Browsing by Author "Prince, Mark, advisor"
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Item Open Access American Indian adolescent methamphetamine use: an examination of region/identity variations and the impact of protective factors(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2024) Fredrickson, Gereon J., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Emery, Noah, committee member; Swaim, Randall, committee member; Zimmerman, Toni, committee memberObjective: Studies suggest that American Indians (AI) have high rates of methamphetamine use and indicate that AI youth have a significantly higher prevalence of past year methamphetamine use relative to non-Hispanic Whites. Methamphetamine use has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and many adverse long-term effects. Minimal research explores region and identity differences with methamphetamine use and primarily focuses on risk-factors that lead to higher levels of use. The proposed study sought to identify protective factors that increase abstinence and reduce patterns of use among adolescent AIs by exploring the impact of parental monitoring, positive social/peer support, positive self-esteem, ethnic pride, and ethnic experience on age of initiation and past-year methamphetamine use. Method: This study is a secondary data analysis of survey data collected form an epidemiological research study with AI youth. The current study uses data collected from the Fall of 2015 through the Fall of 2019. Participants included 14,769 adolescents, grades 7-12th, from 103 different schools, across seven distinct regions of the contiguous United States. Analysis Plan: Since lifetime methamphetamine use was reported in only 3.7% of the data, past-year use was dichotomized to account for varying modeling effects and model convergence. Means, frequencies, and standard deviations were calculated for all variables as well as bivariate correlations. To model the protective factors, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used which included testing for model fit and psychometrics of the protective factor scales. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were completed to determine fit of the items for each protective factor, with invariance testing at the configural, metric, and scalar levels. Firth's Penalized Likelihood logistic regression and censored regressions were used to examine direct effects between the five protective factors (parental monitoring, positive peer/social influence, self-esteem, ethnic pride, and ethnic experience) and two methamphetamine use outcome variables (i.e., age of initiation and past-year use). Results: Key findings in this study were that males in middle school that identified as AI-multi-ethnic living in the Northeast region and males in high school that identified as AI-multi-ethnic living in the Southern Great Plains region endorsed significantly more methamphetamine use in the past year with an earlier age of initiation. Additionally, parental knowledge, positive peer/social influence, and internal self-esteem increased the likelihood for AI adolescents to have not initiated methamphetamine use. Lastly, parental knowledge, positive peer/social influence, internal and external self-esteem, and ethnic experience factors were significant in increasing the likelihood that AI adolescents did not engage in methamphetamine use in the past year. Conclusions: This study provides powerful recommendations for programs that target AI adolescent methamphetamine use to further prevent initiation and build resilience. It demonstrates the need to foster parental knowledge, positive peer/social influence, self-esteem, and ethnic experience as protective factors. Understanding these factors within the AI community that contribute to positive outcomes for adolescents can help further programs, schools, and communities as prevention strategies implore techniques to maximize effectiveness in reducing overall AI adolescent substance use. Further, these results have implications for future research on prevention of AI adolescent methamphetamine use.Item Open Access Building connection and reducing isolation: a group therapy intervention for LGBTQ+ young adults(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Tuthill, Shelby D., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Brenner, Rachel, committee member; Crain, Tori, committee member; Quirk, Kelley, committee memberLGBTQ+ people experience poor mental health outcomes relative to their non-LGBTQ+ peers, which may be exacerbated by chronic disconnection from self and others that results from discrimination and other minority stressors. Many LGBTQ+ people find strength and relief from mental health concerns by connecting with supportive, affirming communities. These findings are aligned with relational-cultural theory, which posits that people are wired to be in connection with one another, and that building mutually empathic relationships is central to healing. Although research supports that connecting with LGBTQ+ community is beneficial, there is a paucity of research on how LGBTQ+ people connect with community, what barriers exist to doing so, and how clinicians may help facilitate these healing connections. The present study consisted of two parts. Focus groups were conducted to better understand the nuances of LGBTQ+ community connection and to develop proof of concept for a group therapy intervention for