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Title: DECREASING ALCOHOL USE AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BY CHALLENGING ALCOHOL EXPECTANCIES.
Creator: Cruz, Iris, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Altering alcohol expectancies has reduced alcohol use among college students and may lead to successful prevention of alcohol use among high school students. We randomly assigned 379 12th-grade students to an expectancy challenge, traditional alcohol information, or control condition, and used Individual Differences Scaling to map expectancies into memory network format with Preference Mapping to model likely paths of association. After expectancy and traditional alcohol interventions, higher...
Show moreAltering alcohol expectancies has reduced alcohol use among college students and may lead to successful prevention of alcohol use among high school students. We randomly assigned 379 12th-grade students to an expectancy challenge, traditional alcohol information, or control condition, and used Individual Differences Scaling to map expectancies into memory network format with Preference Mapping to model likely paths of association. After expectancy and traditional alcohol interventions, higher drinking male participants exhibited a greater likelihood to associate alcohol use with negative and sedating consequences and a decreased likelihood to associate alcohol with positive and arousing consequences. Drinking decreases paralleled the magnitude of changes in their likely path of expectancy activation. Children and adults who emphasize negative and sedating effects have been found to be less likely to use alcohol. Therefore, expectancy challenge interventions that have been successful at modifying expectancies and subsequently decreasing alcohol consumption among heavy drinking college students may be useful in the development of prevention curricula for high school students.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001232, ucf:46887
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001232

Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUBSTANCE USE AND SOCIAL CLASS AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Creator: Little, Kelcey, Wright, Chrysalis L., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Alcohol and substance use among a college population has become a norm for our society. Even more intriguing are the possible factors that may lead to use and abuse of alcohol and substances. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between multiple participant characteristics (i.e., ethnicity, gender, year in college, socioeconomic status) and alcohol and substance use. A total of 902 participants from the University of Central Florida answered multiple questionnaires...
Show moreAlcohol and substance use among a college population has become a norm for our society. Even more intriguing are the possible factors that may lead to use and abuse of alcohol and substances. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between multiple participant characteristics (i.e., ethnicity, gender, year in college, socioeconomic status) and alcohol and substance use. A total of 902 participants from the University of Central Florida answered multiple questionnaires via the Sona system. Items in the questionnaires included topics such as demographic variables, social class variables, and items regarding alcohol and substance use in the past thirty days. The majority of participants were white females with an average age of 21.58. This study hypothesized that participants who identify as white males, those classified as a junior or senior in class standing, as well as those in a higher socioeconomic status would be more likely to report alcohol and substance use when compared to other participants. The current study also sought to assess how these different factors combine to best predict alcohol and substance use among a college sample. Data in the study was analyzed using SPSS in which correlations, t-tests, and an ANOVA were used to determine how participant characteristics and alcohol and substance use among college students are related. Linear regression analyses were conducted as well to determine how different participant characteristics can combine to best predict alcohol and substance use among college students. Results indicated that those participants whom identify as being white males, participants in a higher socioeconomic status, and, participants in later years of college are more likely to partake in alcohol and substance use. Results also indicated that the main factors that predicted alcohol and substance use are social class and year in college.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFH2000019, ucf:45579
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000019

Title: SOCIAL EXPERIENCE, DEPRESSION, AND ALCOHOL ABUSE IN COLLEGE AGE FEMALES.
Creator: Cooper, Ann, Mottarella, Karen, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Past research has explored social experience in relation to depression among college females. Other studies have investigated the relationship between social experience and alcohol use among college students. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship among all the three variables, social experience, depression, and alcohol use, in female college students. In the present study, 132 traditional age female college students completed a Brief Social Experience Rating Scale, the Beck...
Show morePast research has explored social experience in relation to depression among college females. Other studies have investigated the relationship between social experience and alcohol use among college students. However, there is a lack of research on the relationship among all the three variables, social experience, depression, and alcohol use, in female college students. In the present study, 132 traditional age female college students completed a Brief Social Experience Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). The results did not show a relationship between AUDIT scores and social experience ratings, but individuals who provided dissatisfied ratings of their social experience had higher depression scores falling into the clinical depression range on the BDI.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFH0004279, ucf:44943
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004279

Title: SETTING THE STAGE FOR A SOBER COMMUNITY ON CAMPUS.
Creator: DeLisa, John, Chicurel, Steven, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In the last thirty years, a movement in America helps students struggling with substance abuse and dependency. Only recently, in the 1970s to be precise, has there been any significant documentation that unveils the problem of substance abuse in college. Schools like Texas Tech University and Kennesaw State University are in the forefront helping hundreds of thousands of students who struggle to have a safe and productive college experience. These schools provide support systems, scholarships...
Show moreIn the last thirty years, a movement in America helps students struggling with substance abuse and dependency. Only recently, in the 1970s to be precise, has there been any significant documentation that unveils the problem of substance abuse in college. Schools like Texas Tech University and Kennesaw State University are in the forefront helping hundreds of thousands of students who struggle to have a safe and productive college experience. These schools provide support systems, scholarships, and mentorship to those students who are free from drug use and dependence and are looking to further their education. It is my intent to demonstrate a growing need for these support systems and present a theatrical work that will raise awareness of this issue. Oftentimes, the issue of substance abuse is an embarrassing and uncomfortable topic for people to discuss. There are issues of denial at both the personal and academic level. By using theatre as a means to present this topic in a non-confrontational, engaging, and thoughtful manner, I contend that there can be progress in bringing Collegiate Recovery Programs to colleges nationwide. My play, A Way Back, will add to the canon of substance abuse plays with an emphasis on substance abuse recovery in college.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFH0004580, ucf:45159
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004580

