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The 15 articles included reflect the continuum of critical work being conducted in research, practice, intervention and prevention programs, and public policy and serve to synthesize the growing body of empirical evidence. The overarching themes that emerged are framed as 3 essential questions (a) How broadly should ACEs be defined?, (b) How should ACEs be assessed?, and (c) How can ACEs science translate into high quality services? As illustrated in these articles, policy and practice applications deriving from psychology as a hub science can substantially benefit the health and mental health of children, adolescents, and adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Research indicates that emerging adults (EAs) are at an increased risk for heavy drinking and its associated alcohol problems, and that both proximal and distal stressors (e.g., adverse childhood experiences [ACEs], and subtle racial discrimination [racial microaggressions]) may contribute to these high-risk outcomes. We investigated the relationship of ACEs with alcohol consumption and alcohol problems in a sample of Black and White EAs, and racial microaggressions with alcohol consumption and alcohol problems in the Black EAs in our sample.

Six hundred two EAs (41.5% Black, 47% White; 57.3% women) completed measures assessing ACEs, alcohol consumption, and alcohol problems. One hundred ninety-six Black EAs in the sample were also asked to complete a measure of racial microaggressions that assessed their level of distress related to these experiences.

Regression analyses demonstrated a positive association of ACEs with alcohol consumption and alcohol problems. Sex moderated the relation of ACEs with alcohol consumption such that the positive relationship between ACEs and alcohol consumption was minimally stronger for females. College status moderated the relation of ACEs with alcohol consumption such that the relationship between ACEs and alcohol consumption was stronger for college students than non-college students. Racial microaggressions were positively associated with alcohol problems, but not alcohol consumption.

Findings underscore the importance of childhood stressors with alcohol consumption and problems for EAs, and the need for additional research on racial microaggressions and alcohol problems in Black EAs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Findings underscore the importance of childhood stressors with alcohol consumption and problems for EAs, and the need for additional research on racial microaggressions and alcohol problems in Black EAs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Early big wins might have a psychological impact upon gamblers that increases their likelihood of intemperate gambling; however, there has been a paucity of empirical research examining this effect using actual gambling data.

We assessed the effects of daily fantasy sports (DFS) big wins on subsequent play by analyzing a prospective dataset from a major DFS provider (N = 34,596 DFS subscribers) representing over 18 million entries into DFS contests.

We found that experiencing a big win in DFS is associated with subsequently increased DFS engagement (i.e., increased contest entry fees and contest entries) and losses (i.e., higher net loss). However, the effect of a big win on engagement and losses decays over time. Whereas theorists have highlighted the effects of early big wins, our analyses indicated that later big wins had a relatively stronger effect on DFS engagement. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of most results, with somewhat greater support for big wins’ effects on engagement metrics than losses.

Our results collectively indicate the existence of a big win effect in DFS. For some players, big wins might instill unrealistic expectations about future probabilities of winning and lead to increased-and potentially excessive-engagement. Explanations from cognitive psychology (e.g., the illusion of control) and behavioral psychology (e.g., operant conditioning) might help to explain the big win effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Our results collectively indicate the existence of a big win effect in DFS. For some players, big wins might instill unrealistic expectations about future probabilities of winning and lead to increased-and potentially excessive-engagement. Explanations from cognitive psychology (e.g., the illusion of control) and behavioral psychology (e.g., operant conditioning) might help to explain the big win effect. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

We examined the risk of developing a future alcohol use disorder (AUD) among offspring of families with different constellations of parental risk factors.

We analyzed a sample of 8,774 offspring (50.2% male) from 6,696 two-parent families who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study in Norway when offspring were 13-19 years old in 1995-1997 or 2006-2008. Based on population registry information and parental Nord-Trøndelag Health Study self-reports, families were classified via Latent Profile Analysis into fiver risk constellations reflecting parents’ education, drinking quantities and frequencies, and mental health. Information about AUD-related diagnoses, treatments, and prescriptions for all offspring in the period between 2008 and 2016 was obtained from 3 national health registries and pooled to reflect any AUD. The likelihood of AUD in offspring was examined with a set of nested logistic regression models.

Registry records yielded 186 AUD cases (2.1%). Compared with the lowest-risk constellat2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Heavy episodic drinking (HED) and high-intensity drinking (HID) are common in young adulthood but pose unique risks. Quantitative studies have used the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Prototype-Willingness Model (PWM) to understand decision-making processes underlying alcohol misuse. However, our understanding of intentions (plans) and willingness (openness) for HED/HID is in its nascent stages. This study represents the first qualitative examination of relationships between intentions and willingness to engage in HED/HID.

We conducted individual interviews among 28 young adult high-intensity drinkers (12 male, 15 female, 1 trans male; M age = 23 years). selleck chemical Interviews focused on HED/HID events with open-ended questions examining (a) variability in intentions/willingness by occasion and within a drinking event; (b) formation of intentions for consumption and/or intoxication; and (c) interplay of willingness and intentions on heavy drinking nights. Verbatim transcripts were coded within NVivo software and content was analyzed using applied thematic analysis.