LGBTQ+ emerging adults using both the focus group data and existing scholarship and theory on LGBTQ+ group therapy and relational-cultural theory/therapy. Focus group data was coded using qualitative content analysis and incorporated into the development of a 6-session group intervention, which was then implemented with a group of LGBTQ+ young adults in Colorado. Group therapy participants completed measures of relational health, depression, anxiety, social isolation, sense of LGBTQ+ community, and loneliness before, during, and after the intervention. Changes in scores were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and effect sizes were estimated; medium to large effects were found in the direction of symptom reduction, reduced loneliness and isolation, and improved relational health and sense of community. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.Item Open Access Combining personality and masculinity in perceptions of alcohol use(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2018) Jurica, John, author; Dik, Bryan, advisor; Prince, Mark, advisor; Chavez, Ernest, committee member; Harman, Jen, committee member; Miller, Lisa, committee memberAlcohol consumption and alcohol consequences among men in college are significant health concerns, making it important to examine how psychosocial and biological variables surrounding masculine gender norms may play a role in alcohol-related behaviors. Men's conformity to certain masculine norms in the United States is a predictor of alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Sensation seeking, which occurs at higher levels among men, is a personality trait related to increased alcohol consumption and increased risk-taking behavior, which also occurs at high levels among men. Despite theoretical overlap between these personality-based and psychosocial variables, they have not been empirically compared. Based on evidence from peer influences and masculinity, it is possible that individuals that endorse traditional masculine norms may experience peer norms among close friends that promote and encourage dangerous drinking behaviors. Quantitative methods were employed to explore endorsement of traditional masculine norms, personality variables with known relationships with alcohol-related outcomes, peer norms for alcohol use and alcohol-related outcomes. Qualitative methods were utilized to explore the ways in which participants view drinking and drinking behaviors in the context of masculinity and male peers. Results suggested that there are significant relationships between sensation seeking and several subscales of the Conformity to Masculine Norms Inventory (CMNI), most notably risk taking (r = .77). Results of several path analyses suggested that risk taking and sensation seeking predict alcohol consumption and alcohol consequences via descriptive norms for alcohol use. Relevant themes from the qualitative analysis included posturing, no effect, consumption habits, sources of influence, and drinking and responsibility. Quantitative and Qualitative results provided evidence of a relationship between peer norms for alcohol use and masculinity. Quantitative results show relationships between several subscales of the CMNI and injunctive and descriptive norms for alcohol use among close friends. These results also suggest that higher endorsement of risk taking and sensation seeking is related to increased perceptions of peer alcohol use, which in turn predicts alcohol consumption and alcohol problems. Qualitative results also provide evidence of a connection between masculinity and alcohol consumption as well as masculinity and risky behaviors while drinking. The qualitative results also provide evidence of context-specific behaviors and specific mechanisms through which masculine norms and peer influences impact alcohol behaviors. These findings advance research aimed at understanding relationships between masculinity, sensation seeking, peer norms, and alcohol-related behaviors. Implications for treatment and prevent, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.Item Open Access Development and evaluation of a brief treatment for cannabis-related problems(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Fetterling, Theodore J., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Conner, Bradley, committee member; Riggs, Nathaniel, committee memberCannabis use and related problems have shown a consistent increase among young adults in recent years despite abstinence being the predominant goal for most treatments. Research indicates that many individuals with problematic cannabis use do not seek treatment due to a desire to continue using. Whereas abstinence assumes any use to be problematic, harm reduction offers a comparably effective alternative that is conducive to reductions in use or problems as the primary goal of treatment. However, research exploring harm reduction as a standalone treatment for cannabis is underdeveloped. Another challenge facing cannabis treatment is the wide variability in training procedures and evaluation of therapist adherence to intervention protocol reported in the relatively few cannabis-specific treatment studies conducted to date. The current study addressed these disparate treatment concerns through the development of a harm reduction treatment for cannabis, establishment of a standardized approach for therapist training and evaluation, and testing the