Examines possible relationships between self-efficacy for avoiding marijuana use and theoretically related measures in a sample of 161 men and 51 women who sought marijuana cessation treatments. Predictive validity was stronger for frequency of posttreatment use than for abstinence status. Discusses the need for better assessment of the efficacy…

Conducted two qualitative studies of African-American grandparents and great-grandparents rearing their grandchildren as consequence of parental drug addiction. Data from 60 grandmothers, grandfathers, and great-grandmothers revealed that only 3 percent received consistent, reliable familial support as surrogate parents. Although respondents found…

Compared 15 male prostitutes and 15 nonprostitutes from same cohort. Found heavier drug and alcohol use, more limited vocational success and aspirations, and greater alcohol use among family members of male prostitutes. Male prostitutes were also more likely to identify themselves as drug or alcohol addicted. No significant differences were found…

Examines factors--such as unemployment, economic deprivation, racism, issues pertaining to gender roles--and their contribution to substance abuse in African American men. Specifically reviews the use of alcohol, opiates, crack, and cocaine. Argues that a biopsychosocial model offers the best framework in conceptualizing substance abuse and…

Investigates treatment outcomes for all admissions to an adolescent chemical dependency program over a 10-month period. Interviews with parents of patients were conducted. The effect of various pretreatment and treatment factors on outcomes were investigated. Better treatment outcome was associated with older adolescents, greater participation in…

eThese experiments examined the effects of posttrial peripheral and intra-amygdala injections of the cholinergic muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine on memory consolidation underlying extinction of amphetamine conditioned place preference (CPP) behavior. Male Long-Evans rats were initially trained and tested for an amphetamine (2 mg/kg) CPP.…

Cocaine produces multiple neuroadaptations with chronic repeated use. Many of these neuroadaptations can be reversed or normalized by extinction training during withdrawal from chronic cocaine self-administration in rats. This article reviews our past and present studies on extinction-induced modulation of the neuroadaptive response to chronic…

This study used photography as a therapeutic tool and a present-focused approach in a 12-week group intervention to treat adults with chemical dependence enrolled in an outpatient treatment program. A qualitative analysis identified themes related to the topics of trust, honesty, self-worth, power, and abuse. Self-esteem, abuse, and trauma-related…

Since psychopathology may be linked to substance abuse behavior, one aspect of that relationship should have an effect on the development and consequences of the other. This study sought to determine whether psychopathology would decrease after a 28-day period of alcoholism treatment. Thirty Caucasian adults who had sought inpatient treatment for…

In January of 1994 the Addictions Training Center at the University of Nevada, Reno surveyed the treatment staff and directors at 46 publicly supported addictions training centers located in the state of Nevada. Four hundred twenty-nine surveys were mailed, and 189 were returned. In addition to demographic information, respondents were surveyed on…

This research investigated the prevalence of mystical experiences and how these experiences relate to beliefs about drug addiction, drug use, and spiritual practices. Subjects were 300 undergraduate and graduate students at a large midwestern university who filled out self-report scales on mysticism (Ralph W. Hood, Jr.'s Mysticism Scale) and drug…

Some of the unique characteristics of the drug abuse field which distinguish it from the other varieties of substance abuse and research methodologies for studying determinants of drug self-administration behavior which have been developed in response to these characteristics were investigated. Data suggest that residential drug…

A questionnaire concerning knowledge of opiate abuse and attitudes about abusers was administered to 94 randomly selected physicians and medical students at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. The results indicated that physicians might benefit from improved teaching in the area of opiate abuse. (Author/MLW)

The idea of specialized treatment for chemically dependent women is a relatively new notion, and professionals charged with the responsibility of treating these individuals will find little in the way of empirical guidance. In this study a number of personal variables were assessed for their potential effect on the length of sobriety for women…

This study was concerned with the measurement characteristics of an instrument which can be used to measure attitudes toward drug users and drug usage. Results suggest that the Drug Perception Scale is useful in measuring impacts representing important aspects of most drug education programs. (Author/GK)