Title: FEEDBACK-BASED ALCOHOL INTERVENTIONS FOR MANDATED STUDENTS: A COMPARISON OF INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, AND ELECTRONIC FORMATS.
Creator: Alfonso, Jacqueline, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The present study examined the effectiveness of personalized alcohol feedback interventions in three different delivery formats on alcohol use and related negative consequences in a sample of mandated college students referred for alcohol-related violations. Participants were randomized to one of three conditions: an individually-delivered face-to-face intervention, a group-delivered face-to-face intervention, or a web-based electronically-delivered intervention. Given that the current study...
Show moreThe present study examined the effectiveness of personalized alcohol feedback interventions in three different delivery formats on alcohol use and related negative consequences in a sample of mandated college students referred for alcohol-related violations. Participants were randomized to one of three conditions: an individually-delivered face-to-face intervention, a group-delivered face-to-face intervention, or a web-based electronically-delivered intervention. Given that the current study sought to modify factors associated with alcohol use, analyses were conducted using only those participants who reported alcohol use at the baseline assessment. The final sample resulted in 173 participants, 18-years-of-age and over, and consisted of 57% males (n = 98) who ranged in age from 18 to 25 years, with a mean age of 18.77 (SD = 1.08). The sample distributions in the individual, group, and electronic conditions were 53 (35 males), 72 (41 males), and 48 (22 males), respectively. Self-reported participant race was 82% White, 9% "Other", 4% Black, 4% Asian, and 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, with 91% classifying their ethnicity as Non-Latino/a. Participant class standing consisted of 69% freshmen, 21% sophomores, 6% juniors, and 4% seniors. The type of housing participants reported living in was comprised of 51% on-campus residence hall, 24% off-campus without parents, 20% university-affiliated off-campus, 2% off-campus with parents, 2% "other" type of housing, and 1% who reported living in a fraternity/sorority house. Findings revealed statistically significant reductions in alcohol use for the individually-delivered intervention, and statistically significant reductions in alcohol-related harms for the individually- and electronically-delivered interventions. No statistically significant results were found for the group-delivered intervention. This study is the first randomized clinical trial to compare an empirically supported individually-delivered personalized alcohol feedback intervention with more cost-effective group- and electronically-delivered feedback formats within a single research design. This examination also sought to add to the extant literature on mandated college students by expanding the range of participant drinking habits reported at baseline to include all drinking levels (excluding those meeting criteria for alcohol dependence), not solely those classified as 'heavy drinking,' as is the typical research convention. Additionally, given the potential demand characteristics to underreport illegal and/or illicit behaviors, this is the first study to provide mandated college students with anonymity pre- and post-intervention. Suggestions for future research, limitations of the current investigation, and implications for the development and improvement of personalized feedback interventions and of interventions aimed at mandated college students are also discussed.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002346, ucf:47823
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002346

Title: Student Conduct Administrators' Perceptions of Effective Sanctions That Reduce Recidivism of Alcohol Violations Among College Students.
Creator: Fils-Aime, Andel, Cintron Delgado, Rosa, Owens, J. Thomas, Butler, S. Kent, Malaret, Stacey, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Recent researchers have found that when alcohol use and/or abuse is a factor in an undergraduate students' college experience, there is a substantial increase in dependence, decreased academic productivity, an increase in safety and security issues, an increase in suicide ideation and attempts, unprotected sexual encounters, and physical assaults that result in injuries (Amaro et al., 2010). One of the most effective ways that institutions in higher education can combat alcohol-related issues...
Show moreRecent researchers have found that when alcohol use and/or abuse is a factor in an undergraduate students' college experience, there is a substantial increase in dependence, decreased academic productivity, an increase in safety and security issues, an increase in suicide ideation and attempts, unprotected sexual encounters, and physical assaults that result in injuries (Amaro et al., 2010). One of the most effective ways that institutions in higher education can combat alcohol-related issues on their campuses is for the institutional leaders to play a role in addressing this issue (Busteed, 2008). In many institutions of higher education, student conduct administrators have been designated as those institutional leaders with the responsibility of addressing alcohol policy violations and establishing a reasonable balance between disciplinary and educational sanctions issued to students (Waryold (&) Lancaster, 2013). The primary purpose of this research study was to evaluate student conduct administrators' perceptions of the relationship between recidivism and sanctions for alcohol violations at their colleges and universities. More specifically, this study explored the relationship of sanctions that students must complete after having been found responsible for violating the university's alcohol policy.
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Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0007282, ucf:52170
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007282