feasibility of this intervention against a healthy stress management (HSM) control condition. Methods. Prior treatment studies were used to inform the selection of intervention components for the cannabis-specific treatment (CST). The HSM condition was adapted from a web-based version where it also served as a control condition. Study therapists were trained on the CST and HSM protocols using manual review, didactic training, and role plays. Adherence to treatment protocols was assessed using fidelity checklists developed for use with each unique study condition. The analytical sample (n = 16) consisted of community members interested in treatment and undergraduate students participating for research credit. A 2x2 ANCOVA tested for intervention effects on cannabis-related problems while controlling for sex. Descriptive statistics and clinical significance were used to assess therapist training and fidelity, as well as selected participant outcomes. Results. Therapist training showed high rates of attrition, with fewer than half of therapists completing all stages. Among therapists who completed all stages of training, fidelity checks indicated high protocol adherence rates across study conditions. Although no treatment effect for reduction of cannabis-related problems was detected, several participants reported clinically significant increases or decreases on measures of distress, dependence, use frequency, and goal attainment. Discussion. Findings suggest that use of a standardized, multimethod training paradigm facilitates high rates of therapist adherence to manualized treatment protocol. The potential for the present study to be used as a template for development of a therapist training model in future work is discussed. Though preliminary analyses did not support the CST as efficacious for cannabis-related problem reduction, there was a trend toward higher goal attainment for participants who received the CST. Goal type endorsement also aligned with prior findings that alternatives to abstinence-based programming for cannabis are needed.Item Open Access Existential concerns and risky behavior in college students(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Alliegro, Marissa C., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Chavez, Ernest, committee member; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Lucas-Thompson, Rachel, committee memberSubstance use and sexual behavior are highly prevalent on college campuses (Arria et al., 2017; American College Health Association, 2018; Schulenberg et al., 2017). Substance misuse and risky sex can lead to adverse consequences (Furman & Collibee, 2014; Patrick & Terry-McElrath, 2016; Read, Haas. Radomski, Wickham, & Borish, 2016). There is high comorbidity between anxiety, substance use, and substance use disorders (Wolitzky et al., 2018). Existential anxiety may be a form of anxiety that is relevant to the college experience because college aged emerging adults are coping with existential issues, e.g., freedom, isolation, meaninglessness, and death, often for the first time. In a sample of undergraduate students, existential concerns predicted higher reports of binge drinking behavior. Existential concerns did not predict cannabis use or unprotected vaginal sex. Moderation analyses indicated that variables such as coping, and mindfulness are variables of interest that require further research to understand their influence on risky behavior as they relate to existential anxiety. Supplemental analyses revealed that a focus on construct validity and continued measurement development for assessing existential concerns is critical. Various existential themes (i.e., isolation, meaning, freedom) were found to be more strongly associated with risky behavior. This study demonstrates the importance of considering the role existential anxiety plays in engagement of high-risk behaviors among college students.Item Open Access Giving language to horticultural therapy: framing horticultural therapy through the lens of empirically supported therapies(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Ascencio, Jaime M., author; Rickard, Kathryn, advisor; Prince, Mark, advisor; Graham, Dan, committee member; Shillington, Audrey, committee memberHorticultural therapy, a plant-based intervention for reaching client goals, is an under-researched yet promising treatment modality for psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to forge a connection between empirically supported therapies (ESTs) and horticultural therapy's interventions by describing how EST methods were used in horticultural therapy. A horticultural therapy proof-of-concept study incorporated behavioral, positive, and humanistic ESTs with youth with disabilities and at-risk youth. The largest positive impacts of the intervention were on clients' prevocational skills, social skills, and gardening skills. No change was detected on measures of mindfulness, resilience, nature relatedness, or strengths use. The impact on depression yielded mixed results, and a small worsening was seen in the self-report of anxiety, strengths use, and emotion regulation. This study demonstrated that horticultural therapy utilizes components of a variety of ESTs and its impact can be quantitatively evaluated.Item Open Access Identifying latent profiles of psilocybin use(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Gray, Bethany