Browsing by Author "Seamster, Morgan"
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Item DOES BIOLOGICAL SEX MODERATE ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN POSITIVE/NEGATIVE AFFECT AND SIMULTANEOUS/CONCURRENT ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE?(2021) LoParco, Cassidy; Zhou, Zhengyang; Seamster, Morgan; Litt, Dana M.; Lewis, MelissaPurpose. Using both alcohol and marijuana is risky, particularly when using both with overlapping effects. However, it is unclear how positive and negative affect are associated with simultaneous alcohol and marijuana use (SAM; using both with overlapping effect) and concurrent alcohol and marijuana use (CAM; defined in this study as using both substances in the past month without overlapping effect), and what role sex plays in these associations. Methods. Baseline data among past-year alcohol or marijuana users age 15–25 (N=417; mean age 21.2 (SD=2.7); 63.8% female) were used from a larger study. A logistic and an ordinal logistic regression model examined if sex moderated associations between positive/negative affect and past-month 1) CAM (yes/no) and 2) SAM use (ordinal categorical variable measuring occasions), respectively. Models controlled for age, sex, race, and ethnicity due to prior associations with outcomes. Results. Although the main effects of positive and negative affect were not associated with CAM or SAM use, the interactions suggest that with each increased unit of negative affect, males had a 7% (OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.01–1.17) and 9% (OR=1.09, 95% CI: 1.01–1.17) higher odds of using CAM and higher level of SAM use, respectively. Females with higher levels of negative affect did not have higher odds of CAM or SAM use. Conclusions. Interventions aiming to decrease SAM/CAM use could target males who are experiencing high levels of negative affect. Future studies utilizing longitudinal data are needed to assess if causal associations between positive/negative affect, sex, and SAM/CAM use exist.Item EXAMINING ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN YOUNG ADULT ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE IN ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, AND SIMULTANEOUS ALCOHOL AND MARIJUANA USE(2021) Seamster, Morgan; LoParco, Cassidy; Astorga, Angeles; Litt, Dana M.; Lewis, MelissaPurpose: Research indicates that young adults use alcohol and marijuana independently, or simultaneously (SAM; alcohol and marijuana use at the same time so that effects overlap) to cope with emotional distress (i.e., anxiety, depression). Given that behavioral willingness (i.e., openness) can be viewed as a predisposition to behavior, understanding mental health-related factors associated with willingness to engage in different types of substance use (i.e., alcohol, marijuana, SAM) may aid in identifying young adults at risk for harmful substance use. Methods: Participants ages 18-25 (N=363;60.1% female) completed baseline of a larger ecological momentary assessment study. Linear regression analyses controlling for age, gender, and past-month substance use examined associations between depressive and anxious distress and a willingness to engage in alcohol, marijuana, and SAM use. Results: Reports of higher depressive symptoms were associated with more willingness to use alcohol (B= 0.21, t = 2.85, p < .01) and engage in SAM use (B= 0.13, t = 2.25, p < .05). Anxious symptomology was associated with less willingness to use alcohol (B= -0.22, t = -2.99, p < .01), and more willingness to use marijuana (B= 0.15, t = 1.99, p < .05). Conclusions: Findings suggest that depressive and anxious distress are differentially associated with a willingness to engage in different types of substance use, depending on whether alcohol and marijuana are used independently or simultaneously. Therefore, targeted intervention strategies for young adults with depressive or anxious symptoms through early identification of willingness cognitions could prevent harmful substance use.Item Parent and Teen Feedback on a Prototype of a Novel Parent-Based Intervention for Adolescent Alcohol Use and Social Networking Site Use(2022) Seamster, Morgan; Kannard, Emma; Resendiz, Raul; Walker, Travis; Lewis, Melissa; Litt, Dana M.Purpose: Social networking site (SNS) use has been associated with increased alcohol use and risky health behaviors in adolescents. Previous research has demonstrated the role of parents in mitigating the adverse effects of SNS on alcohol use. As an emerging area of research, digital parent-based interventions (PBIs) may be used to prevent adolescent risk behaviors related to alcohol and SNS. To ensure the efficacy of these interventions, parent and adolescent feedback is essential to optimize user engagement and acceptability. The current investigation aimed to gather parent and teen perspectives on usability and acceptability of a prototype digital PBI, developed in part based on previous focus group findings, for adolescent alcohol use and SNS use. Methods: A total of 29 parents (female = 86.2%, avg. age = 44) and 27 teens (female = 55.6%, avg. age = 16) dyads were recruited from across Texas. Parents and teens attended groups separately and were presented with prototype intervention content, including website modules and video content. Groups were asked to discuss initial reactions to and thoughts about usability (i.e., ease of navigation, layout and design, etc.) and acceptability (i.e., favorability of overall PBI, likelihood of using different features, etc.). Transcripts were reviewed to generate themes and trends in participant feedback across groups. Conclusions and Implications: Both parents and teens reported that dynamic module navigation features, which allow for tailoring of educational content to user interests, appeared highly usable. Participants generally agreed that a feature allowing parents to send video content directly to their teens from the PBI was an important aspect of the program, as it would provide an opportunity for both parents and teens to independently prepare for joint conversations and learning. Both parents and teens emphasized the importance of video narrator relatability including delivery tone, age, gender, and diversity. Participants expressed desire for visually stimulating content based on user learning styles. Lastly, parents reported preferences toward fact-based and research-oriented content, whereas teens preferred intervention content with humor or shock value. Overall, feedback yielded important guidance for optimizing features to improve engagement and user learning. Findings are currently being integrated into the final digital PBI to be tested in an upcoming pilot study.