Title: Protective Behavioral Strategies and Alcohol-Related Sex Among College Students.
Creator: Peterson, Roselyn, Dvorak, Robert, Newins, Amie, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Adverse sexual outcomes (e.g., sexual regret, sexual risk, and sexual assault) are a common experience among college students. In particular, regretted sex is reported by a third of college students and may result in psychological harm. Previous literature has found that alcohol is involved in approximately one third of regretted sex experienced by college students. A gap exists in the literature identifying who is more susceptible to experiencing a regretted sexual experience. Previous...
Show moreAdverse sexual outcomes (e.g., sexual regret, sexual risk, and sexual assault) are a common experience among college students. In particular, regretted sex is reported by a third of college students and may result in psychological harm. Previous literature has found that alcohol is involved in approximately one third of regretted sex experienced by college students. A gap exists in the literature identifying who is more susceptible to experiencing a regretted sexual experience. Previous research has shown that students who implement protective behavioral strategies (PBS) while drinking are able to reduce alcohol-related negative consequences, including regretted sexual experiences. Three sub-types of PBS exist: Stopping/Limiting Drinking (SLD), Manner of Drinking (MD), and Serious Harm Reduction (SHR). The current study examines associations between regretted sexual experiences, alcohol use, and PBS. Participants were a sample of college students (n = 349) who completed a series of online surveys that assessed drinking habits, alcohol-related negative consequences (e.g., regretted sex), and PBS use. A multi-group path analysis (grouped by gender) found that alcohol use was positively associated with regretted sexual experiences. One of the three PBS sub-types, MD, was negatively associated with regretted sexual experiences. This association was mediated by alcohol use. A different PBS subtype, SHR, yielded a direct negative relationship with regretted sexual experiences for women, but not for men. Lastly, the interaction of SHR and alcohol use was significantly associated with regretted sexual experiences and varied by biological sex. Among women, low SHR potentiated the positive association between alcohol and regretted sex; in contrast, high SHR attenuated this association. In order to inform future interventions and subsequently decrease the number of alcohol-related negative consequences, further examination of differences in relationships between PBS subtypes, alcohol use, and regretted sex for men and women is warranted.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007706, ucf:52448
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007706

Title: EVALUATION OF AN ONLINE ALCOHOL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR FIRST-TIME-IN-COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Creator: Reiss, Elayne, Cintron, Rosa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Alcohol use among college students has maintained its place as a major issue in American higher education since its inception. Although dangerous drinking has always proliferated among college students, institutions have only provided alcohol and other drug (AOD) education and interventions encouraging students to adapt less harmful habits for a much shorter period of time. During this relatively short history of postsecondary alcohol interventions, colleges and universities have shifted away...
Show moreAlcohol use among college students has maintained its place as a major issue in American higher education since its inception. Although dangerous drinking has always proliferated among college students, institutions have only provided alcohol and other drug (AOD) education and interventions encouraging students to adapt less harmful habits for a much shorter period of time. During this relatively short history of postsecondary alcohol interventions, colleges and universities have shifted away from abstinence-only, education-based methods. Instead, institutions have begun to adapt cognitive behavior-centric, motivational enhancement-based strategies emphasizing harm reduction through the use of protective behaviors. In order to reach a greater number of students, alcohol intervention programs have been developed combining the harm reduction ideology with internet-based dispersion at a population level. This research study addressed the behavioral changes that occurred among an entire class of first-time-in-college freshmen at a large public university before and after mandatory participation in AlcoholEdu for College, an online, population-level, harm reduction-based alcohol intervention. The study expanded upon previous evaluations of the program, which addressed program efficacy among the population as a whole but did not further explore differences in effect upon students engaging in different levels of drinking. Other demographic factors, such as gender, ethnicity, family history of alcohol issues, and age of first consumption, were also taken into account. Pre-test surveys taken by students prior to the intervention at the beginning of the academic year were matched to follow-up surveys taken four to six weeks after program completion, providing the necessary data for conducting a quantitative study. The specific areas of interest within the study included (a) willingness to complete the program in a timely and complete fashion, (b) levels of consumption, (c) use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS), and (d) incurrence of negative alcohol-related consequences. A combination of analytical procedures was utilized, including descriptive statistics, chi-square tests for independence, exploratory factor analysis, repeated measures ANCOVA, and nonparametric inferential tests. Results were described within the framework of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2004) as well as the CIPP program evaluation framework (Stufflebeam & Shinkfield, 2007). The analysis uncovered that three major factors determined willingness to complete the mandatory program in a timely and complete fashion: gender, age of first alcohol consumption, and drinker group. Specifically, students who were male, started drinking prior to high school, or were identified as heavy episodic drinkers were less likely than peers to complete all portions of the AlcoholEdu program. Both moderate and heavy episodic drinkers reduced their levels of consumption between pre-test and follow-up. A large percentage of abstaining students maintained this status later in the semester. Light and moderate drinkers either maintained or slightly reduced their use of PBS, while heavy episodic drinkers showed increases in use of most types of PBS over time. All students indicated low levels of incurrence of negative consequences in both the pre-test and follow-up periods. However, while students experienced an increased number of most of these consequences between the pre-test and follow-up surveys, heavy drinkers cited a decreased rate of drinking and driving-related consequences as of the follow-up. Throughout all of the analyses, important controlling factors included gender, ethnicity, and age of first alcohol consumption. The results of this study can guide future development and refinement of the AlcoholEdu program, as well as provide higher education administrators and AOD education program staff with additional baseline knowledge of the change process first-time-in-college freshmen undergo when engaged in the program.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003130, ucf:48624
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003130