A., author; Rickard, Kathryn, advisor; Prince, Mark, advisor; Fidler, Deborah, committee member; Tompkins, Sara Anne, committee memberPsilocybin, the hallucinogenic substance found in some mushrooms, may have medicinal and therapeutic uses. As such, it is garnering pronounced interest from the scientific community and general public. It is likely that psilocybin is on a trajectory to become more acceptable and sought out by researchers and individuals interested in its potential benefits. Traditionally, psilocybin has been used in does large enough to produce hallucinogenic effects; however, there are some reports of beneficial outcomes of psilocybin use with particularly small (i.e., micro) doses. It is likely that there are different patterns of psilocybin use, including using psilocybin in different dosages, frequencies, and for differing purposes, which have yet to be described in the literature. Thus, I sought to determine whether or not there are identifiable psilocybin use patterns of psilocybin use, to describe their defining characteristics, and test for differences on other important constructs, e.g., benefits, consequences, and reasons for use. This research uses mixture modeling to identify latent profiles of psilocybin use in a large population of adults endorsing lifetime psilocybin. Data for this project was sourced anonymously from subreddit community sites. I found three profiles indicated by frequency and quantity of psilocybin use. Auxiliary testing was used to evaluate differences among the profiles. The Chipper Profile (n =118) was associated with approximately 1-4 annual uses and between 0.75g and 1.0g dosages of dehydrated, psilocybin containing mushrooms. The Tripper Profile (n =428) was associated with a slightly higher psilocybin use frequency as the Chipper Profile (2 and 6 times annually), and self-reported dosages between 2 and 4g. The Microdose Profile (n =118), was related to substantively higher psilocybin use frequencies than the other two profiles (between 2 - 4 times a week) and a lower range of preferred dosages (between 0.25g - 0.75g). The profiles differed in the total number reasons participants reported having for their psilocybin use and the total number of benefits they reported experiencing. This can potentially be understood in relation to psilocybin use expectancies and motives to use. Additionally, every profile was associated with a low number of psilocybin use consequences, but the profiles did not significantly differ on this measure. Psilocybin seems to be distinct from other substances in that use frequency and quantity do not appear to impact one's risk of experiencing undesirable consequences of use. Further research is required to identify risk and protective factors for negative outcomes, as well as those that optimize the one's likelihood of experiencing psilocybin use benefits.Item Open Access Intersectional identity, sense of LGBTQ+ community, substance use, and mental health outcomes among college students(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2020) Tuthill, Shelby Diane, author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Crain, Tori, committee member; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Faw, Meara, committee memberPrior research has shown disparities in mental health outcomes and substance use between LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, and more) and non-LGBTQ+ people. Factors such as social support and LGBTQ+-specific social support have been shown to mitigate such disparities. A similar construct, sense of LGBTQ+ community has been less widely studied. In this study, LGBTQ+ (n = 154) and non-LGBTQ+ (n = 1232) undergraduate students at a large university participated in a survey. In a propensity score matched sample of LGBTQ+ students and demographically similar non-LGBTQ+ students showed no disparities in overall mood concerns, depression, anxiety, and stress; they also showed no disparities in alcohol use, cannabis use, and alcohol and cannabis co-use. Among LGBTQ+ students, sense of LGBTQ+ community was not significantly associated with mood outcomes or substance use. However, some notable disparities emerged when students were compared across racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual orientation identities simultaneously. These findings underscore the importance of an intersectional approach to research and subsequent recommendations for intervention.Item Open Access Mechanisms of timing: an integrative theoretical approach(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2019) Pantlin, Lara N., author; Davalos, Deana, advisor; Prince, Mark, advisor; Malcolm, Matthew, committee member; Rojas, Don, committee memberAccurate timing allows individuals to perform essential tasks to meet societal demands, such as scheduling, responding to warning signals and planning. Since timing impacts various functions, understanding the meaning of a timing deficit is necessary. Poor performance in neurophysiological measures of timing has been related to psychopathology but has not specifically been related to one's ability to plan or maintain a schedule. Inability to track elapsed time as done in behavioral tasks is often related to poor performance in academic settings, but the intricacies of how inaccurate timing in one task manifests in other timing tasks has not been examined. The present study proposes a comprehensive examination of timing by dividing the field into three sub-domains: