was associated with IPV perpetration after controlling for alcohol use and problems, antisocial personality symptoms, and relationship satisfaction, all known risk factors for IPV. Participants were men arrested for domestic violence and court-referred to batterer intervention programs (N = 269). Findings demonstrated that marijuana use was positively and significantly associated with psychological, physical, and sexual IPV perpetration, even after controlling for alcohol use and problems, antisocial personality symptoms, and relationship satisfaction. Moreover, marijuana use and alcohol use and problems interacted to predict sexual IPV, such that marijuana use was associated with sexual IPV at high, but not low, levels of alcohol use and problems. These findings lend additional support to the body of research demonstrating that marijuana use is positively associated with IPV perpetration in a variety of samples. Results suggest that additional, rigorous research is needed to further explore why and under what conditions marijuana is associated with IPV perpetration.

Stalking Victimization and Substance Use in College Dating Relationships: An Exploratory Analysis.

Traditionally, most dating violence research has focused on physical aggression and has left stalking behaviors largely unexamined, despite evidence that stalking of an intimate partner occurs with high frequency. Moreover, the extent to which stalking victimization has the same negative mental health consequences as other forms of dating violence is unclear. Thus, using a sample of male and female undergraduate students in current dating relationships (N = 357), the association between stalking victimization and alcohol and drug use was explored. Results indicated that for both men and women, stalking victimization from a dating partner was related to alcohol and drug use, even after controlling for age, gender, length of dating relationship, and physical aggression victimization. These preliminary findings suggest that stalking victimization is associated with deleterious consequences; thus, additional research is needed to better understand the longitudinal, long-term consequences of stalking victimization. Additional implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Drinking Motives as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Dating Violence Victimization and Alcohol Problems

The present study sought to examine whether drinking motives (i.e., coping, social, conformity, and enhancement) moderated the relationship between physical, sexual, and psychological dating violence victimization and alcohol-related problems in a sample of drinking college women (N = 177). Results demonstrated that coping and social drinking motives moderated the relationship between sexual victimization and alcohol problems; conformity, social, and enhancement drinking motives moderated the relationship between alcohol-related problems and physical victimization; no significant findings were evident for psychological aggression victimization. Our results partially support the self-medication model of alcohol use, and this may be particularly relevant to sexual victimization.

Sense of Community among Female Residents of a Trauma-Informed Sober Living Home

ABSTRACT Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) and domestic and/or sexual violence (DSV) co-occur at high rates. Although some studies have examined sober living homes (SLHs), no research to date has evaluated SLHs specifically designed for women with histories of SUDS and DSV. Objective: The purpose of this article is to present data from an exploratory analysis of the association between sense of community (SOC) and mental health symptoms within a unique trauma-informed and gender-responsive SLH (i.e., Support, Education, Empowerment, and Directions [SEEDs]). Method: Participants included current or former residents of SEEDs (N = 28) who completed surveys assessing SOC and mental health symptoms. The sample was predominantly White (85.7%), heterosexual (64.3%), low income (71.4% <

Co-Occurrence of and Recovery from Substance Abuse and Lifespan Victimization: A Qualitative Study of Female Residents in Trauma-Informed Sober Living Homes

20,000 per year), had children (67.9%), and reported a history of incarceration (71.4%). Results: On average women reported high levels of SOC. Higher SOC was related to lower posttraumatic stress and depression symptoms and higher coping self-efficacy and sexual assault resistance self-efficacy, with large effect sizes. Conclusions: Trauma-informed SLHs may promote positive mental health symptoms for women with histories of DSV and SUDs via SOC. Additional research is needed to more rigorously evaluate these preliminary findings. Further, longitudinal, prospective research is needed to better understand the process by which SOC develops and mechanisms by which SOC promotes (and/or is impacted by) positive mental health symptoms.

Is General or Alcohol-Specific Perceived Social Support Associated with Depression among Adults in Substance Use Treatment?

ABSTRACT Despite the co-occurrence of substance use disorders (SUDs) and domestic and/or sexual violence (DSV) in the lives of women, there remains a dearth of research on how and why these phenomena intersect as well as the role that trauma-informed sober living homes (SLHs) may play in promoting recovery. Following a detailed description of a unique trauma-informed SLH (Support, Education, Empowerment, and Directions [SEEDs]), we present findings from a qualitative study that documented the perceptions and lived experiences of 28 female current or former residents of a trauma-informed SLH; all women had histories of SUDs and DSV. Results uncovered four themes (fractured foundations, points of intersection of SUDs and DSV, pervasiveness of SUDS and DSV, resiliency) and a constitutive pattern (moving away from instability and harnessing self-agency). Women noted that their engagement with SEEDs played a significant role in their recovery, specifically through fulfilling their needs for tangible resources (e.g., food, clothing, shelter) and the community’s provision of emotional support (e.g., family, love, consistency) to promote recovery. These findings provide new insights on SUDs and DSV and preliminary support for the effectiveness of a trauma-informed SLH.

The Impact of the Gender Differences Controversy on Female-Specific Physical Dating Violence Prevention Programming

ABSTRACT Alcohol use disorders are among the most common mental health disorders in the world and incur considerable costs for individuals and society. Previous research has demonstrated that perceived social support (PSS) may decrease rates of depression and relapse in individuals seeking treatment for alcohol use. The current study developed and investigated a self-report measure for perceived social support for sobriety from alcohol (PSSA) in a sample of men and women in residential treatment for substance use (N = 231), and examined the relationship between general or alcohol-specific perceived social support and depression. Analyses demonstrated sound factor structure, reliability, and validity for the PSSA. Additionally, the new measure of PSS for alcohol sobriety was negatively and uniquely associated with depression, even after controlling for general PSS, enacted social support, and negative social interactions. Overall, findings demonstrated that the PSSA was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, even after accounting for other known correlates of depression. Future research should replicate and extend these findings and examine whether this new measure predicts abstinence from alcohol following treatment.

High school youth's reactions to participating in mixed-methodological dating violence research

Clear evidence indicates that college women perpetrate physical dating violence at rates similar to or higher than men. However, programs focused on preventing physical dating violence perpetration by women are scarce. We propose that the misperception that physical perpetration is a male-dominated problem contributes to this lack of emphasis on preventing women’s physical violence. We believe that failing to focus on programming that targets women’s perpetration further contributes to the misperception that men are the primary perpetrators of violence and limits our prevention efforts. We suggest possible solutions to address this misperception and aid in the implementation of female-inclusive violence programming.