Title: INCREASING PARENTAL AWARENESS AND MONITORING: THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A WEB-BASED PROGRAM TO EMPOWER PARENTS TO REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE.
Creator: Brown, Pamela, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Parent attitudes about underage alcohol use and parent monitoring of the activities of their adolescent children have been found to be directly related to the likelihood of underage alcohol use. Unfortunately, there are relatively few programs or resources available to parents to assist them to reduce their childrenÃ‚Â's potential for early and problematic alcohol involvement. In an effort to address this need, the present project entailed the development and evaluation...
Show moreParent attitudes about underage alcohol use and parent monitoring of the activities of their adolescent children have been found to be directly related to the likelihood of underage alcohol use. Unfortunately, there are relatively few programs or resources available to parents to assist them to reduce their childrenÃ‚Â's potential for early and problematic alcohol involvement. In an effort to address this need, the present project entailed the development and evaluation of a web-based psychoeducational program entitled, Increasing Parental Awareness and Monitoring (iPAM). This online program begins to fill the gap in effective and convenient programming focused on development of parent skills and awareness. The content of the program is based on parenting factors that have been consistently found to correspond to underage alcohol use. The format includes engaging and interactive components that function to promote increased parent knowledge of the problem of underage drinking. In addition, the program is designed to alter permissive or ambivalent attitudes regarding underage alcohol use, and increase parental behaviors that have shown to be effective in reducing youth alcohol involvement. A randomized controlled trial was conducted (n = 34 control; n = 33 experimental) with parents of adolescents in Central Florida who were asked to complete measures before exposure to the program and again approximately one month later. Findings revealed significant differences between the iPAM group and the control group. Specifically, an increase in parent knowledge about underage alcohol use and increased parental monitoring of their adolescent children was revealed. There was also a main effect for time with regard to increased parent-child communication about alcohol. Additionally, while both groups revealed increased communication, the experimental group revealed greater frequency of communication about alcohol although not significantly.
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003389, ucf:48454
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003389

Title: An Evaluation of Anxiety Following Substance Abuse Withdrawal and Assessment of Somatic Treatments presently Available with a Focus on Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation.
Creator: Hutchison, Janet, Neff, Donna, Weiss, Josie, Covelli, Maureen, Seikel Thomas, Stacy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Addictive disorders/substance use disorders (SUDS) affect almost everyone in the United States, either directly or indirectly. The cost of substance abuse to the social and economic structure in the United States is huge. Anxiety is one of the most frequently mentioned symptoms which lead to relapse during the early weeks of recovery due to neurohormonal changes in the limbic system as well as cortisol production which occur during this time. Present research in the treatment of anxiety in...
Show moreAddictive disorders/substance use disorders (SUDS) affect almost everyone in the United States, either directly or indirectly. The cost of substance abuse to the social and economic structure in the United States is huge. Anxiety is one of the most frequently mentioned symptoms which lead to relapse during the early weeks of recovery due to neurohormonal changes in the limbic system as well as cortisol production which occur during this time. Present research in the treatment of anxiety in substance abuse and long term recovery is focused on genetics and pharmaceuticals, however most pharmaceuticals produce sedation. Additional therapies in early recovery, which decrease the symptoms of anxiety while enhancing cognitive ability to learn and apply coping skills, are needed.Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to identify the natural degradation of anxiety symptoms occurring during the first few weeks following detox from alcohol or opiates. To identify non pharmacological methods in use to decrease anxiety symptoms during this period, and then examine whether treatment with Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) would enhance the degradation of anxiety symptoms. Methods and Results: The initial prospective study of 53 men in residential treatment, measured anxiety on entry, 30 and 60 days. The results found that increased anxiety measured prior to a participant leaving against medical advice was more significant than increased anxiety measured on admission. The follow-on pilot study in the same residential program was a double-blind experimental study using CES with active and placebo CES units loaned from the manufacturer. The intervention was conducted during the first 3 weeks of opiate/alcohol abstinence; a period identified when anxiety peaks, and dropout rate is high. There were 29 men in the experimental group and 31 in the placebo group. Salivary cortisol and state anxiety were measured on the first and final day of CES treatment. Anxiety was also measured at study enrollment and at 30 days when study enrollment was terminated. The results were statistically inconclusive as both the placebo and CES (experimental) groups trended downward; however the trend was greater in the CES group. Discussion/Implications: Anxiety was identified as a significant factor in leaving treatment early. Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation appears to decrease anxiety in non-substance abusing populations. However, these finding were not supported in this substance abusing population during the first month of recovery. Although CES appeared to be the most promising alternative therapy, more research is needed in the use of this and other emerging therapies for the treatment of anxiety symptoms during this early recovery period.
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Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006118, ucf:51169
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006118