neurophysiological, behavioral, and applied temporal processing. These sub-domains are organized based on the tasks traditionally used to assess timing. Neurophysiological timing (Level I) was assessed using a duration-based mismatch negativity paradigm (dMMN), which fundamentally requires minimal cognitive resources. Behavioral timing (Level II) introduces the role of attention and working memory to accurately determine the amount of elapsed time (verbal estimation) or the generation of a pause, which reflects a specified amount of time (interval production). These tasks do not require the higher-order cognitive functions such as decision making and planning which are needed to accurately perform applied temporal processing tasks (e.g., time management and scheduling) (Level III). Hypothesis I proposed a hierarchical relationship among the three subdomains in which each succeeding level in the mediation is informed by the previous one and is distinct from the others based on the amount of cognition required to perform the task. Hypothesis II not only offered an extension of Hypothesis I, but also sought to examine the ways timing can be systematically improved through intervention methods. Across two time-points, participants were screened for select psychopathologies often associated with timing deficits (e.g., psychosis, traumatic brain injury, and substance use), underwent EEG recordings of dMMN to measure neurophysiology (Level I), performed two behavioral timing tasks (verbal estimation and interval production) (Level II), and completed three measures of applied temporal processing (letter-number sequencing and two time management surveys) (Level III). Hypothesis I was analyzed using a mediation model where neurophysiology (Level I) is expected to inform behavioral performance (Level II), which would subsequently influence accuracy on applied tasks (Level III). Hypothesis II was analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVAs to assess which intervention increases accuracy between time-points. Although Hypothesis I yielded nonsignificant results, interesting trends in the expected direction existed. Higher responses on the neurophysiological tasks were related to higher accuracy on behavioral and applied temporal processing measures. Hypothesis II yielded significant interactions between session and intervention and overall, suggested that using feedback to calibrate individuals to their abilities is the most appropriate intervention technique for increasing behavioral and applied accuracy. However, inclusion of tasks evaluating intermediate stages of timing is required if a full scale time continuum is to be modeled. Yet, this work provided the initial groundwork to further investigate the way time-related information is handled in the healthy brain.Item Open Access Secondhand effects of alcohol use: the consequences of peer drinking behavior(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Boyle, Morgan A., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Davalos, Deana, committee member; Riggs, Nathaniel, committee memberObjective: College student alcohol misuse is a public health concern that negatively affects the individual using alcohol, and the individual's peers. The secondhand effects of alcohol use (SEA) are adverse consequences caused by another's drinking (i.e., study/sleep interrupted, being insulted or humiliation, sexual assault or rape). The present study explored SEAs relationship to personal alcohol, alcohol related consequences, and wellbeing. This study also investigated coping as a possible moderator for SEA. Method: 1,168 students were recruited from an undergraduate research pool. Participants completed a survey which assessed for SEA, wellbeing, personal use, alcohol related consequences, and coping strategies. Results: SEA was found to have a significant positive relationship with personal use for both heaviest day of drinking and AUDIT score as well as alcohol related consequences. Regarding coping, the present study found that higher levels of maladaptive coping strengthened the relationship between SEA and alcohol related consequences while adaptive coping did not significantly weaken this interaction. Conclusion: This study established a relationship between SEA and increased personal use as well as alcohol related consequences, a relationship which was strengthened by maladaptive coping. By establishing a connection between SEA and harmful behaviors I hope to increase understanding and awareness regarding the deleterious effects of SEA. In addition, it is hoped that these findings may inform intervention and treatment recommendations for those experiencing adverse outcomes due to SEA.Item Open Access Stress, coping, and quality of life of medically underserved lung and head-and-neck cancer patients(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2021) Peterson, Grace Elaine Barbara, author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Borrayo, Evelinn, committee member; Henry, Kimberly, committee member; Gonzalez-Voller, Jessica, committee memberThe intent of this study was to investigate how medically underserved (i.e. uninsured, underinsured, low income) cancer patients responded to a stepped-care cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention aimed at increasing their ability to cope. The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping (TMSC) was utilized as a theoretical guide