Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Research comparing the self-esteem of children of alcoholics and children of non-alcoholics was reviewed and evidence was found in support of the prediction that children of non-alcoholics have higher self-esteem than children of alcoholics, but this outcome was inconsistent across the studies reviewed. To explain heterogeneity, models using study characteristics were fitted to the effect sizes. Results of the analyses showed that effect sizes tended to get larger as sample size increases. A related prediction, framed using attachment theory, that the variances in self-esteem across COA and non-COA groups would be equivalent was also supported. Results are discussed within the context of the literature reviewed. The review concludes by highlighting the need for increased focus on explaining and understanding resilience and adjustment, rather than dysfunction, in children of alcoholics.

Publication Type: Extended Abstract
Abstract: Heavy and episodic (“binge”) drinking by college students is an important, recurring public health problem. It has been estimated that 80% of college students drink, with 40% routinely engage in "binge" drinking, despite widespread exposure to behavioral interventions through both the mass media and school-based programs. This study explores the possibility that individual personality differences moderate perceptions of binge drinking, receptivity to alcohol messages, and, consequently, the potential efficacy of behavioral interventions. Extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism personality dimensions are seen as cognitive heuristics of “social” self-efficacy differentiating individuals’ sensitivity to social norms and perceptions of alcohol consumption and binge drinking.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Despite increasing evidence of the correlation between alcohol outlet density and youth violence, policy makers have continued ignore this evidence. This finding has policy implications for decreasing youth violence, specifically gang violence. To explore the relationship between alcohol outlet density and youth violence, data from the City of Riverside were used. The data were collected from police reports between 2000 and 2002. In order to analyze the three years of data a pooled cross section time series analysis was used. Besides alcohol outlet density, variables such as race, supervision, vacant housing units, and the percentage of residence in owner occupied homes were also included in this study. With the use of geospatial analysis the preliminary data indicate a significant relationship between alcohol outlet density and youth gang activity. There also appears to be a positive net effect between youth gang activity and Latino’s, the amount of supervision in an area, and the amount of vacant housing units. The preliminary results indicate a negative net effect between gang activity and the amount of housing that is owner occupied.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Studies suggest that youths’ media consumption may be related to negative behaviors such as alcohol use. However, less is known about its effects in our ethnic communities, including among Mexican-heritage youth who are in the fastest growing minority group and at elevated risk for substance use compared to other groups. For these youth, Spanish language media provide an option that may not have the same level of deleterious effects as that found for mainstream media consumption. In addition to language usage, parent-child communication plays a critical role in children’s media consumption. Using cross-sectional data (N=1,243), the present study examined the hypothesis that social cognitive processes mediated the relationship between media exposure and Mexican-heritage youth alcohol use and that media language preference and parent-child communication about alcohol use moderated the relationship. The results supported the predictions that the relationship between media exposure and alcohol use was mediated by social cognitive components and that the relationship was moderated by parent-child communication. However, contrary to expectations, the results did not support the hypothesis that exposure to Spanish language media served as a protective factor for alcohol use. Practical implications, research limitations, and future directions are discussed.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Alcohol Expectancy Theory was used to derive hypotheses about how cognitive alcohol expectancies (e.g., alcohol makes me feel sexy) affects perceptions of expectancy-matched commercials. Undergraduates (N = 225) completed alcohol expectancy (AE) measures for themselves and for others and evaluated four alcohol commercials. A 2 (Expectancy: Self vs. other) x 2 (Order: completed AE before or after) x 4 (Alcohol Commercials) design was used. As expected, AEs for others were stronger than AEs for the self. As expected, the stronger the Sexual AE, the stronger the sexual response to the four alcohol commercials and the stronger the Social AE, the stronger the social response to the four commercials. Surprisingly, the Social AE and the judgment that a commercial made one think about how drinking makes one feel social were the only significant predictors of desire to drink across all commercials. Implications of these results for expectancy research and message design are discussed.