Title: Stand-Alone Personalized Normative Feedback for College Student Drinkers: A Meta-Analytic Review, 2004 to 2014.
Creator: Dotson, Keri, Dunn, Michael, Cassisi, Jeffrey, Bowers, Clint, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Personalized normative feedback (PNF) has shown promise as a stand-alone intervention for reducing alcohol use among college students. PNF uses norms clarification to correct drinking norms misperceptions by highlighting discrepancies between personal alcohol use, perceived peer alcohol use, and actual peer alcohol use. Previous reviews of personalized feedback interventions have identified norms clarification as key a component, prompting researchers to study PNF as a single-component...
Show morePersonalized normative feedback (PNF) has shown promise as a stand-alone intervention for reducing alcohol use among college students. PNF uses norms clarification to correct drinking norms misperceptions by highlighting discrepancies between personal alcohol use, perceived peer alcohol use, and actual peer alcohol use. Previous reviews of personalized feedback interventions have identified norms clarification as key a component, prompting researchers to study PNF as a single-component intervention for college drinking. As the number of publications focused on PNF effectiveness has increased in recent years, an empirical review of these studies is warranted to assess the potential impact of PNF as a stand-alone program. The purpose of the present study was to summarize available research and to perform a meta-analytic review of personalized normative feedback as a stand-alone intervention for college student drinking. Studies were included if they examined a stand-alone PNF drinking intervention, used a college student sample, reported alcohol use outcomes, and used a pre-post experimental design with follow-up at least 28 days post-intervention. Eight studies (13 interventions) completed between 2004 and 2014 were included. Effect size estimates (ESs) were calculated as the standardized mean difference in change scores between treatment and control groups. Compared to control participants, students who received PNF reported a greater reduction in drinking and harms from baseline to follow-up. Results were similar for both gender-neutral and gender-specific PNF. Overall, intervention effects for drinking were small but reliable. This study offers an empirical summary of stand-alone PNF for reducing college student drinking and provides a foundation for future research.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005606, ucf:50257
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005606

Title: Evaluation of a Digitally-Automated Alcohol Curriculum Designed to Alter Expectancies and Alcohol Use in First Year College Students.
Creator: Schreiner, Amy, Dunn, Michael, Cassisi, Jeffrey, Bowers, Clint, Linkovich Kyle, Tiffany, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: High-risk alcohol consumption remains a primary public health concern for students on college campuses. In response to this concern the National Advisory Council of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism created a task force to identify and recommend strategies to aid college administrators in implementing effective alcohol programming at their institutions. While most administrators report being aware of these recommendations, many have not successfully implemented...
Show moreHigh-risk alcohol consumption remains a primary public health concern for students on college campuses. In response to this concern the National Advisory Council of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism created a task force to identify and recommend strategies to aid college administrators in implementing effective alcohol programming at their institutions. While most administrators report being aware of these recommendations, many have not successfully implemented empirically supported interventions on their campuses. One significant barrier is the cost and difficulty of training and hiring skilled staff to implement these interventions. Of the strategies identified as effective, challenging alcohol expectancies is the only strategy validated for group administration with college students and has significant potential to address this remaining barrier. However, current expectancy-based interventions still require highly trained expert facilitators for implementation. The present study aimed to convert the previously validated Expectancy Challenge Alcohol Literacy Curriculum (ECALC) into a digital format amenable to non-expert facilitation. The resulting digital ECALC was implemented in 48 class sections of a first year student course in a group randomized trial. It was hypothesized that receiving the digital ECALC would result in significant changes in alcohol expectancies and subsequent changes in alcohol use and related harms. Analyses revealed significant changes in both positive and negative expectancies following the digital ECALC, however no significant changes in alcohol consumption or alcohol-related harms were observed at a 30 day follow-up. Exploratory subgroup analyses revealed significant differences between experimental and control groups on average and peak drinks per sitting for classes receiving the digital ECALC during the fall semester only. Semester specific variables, environmental context, and social influence variables may have contributed to the lack of behavioral changes in the overall sample following observed expectancy changes. This study represents an important development in expectancy-based interventions for college students as the digital format removed the need for an expert facilitator and maintained significant changes in expectancies. Future studies should focus on replication of these expectancy changes and on demonstrating subsequent changes in alcohol use and related harms. The present study also represents the first evaluation of a group-administered expectancy intervention to report on intra-class correlations which will aid future researchers in designing sufficiently powered studies going forward.
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Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005412, ucf:50425
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005412

Title: A DEVIANCE REGULATION THEORY INTERVENTION TO REDUCE ALCOHOL PROBLEMS AMONG FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Creator: Leary, Angelina V, Dvorak, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: OBJECTIVE: An alcohol-drinking culture exists among first-time-in-college students, where many of these students come to their university relatively inexperienced with alcohol, which may increase alcohol-related consequences. Several interventions exist to combat this campus problem. The current study investigates the use of a Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT) intervention, presented in a web-based manner, to increase alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS), such as monitoring drinks,...
Show moreOBJECTIVE: An alcohol-drinking culture exists among first-time-in-college students, where many of these students come to their university relatively inexperienced with alcohol, which may increase alcohol-related consequences. Several interventions exist to combat this campus problem. The current study investigates the use of a Deviance Regulation Theory (DRT) intervention, presented in a web-based manner, to increase alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies (PBS), such as monitoring drinks, using a designated driver, and drinking water in between alcoholic beverages, among college freshmen. METHOD: College freshmen participants (N = 157) completed web-based surveys examining alcohol behaviors once a week for six weeks. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a positive frame about individuals who used PBS, a negative frame about individuals who did not use PBS, or a control group that did not receive a DRT intervention. Participants also reported their perception of PBS use among UCF students and friend. Data was analyzed in each PBS subtype: Manner of Drinking, Stop/Limiting Drinking, and Serious Harm Reduction. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Results indicate a negatively framed message with high perceived norm levels results in increased PBS use, which may suggest college freshmen have a strong drive to "fit in", or avoid standing out in negative ways. Further, there seems to be little desire to standout in positive ways among first-year students. This may be indicative of individuals who modify their behavior in order to assimilate to a new and unfamiliar environment. Furthermore, some PBS strategies were associated with decreases in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. Results suggest a DRT intervention may be beneficial to first-time-in-college students.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000427, ucf:45715
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000427

