Racheal Reavy

Validation of the delinquent activities scale for incarcerated adolescents

PURPOSE This study examined the validity of the delinquent activities scale (DAS), based in part on the self reported delinquency (SRD) scale. METHOD Participants were 190 incarcerated adolescents (85.8% male; average age 17 years) at a juvenile correctional facility in the Northeast. While incarcerated, they were asked about substance use and delinquent activities in the 1 year prior to incarceration, as well as parental, peer, and demographic information. They were tracked at three months post-release, given the DAS, and assessed for post-release substance use. RESULTS Three factors of the DAS assess general, alcohol-involved, and marijuana-involved delinquent activities. Principal components analysis was used to develop subscales within each factor. Support was found for concurrent and predictive incremental validities of these factors and their subscales in predicting substance use, with stronger findings for the general and the alcohol-involved factors. Subscales related to stealing showed lower validity than those related to more aggressive behaviors. CONCLUSIONS These analyses suggest that the factors and empirically derived subscales offer researchers and clinicians a psychometrically sound approach for the assessment of adolescent misbehaviors.

The Comparison Question Polygraph Test: A Contrast of Methods and Scoring

We conducted a mock crime experiment with 250 paid participants (126 females, Mdn age = 30 years) contrasting the validity of the probable-lie and the directed-lie variants of the comparison question test (CQT) for the detection of deception. Subjects were assigned at random to one of eight conditions in a Guilt (Guilty/Innocent) × Test Type (Probable-Lie/Directed-Lie) × Stimulation (Between Repetition Stimulation/No Stimulation) factorial design. The data were scored by an experienced polygraph examiner who was unaware of subject assignment to conditions and with a computer algorithm known as the Objective Scoring System Version 2 (OSS2). There were substantial main effects of guilt in both the OSS2 computer scores F(1, 241) = 143.82, p < .001, η(p)(2) = 0.371, and in the human scoring, F(1, 242) = 98.92, p<.001, η(p)(2) = .29. There were no differences between the test types in the number of spontaneous countermeasure attempts made against them. Although under the controlled conditions of an experiment the probable-lie and the directed-lie variants of the CQT produced equivocal results in terms of detection accuracy, the directed-lie variant has much to recommend it as it is inherently more standardized in its administration and construction.

Who will experience the most alcohol problems in college? The roles of middle and high school drinking tendencies

BACKGROUND Previous work examining college drinking tendencies has identified a disproportionately small (20%), but uniquely high-risk group of students who experience nearly 50% of the reported alcohol-related consequences (i.e., the multiple repeated consequences, or MRC, group). With the goal of reducing drinking-related consequences later in college, this study sought to identify potential MRC group members in their first semester by examining: (i) early-risk subgroups based on analysis of early-risk screening constructs (e.g., age of drinking onset, middle school alcohol exposure, high school drinking, and consequences); and (ii) their association with MRC criteria early in the first semester of college. METHODS A random sample of 2,021 first-year college student drinkers (56% female) completed a web-based drinking survey in their first semester on campus. RESULTS Latent class analysis revealed 4 early-risk subgroups: (i) an early-onset risk group who endorsed early age of drinking onset and engaged in heavy middle and high school drinking (10%); (ii) a late-onset risk group who engaged in weekend drinking and drunkenness and experienced 6 or more unique consequences as seniors in high school (32%); (iii) an early-onset limited risk group who only endorsed early age of onset and middle school drinking (3%); and (iv) a minimal risk group who did not engage in any early-risk behaviors (55%). Members of both the early- and late-onset risk groups had significantly higher odds of MRC membership in their first semester of college (9.85 and 6.79 greater, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest age of onset, middle and high school drinking and drunkenness, and frequency of unique consequences could be particularly useful in brief screening tools. Further, findings support early screening and prevention efforts for MRC membership prior to college matriculation.

When alcohol is only part of the problem: An event-level analysis of negative consequences related to alcohol and other substance use.

While alcohol remains the drug of choice for most college students, national data show that 40% of college students also use other substances (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, etc.). Longitudinal studies indicate that students who report use of both alcohol and other substances experience more consequences (e.g., blackout, arrests). The current study expands upon this research by using a multilevel approach to examine average and event-level alcohol combined with other substance use (ALC+) and its role on consequences experienced. In addition, the research examined which substance combined with alcohol posed the most risk. A total of 461 students reported on alcohol use, substance use, and consequences experienced (e.g., Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire [YAACQ]) on 12 weekend nights (Thursday, Friday, Saturday) across 4 weekends in an academic year. Multilevel model analyses revealed a positive association between both average and event-level ALC+ use and the number of consequences experienced. A significant cross-level interaction was also revealed indicating students who typically combine alcohol and other substances experienced more consequences on occasions when they use more substances relative to students who typically use alcohol only. Finally, alcohol plus nicotine, or marijuana, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, or cocaine were all significantly positively related to increased consequences. These findings provide consistent evidence that ALC+ use is a highly prevalent behavior among college students that increases risk of problematic consequences.

