Institute for Research and Evaluation

ObjectiveParticipation in 12-step groups (TS), such as Alcoholics Anonymous, confers benefits among individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), and one candidate mechanism underlying these effects is reductions in impulsivity. Using a multidimensional assessment of impulsivity, the current study examined impulsive personality and action in a longitudinal cohort of adults with AUD initiating a significant recovery attempt.MethodsA prospective matched-sample cohort study design compared participants who reported a clinically meaningful increase in TS attendance (i.e., increase of ≥ 1 meetings/week; n = 74) from enrollment to 6 weeks to a matched control group who did not increase attendance (n = 74). Drinking was assessed using the Timeline Followback (% drinking days [%DD], % heavy drinking days [%HDD]); impulsivity was assessed using delay discounting (DD) and five UPPS-P subscales. Mediation models evaluated whether impulsivity explained the relationship between increased TS attendance and alcohol outcomes.ResultsCompared to matched controls, participants who increased TS significantly differentially reduced %DD, %HDD (p < 0.001), as well as Negative Urgency (i.e., acting out due to negative emotions) and Lack of Perseverance (i.e., failure to persist in tasks; ps = 0.03) after their recovery attempt. Reductions in impulsivity, however, did not mediate the association between increased TS attendance and drinking.ConclusionsIncreased TS attendance was associated with significant reductions in drinking and certain impulsivity traits. However, while the changes were contemporaneous, impulsivity did not explain the benefits of TS effects in early AUD recovery process. Future research should evaluate this hypothesis in larger samples and over longer follow-up periods.

Reducing behavioral health risks requires a comprehensive range of prevention and treatment services delivered by professionals who are ‘housed’ within various community-based provider silos. Law enforcement constitutes an important silo that has not been closely associated with prevention, and particularly with evidence-based prevention programs and practices. Yet within communities there are well-defined prevention roles that law enforcement can play to support and enhance ongoing prevention programming. These roles, as informed by police science, are very much related to the overall role of law enforcement in the communities that officers serve. In this paper we discuss these roles and guidelines and make recommendations as to the training and functioning of law enforcement officers within a prevention framework.

Individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) often experience more negative oral health outcomes. We implemented and tested a comprehensive strategy in 39 IDD group homes to examine whether skills-based training for direct support professionals (DSP) and individualized oral health planning for residents could improve DSP assistance and provision of oral health care for residents and oral health status. Our sample comprised 19 intervention homes and 20 control group homes, with 61 residents with IDD and 77 DSP. The strategy involved providing didactic and experiential skills-based training, combined with in-home coaching to DSP with resident participation over the course of 16 weeks. DSP in control homes received educational brochures. DSP attitudes, skills, and behaviors; and resident oral health outcomes were measured at baseline, 4 months later (post-intervention), and 12 months after baseline. Analyses compared the intervention and control conditions at 4-months and 12-months. Results suggest that the intervention influenced DSP skills and behaviors. Among residents, results showed improved outcomes for teeth in the lower anterior sextant only; intervention effects largely abated by 12-month follow-up. Findings demonstrate that skills-based, experiential training with coaching can be effective in enhancing skill sets and increasing behaviors about oral health among DSP. In addition, results showed that the strategy used can improve oral health outcomes for residents. However, given that there were only improved outcomes in residents' lower anterior sextant, more research is needed to determine how to adequately assess and improve resident outcomes.

This study investigated the prevalence and potential factors of problem gambling among adults in New Mexico. The state has a diverse population and a well-established gambling industry. The study used data from a survey of 19,202 adults in 2018 and 2019 and found that problem gambling rates (3.1-3.9%) were significantly higher than the national average. The study revealed significant differences in problem gambling prevalence based on sociodemographic factors, with higher rates among males, younger adults, and racial/ethnic minorities, particularly Native American/American Indian respondents. Substance use behaviors and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) showed strong associations with problem gambling. Logistic regression analyses showed that being male, identifying as Latinx or Native American/American Indian, having lower educational attainment, experiencing housing instability, engaging in substance use, and reporting multiple ACEs significantly increased the odds of problem gambling. A risk score index indicated that the likelihood of problem gambling increased considerably with the accumulation of risk factors. These findings highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of problem gambling in New Mexico, underscoring the need for culturally sensitive interventions. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations to develop evidence-based strategies to address problem gambling in this specific demographic context.

Although Latino immigrants to the United States tend to display a gradual increase in alcohol use after immigration, such escalation may not generalize to all Latino/a groups. This study examines patterns of alcohol use shown by recent Latino immigrants (RLIs) to Miami/Dade County (MDC), Florida covering a period from pre-immigration to the first two years after immigration. Differences in alcohol use prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic were also assessed. Data came from an on-going longitudinal study of 540 young adult (50% female) RLIs. Inclusion criteria were age 18 to 34, residing in MDC and having immigrated from a Latin American country within the past year. Respondent-driven sampling was the primary recruitment strategy. Recent Latino immigrants reported a decline in alcohol use from before immigration (18.3 drinks per month, d/m) to the first (13.9 d/m), and second years (10.4 d/m before and 12.9 d/m during the pandemic lockdown) in MDC. The decline, which was moderated by RLIs' sex and legal residency status, was halted by the pandemic lockdown. While "to celebrate" was the most often cited reason for drinking, "to forget" was often cited during the lockdown. The noted decrease in alcohol use since immigration may reflect the unique array of support and resources available to RLIs in MDC. Nevertheless, some RLIs increased their alcohol use over time, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This disparate impact of the pandemic on alcohol use calls attention to the need to identify the most vulnerable RLIs to MDC and develop targeted interventions for them.