Title: BLOODLINES.
Creator: toner, Pamela, Bartkevicius, Jocelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: "Bloodlines" is a collection of personal essays that focus on the process of remembering, imagining, and reflecting on the past through the lens of a perpetually shifting present. They consider situations ranging from mental and physical illnesses, from cancer to alcohol addiction, to career changes, to the often dysfunctional and displaced family ties that distance and adulthood have not severed. In "Searching," I write the narrative of the ongoing search for my birthmother, and how the...
Show more"Bloodlines" is a collection of personal essays that focus on the process of remembering, imagining, and reflecting on the past through the lens of a perpetually shifting present. They consider situations ranging from mental and physical illnesses, from cancer to alcohol addiction, to career changes, to the often dysfunctional and displaced family ties that distance and adulthood have not severed. In "Searching," I write the narrative of the ongoing search for my birthmother, and how the search complicates the relationship with my adoptive mother, who always feared she'd lose me. Similarly, "Of Flesh and Blood" recounts and negotiates how hereditary and environmental factors have shaped my identity. Loss and betrayal are weaved throughout "Flight Patterns" when I trace the links between relationships among my family and my pets. In "Signs and Stars" and "Seeing Stars," I search for ways of dealing with my cancer diagnosis and alcoholism, weaving through my past as I fight for recovery. By exploring the subjective nature of memory and circumstance through sensory, expositional, structural, and even written documentation, I have attempted to capture what is, for me, the tenuous hold on intertwined moments in time by creating a palimpsest of perspectives.
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Date Issued: 2006
Identifier: CFE0001053, ucf:46819
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0001053

Title: EFFECTS OF DIETARY FACTORS ON THE INCIDENCE AND PROGRESSION OF NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE.
Creator: Lessans, Spencer L, Altomare, Deborah A., University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver disorder linked to obesity that is rapidly increasing in incidence worldwide. It is a disorder that ranges in severity; from a benign condition of hepatic steatosis to a potentially deadly one resulting in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It is currently known that NAFLD is strongly associated with various aspects of metabolic syndrome: insulin resistance, elevated triglyceride levels, obesity, and type two diabetes mellitus. The...
Show moreNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a liver disorder linked to obesity that is rapidly increasing in incidence worldwide. It is a disorder that ranges in severity; from a benign condition of hepatic steatosis to a potentially deadly one resulting in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It is currently known that NAFLD is strongly associated with various aspects of metabolic syndrome: insulin resistance, elevated triglyceride levels, obesity, and type two diabetes mellitus. The multifactorial pathogenesis of NAFLD is still uncertain and closer attention is needed on the effect of one's diet on NAFLD. In this study, we directly compare a westernized diet containing high levels of fat and fructose to a diet high in fat and containing cholate using mouse models in order to determine the role of each dietary factor in the incidence and severity of the different stages of NAFLD. We will evaluate the severity of hepatic steatosis and hepatocellular damage via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained liver tissue and the severity of hepatic fibrosis via trichrome-stained liver tissue. Our hypothesis is that mice on the fructose-based diet are expected to have higher levels of hepatic steatosis and hepatocellular damage relative to mice on the cholate-based diet while mice on the cholate-based diet are expected to have higher levels of hepatic fibrosis relative to the fructose-based diet. The results of this study will aid in elucidating and strengthening the connection between one's diet and the prevalence and severity of NAFLD.
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Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000340, ucf:45913
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000340

Title: EFFECTS OF CAFFEINATED ENERGY DRINK AND ALCOHOL USAGE ON PERCEIVED STRESS AND BURNOUT IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.
Creator: Patel, Arjun, Webster, Danielle, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Caffeinated energy beverages (CEDs) are a growing supplement being consumed by a large number of young adults aged 18 to 24 years of age. As these CEDs contain nutritional supplements, they are not classified the same way other beverages such as sodas are and they can thus bypass regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. Without regulation by this governing body, it is important to understand how these supplements may be affecting their target population. In this study, students from a...
Show moreCaffeinated energy beverages (CEDs) are a growing supplement being consumed by a large number of young adults aged 18 to 24 years of age. As these CEDs contain nutritional supplements, they are not classified the same way other beverages such as sodas are and they can thus bypass regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. Without regulation by this governing body, it is important to understand how these supplements may be affecting their target population. In this study, students from a large university were recruited in order to determine patterns of CED usage as well as how CED usage may affect perceived stress and burnout. Alcohol usage, another type of beverage commonly consumed in this population, was also assayed in this group in order to determine how perceived stress and burnout are affected. The study was case-control in nature, as regular users of CEDs were compared against students who were not regular consumers. From the data, no major relationships could be identified in regards to perceived stress, burnout, and CED usage. However, extracurricular activity was found to be somewhat predictive of CED usage while alcohol usage was found to be negatively correlated with perceived stress.
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Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFH0004787, ucf:45333
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH0004787