Assessing Conduct Disorder: A New Measurement Approach

The Delinquent Activities Scale (DAS) was used to develop indicators of conduct disorder (CD) in terms of symptom severity and age of onset. Incarcerated adolescents (N = 190) aged 14 to 19 were asked about their delinquent behaviors, including age the behavior was first performed, as well as substance use and parental and peer influences. Assessments were performed for the 12 months prior to incarceration and at 3-month postrelease follow-up. Evidence supports the utility of the DAS as a measure of CD diagnosis, including concurrent incremental validity. Furthermore, CD severity (symptom count) was significantly associated with two peer factors: friend substance use and friend prior arrests, with medium to large effect sizes (ESs). Earlier age of CD onset was associated with earlier marijuana use. This study finds that the DAS is a useful instrument in that it is easy to apply and has adequate psychometrics.

Evaluation of a Brief Dermatologist-Delivered Intervention vs Usual Care on Sun Protection Behavior

Importance Despite receiving dermatologic care, many patients with or without a history of skin cancer either do not use sun protection or fail to use it in an effective manner. Objective To examine the association of a brief dermatologist-delivered intervention vs usual care with patient satisfaction and sun protection behavior. Design, Setting, and Participants A longitudinal controlled cohort study among adults receiving dermatology care was conducted from April 25 to November 6, 2017, at 2 dermatologic clinic sites within a Northeastern health care system to compare outcomes associated with the intervention with that of usual care on 1- and 3-month patient outcomes. The sample consisted primarily of non-Hispanic white patients aged 21 to 65 years. Participants were assigned to the intervention group (n = 77) or the control group (n = 82) based on the site location of their dermatologists. Interventions The intervention (<3 minutes) was delivered by dermatologists during a skin examination or the suturing phase of skin cancer surgery. The intervention consisted of 6 components targeting sun risk and protective behaviors. Main Outcomes and Measures First, patient’s satisfaction with the dermatologist’s communication was assessed. Second, the association of the intervention with changing sun protection behavior of the patient was examined. Results Patients in the intervention group (46 women and 31 men; mean [SD] age, 52.4 [9.6] years) rated dermatologist-patient communication more positive compared with patients in the control group (59 women and 23 men; mean [SD] age, 51.4 [11.3 years]). Eighteen percent (14 of 77) of patients in the intervention group reported 1 or more sunburns 1 month after the intervention compared with 35% (29 of 82) of patients in the control group (P = .01). No differences in report of sunburns were seen at the 3-month follow-up. Patients in the intervention group reported increased use of sunscreen across 3 months (face: intervention, increased 12% and controls, decreased 4%; P = .001; body: intervention, increased 12% and controls, decreased 1%; P = .02; reapplication: intervention, increased 15% and controls, remained stable; P = .002). Conclusions and Relevance The intervention was delivered by dermatologists after minimal standardized training and resulted in a higher level of satisfaction with dermatologist-patient communication and improved sun protection behavior among patients across several months.

Adolescents who experienced negative alcohol-related consequences are willing to experience these consequences again in the future

Alcohol use and risky single occasion drinking are common among adolescents and are associated with a higher risk of various negative social, physical, academic, or sexual consequences. Studies have shown that among college students, willingness to experience negative consequences is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing these consequences in the future. However, it remains unclear how experiencing negative consequences influences adolescents’ willingness to experience them again. Based on a representative sample of 1,333 alcohol-using 14- to 15-year-olds (47.9% female), a path model was used to examine the associations between risky drinking, negative social and physical consequences, and willingness to experience the specific consequence in the future. As hypothesized, more frequent risky drinking was positively associated with experiencing negative consequences (i.e., saying or doing embarrassing things, regretted sexual experiences, impairment of schoolwork, problems with parents/friends, accident or injury, hangover, vomiting, memory lapses). Contrary to our second hypothesis, adolescents who experienced a negative consequence were also consistently willing to experience it in the future. Findings suggest that adolescents may see the experience of negative consequences as a necessary evil to attain the positive consequences. Prevention efforts may benefit from focusing on ways of attaining positive consequences by promoting alternatives to engaging in risky drinking practices, as well as reducing negative consequences (e.g., by promoting protective behavioral strategies).