Title: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF A CLASSROOM-BASED APPROACH TO EXPECTANCY CHALLENGE FOR REDUCING ALCOHOL USE AMONG FIRST-YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS.
Creator: Sivasithamparam, Janani, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: There is a pervasive belief in the United States that the college experience typically includes frequent social activities characterized by widespread alcohol use. Unfortunately, awareness of the hundreds of deaths and wide variety of other harms experienced by college students as a result of alcohol use is much less pervasive. In an effort to increase awareness of the negative impact of alcohol use on college campuses, the NIAAA commissioned a panel composed of scientists and college...
Show moreThere is a pervasive belief in the United States that the college experience typically includes frequent social activities characterized by widespread alcohol use. Unfortunately, awareness of the hundreds of deaths and wide variety of other harms experienced by college students as a result of alcohol use is much less pervasive. In an effort to increase awareness of the negative impact of alcohol use on college campuses, the NIAAA commissioned a panel composed of scientists and college presidents to document alcohol-related harms and identify strategies that have been found to be effective in reducing risky alcohol use based on empirical evidence. The final report of this expert panel was released as a "Call to Action" for institutions nationwide in an effort to increase understanding of the severity and prevalence of risky alcohol use, and to provide descriptions of programs that were considered effective based on empirical evidence. Unfortunately, there were very few strategies found to be effective, and one of the effective approaches could only be implemented in specialized laboratories operated by scientists with expertise in expectancy challenge. Due to the severity and pervasiveness of the college alcohol problem and the limited number of strategies deemed effective, there is clearly a pressing need to develop and validate an expectancy challenge method that could be implemented by any institution without being limited by the need for a specialized laboratory and highly trained personnel. Achievement of these goals was the focus of the present project. To this end, an expectancy challenge curriculum designed for delivery in a college classroom was developed based on a laboratory delivered protocol previously found to be effective in reducing alcohol use among college students, and a classroom delivered curriculum previously found to be effective with high school students. The newly developed college classroom curriculum was implemented in a single session with groups of students during their regular class time in their usual classroom. Measures of alcohol use and associated harms were completed anonymously by each participant before completing the curriculum and for the month following completion of the curriculum. Analyses indicated significant reductions in alcohol consumption among males and females in comparison to students who were randomly assigned to a wait-list control condition. Unfortunately, significant reductions in alcohol-related harms were not found. The time periods for baseline and follow-up were only one month each, and that limitation in the number of opportunities to experience harms limits the likelihood of demonstrating a significant reduction in harms as well. Overall, this project represents an important advance in the development of alcohol use reduction strategies that are theory-based and effective in reducing alcohol use based on empirical evidence. In addition, the curriculum that was developed and validated in this project represents the first expectancy challenge method that can be readily implemented at any institution willing to devote one hour to reducing their students' risk for a long list of negative consequences associated with alcohol use on college campuses. Motivation and a typical classroom are all that is needed.
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Date Issued: 2008
Identifier: CFE0002307, ucf:47854
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002307

Title: Stepping Outside of Yourself: Social Anxiety, Dissociation, Alcohol Consequences, and Relationship Satisfaction.
Creator: Cook, Matthew, Newins, Amie, Beidel, Deborah, Dvorak, Robert, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: OVERVIEW: Social anxiety disorder is the third most prevalent psychiatric disorder in the United States. Dissociation can arise during acute daily social stressors in individuals with social anxiety. This study examined the relationship between social anxiety and functional outcomes (i.e., alcohol-related consequences and relationship satisfaction) as moderated by levels of dissociation (i.e., depersonalization/derealization). It was hypothesized that dissociation would moderate the...
Show moreOVERVIEW: Social anxiety disorder is the third most prevalent psychiatric disorder in the United States. Dissociation can arise during acute daily social stressors in individuals with social anxiety. This study examined the relationship between social anxiety and functional outcomes (i.e., alcohol-related consequences and relationship satisfaction) as moderated by levels of dissociation (i.e., depersonalization/derealization). It was hypothesized that dissociation would moderate the relationships between social anxiety and alcohol-related consequences and between social anxiety and relationship satisfaction. METHOD: College students who endorsed alcohol use within the past 30 days (n = 320) and college students who reported having been in a romantic relationship lasting 30 or more days (n = 364) were recruited through the Psychology Department's Sona system. All participants completed measures of social anxiety, dissociation, alcohol use motives, alcohol-related consequences, and relationship satisfaction as part of an online questionnaire. RESULTS: Findings indicated no moderation effect in either model; both social anxiety and dissociation predicted alcohol-related consequences via coping-motivated alcohol use. Additionally, there was a negative association between dissociation and relationship satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should include longitudinal research designs or ecological momentary assessment designs and should examine these relationships in clinical samples.
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Date Issued: 2019
Identifier: CFE0007445, ucf:52725
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007445

Title: Electrochemical Studies of Nanoscale Composite Materials as Electrodes in PEM Fuel Cells.
Creator: Anderson, Jordan, Zhai, Lei, Blair, Richard, Hampton, Michael, Zou, Shengli, Seal, Sudipta, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have recently acquired much attention as alternatives to combustion engines for power conversion. The primary interest in fuel cell technology is the possibility of 60% power conversion efficiency as compared to the 30% maximum theoretical efficiency limited to combustion engines and turbines. Although originally conceived to work with hydrogen as a fuel, difficulties relating to hydrogen storage have prompted much effort in using other fuels....
Show morePolymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have recently acquired much attention as alternatives to combustion engines for power conversion. The primary interest in fuel cell technology is the possibility of 60% power conversion efficiency as compared to the 30% maximum theoretical efficiency limited to combustion engines and turbines. Although originally conceived to work with hydrogen as a fuel, difficulties relating to hydrogen storage have prompted much effort in using other fuels. Small organic molecules such as alcohols and formic acid have shown promise as alternatives to hydrogen in PEMFCs due to their higher stability at ambient conditions. The drawbacks for using these fuels in PEMFCs are related to their incomplete oxidation mechanisms, which lead to the production of carbon monoxide (CO). When carbon monoxide is released in fuel cells it binds strongly to the platinum anode thus limiting the adsorption and subsequent oxidation of more fuel. In order to promote the complete oxidation of fuels and limit poisoning due to CO, various metal and metal oxide catalysts have been used.Motivated by promising results seen in fuel cell catalysis, this research project is focused on the design and fabrication of novel platinum-composite catalysts for the electrooxidation of methanol, ethanol and formic acid. Various Pt-composites were fabricated including Pt-Au, Pt-Ru, Pt-Pd and Pt-CeO2 catalysts. Electrochemical techniques were used to determine the catalytic ability of each novel composite toward the electrooxidation of methanol, ethanol and formic acid. This study indicates that the novel composites all have higher catalytic ability than bare Pt electrodes. The increase in catalytic ability is mostly attributed to the increase in CO poison tolerance and promotion of the complete oxidation mechanism of methanol, ethanol and formic acid. Formulations including bi- and tri-composite catalysts were fabricated and in many cases show the highest catalytic oxidation, suggesting tertiary catalytic effects. The combination of bi-metallic composites with ceria also showed highly increased catalytic oxidation ability. The following dissertation expounds on the relationship between composite material and the electrooxidation of methanol, ethanol and formic acid. The full electrochemical and material characterization of each composite electrode is provided.
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Date Issued: 2012
Identifier: CFE0004510, ucf:49264
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004510

Title: THE ESTATE OF MENDACITY: AN INTERPRETATION OF WILLIAMS'S MOST AMBIGUOUS CHARACTER.
Creator: Bowlen, Daniel, Shafer, John, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: ABSTRACT I performed the role of Brick Pollitt at Lake Mirror Theatre in Lakeland, Florida from April 20- April 30 2006. The role of Brick Pollitt provided me with several acting challenges as well as multiple subjects to research. The most challenging aspects of portraying the character of Brick Pollitt are his alcoholism, issues of sexuality, and tormented familial relationships. Brick Pollitt journeys in the period of one day through major challenges in two key relationships. He moves from...
Show moreABSTRACT I performed the role of Brick Pollitt at Lake Mirror Theatre in Lakeland, Florida from April 20- April 30 2006. The role of Brick Pollitt provided me with several acting challenges as well as multiple subjects to research. The most challenging aspects of portraying the character of Brick Pollitt are his alcoholism, issues of sexuality, and tormented familial relationships. Brick Pollitt journeys in the period of one day through major challenges in two key relationships. He moves from dominance in his relationship with Maggie to capitulation and from isolation in his relationship with Big Daddy to mutual understanding. BrickÃ‚Â's relationships are further complicated by questions surrounding his recently deceased best friend Skipper and drives (alcoholism) that may be perceived as self destructive. My preliminary work has led me to believe Brick is in search of peace (Ã‚Â'the clickÃ‚Â') in a tormented life (Williams, Cat 2.47). The nature of the torment needs further research for definition. Some critics argue Brick's sexuality is ambivalent, and he is repressing homosexual drives. Equally possible is arguing the homosexuality was restricted to Skipper. Making a decision about the definition of this relationship is key to making choices within the play because the friendship was so important to BrickÃ‚Â's perception of himself. Brick believed his relationship was the Ã‚Â"one true and pure thingÃ‚Â" in a life filled with Ã‚Â"mendacityÃ‚Â" (Williams, Cat 2.50). Ã‚Â'MendacityÃ‚Â' is Bricks reference to his disgust with Ã‚Â"lyinÃ‚Â' anÃ‚Â' liarsÃ‚Â" (Williams, Cat 2.50-51). He is lost without this anchor for his life and it has impacted his ability to interact with the world around him. Determining BrickÃ‚Â's sexuality in my portrayal will be central to my process while I also embrace research into related areas of behavior. To supplement my research of alcoholism and BrickÃ‚Â's sexuality, the following topics: Ã‚Â• A Psycho-Analytical study of the character Brick Pollitt and his Ã‚Â"archetypalÃ‚Â" relationships with Maggie, Big Daddy, Skipper, Gooper, and his place in society. Ã‚Â• The evolution of the character Brick Pollitt through various scripts and screenplays. From WilliamsÃ‚Â's first script through to dealing with the Hays Code. A study of Tennessee Williams life history and the influence on the play. Ã‚Â• The history of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof from its Morosco Theatre Broadway debut in New York City on March 24, 1955, followed by its film release in 1955 starring Paul Newman, Burl Ives, and Elizabeth Taylor. Any successful portrayal of Brick Pollitt in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof demands intense focus to individual relationships within the ensemble. The central theme of the play is Ã‚Â'mendacityÃ‚Â' (deceit) (Williams, Cat 2.50). Brick uses this word to describe his disgust, but the Ã‚Â'mendacityÃ‚Â' of his human relations in the aging and decaying Southern society is what troubles him (Williams, Cat 2.50). Discovering the ties between family, Ã‚Â'mendacityÃ‚Â', and society are relevant to the execution of the play (Williams, Cat 2.50). I believe depiction of Brick Pollitt in this Pulitzer Prize winning American Classic will best present my abilities achieved in the Master of Fine Arts Program
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Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0002981, ucf:47981
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002981

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