to assess outcomes of change in perceived stress, change in coping self-efficacy, and change in general quality of life. A parallel indirect effects model of change scores was tested to assess if this model was a good fit for the data, and results indicated that there was a significant specific direct effect from treatment to change in general quality of life, via change in coping self-efficacy. Further, 40 percent of the variance in change in general quality of life was accounted for by this model, which is a very large effect. Conclusions from this study include the utility of the TMSC to theoretically organize the relations of these outcome variables for lung, head and neck, and thyroid cancer patients who are medically underserved. In addition, this study indicated that the stepped-care CBT intervention increased quality of life for those in the intervention group. Future research should continue to assess for the mental health needs of this specific patient population. Continued resources should be put toward research on the development and implementation of stepped-care therapeutic interventions that increase patient coping skills and thereby increase patient quality of life.Item Open Access Substance use, risk, and protective factors among Indigenous youth: an examination of evidence from recent decades(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Fetterling, Theodore J., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Riggs, Nathaniel, committee member; Emery, Noah, committee member; Swaim, Randall, committee memberAmerican Indian (AI) youth have consistently been identified as an at-risk population for elevated rates of substance use relative to non-AI peers. Reliance upon single-site and regional substance use research with Indigenous samples has led to substantial variability in the magnitude of estimates in the extant literature. This variability is exacerbated by demographic differences shown to influence substance use prevalence as well as the ceremonial use of tobacco in many tribes. Ceremonial practices involving tobacco also present a unique impact on perceptions of availability and harm of substances, however little research has investigated the salience of these perceptions as either risk or protective factors among AI youth. The present study addresses the variability in estimates and limited representation of AI youth by consolidating nearly three decades of repeated cross-sectional data to provide accurate and precise estimates of alcohol, cannabis, and cigarette use. The hypotheses that perceived availability and harm would differentially predict substance use among AI youth compared to White peers were also tested. Method. The sample was drawn from data collected between 1993-2019 as part of ongoing epidemiology research with reservation-dwelling AI youth and White peers. Descriptive statistics were used to provide substance use estimates for alcohol, cannabis, and cigarettes, stratified by race/ethnicity (i.e., AI vs White), grade group, sex, and region. After stratifying for demographic comparisons, estimates were presented for each year of available data and aggregated across years for all substance use variables. Binary logistic and quasi-Poisson regressions were used to test study hypotheses regarding the influence of perceived availability and harm on substance use separately for AI and White youth. A subset of years was selected for an exploratory application of time-varying effect modeling (TVEM) for trend analysis. Results. Similar patterns emerged across demographic comparisons for average cannabis use, showing elevated rates among AI youth relative to White peers. Average lifetime prevalence of cigarettes was consistently higher among AI youth than White peers, however this pattern was not found for average frequency of cigarette use or for any average alcohol use comparison. Hypotheses were partially supported, in that perceived harm was significantly more protective for White youth than for AIs, but perceived availability showed no significant differences in protective influence for lifetime prevalence comparisons of any substance. TVEM trends mirrored descriptive statistic comparisons found for stratification by race/ethnicity and region. Discussion. Findings revealed stark contrasts in rates of substance use and the influences of perceived availability and harm between AI and White youth. These differences are interpreted within the context of historical trauma (HT) and ceremonial practices involving tobacco found in many Indigenous communities. For prevention and intervention programs to be culturally responsive, they should be developed at the community level and incorporate strategies for coping with HT. Additionally, distinguishing recreational tobacco use from ceremonial use can enhance accuracy of estimates in future epidemiology research and contribute to culturally informed prevention and intervention programming for AI youth.Item Open Access Testing trans identity pride as a mental health resilience factor among trans and gender diverse adults(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2023) Egli, Madison R., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Brenner, Rachel, committee member; Matsuno, Em, committee member; Dockendorff, Kari, committee memberTrans and gender diverse (TGD) people in the US report disproportionately higher rates of mental health concerns than cisgender heterosexual and LGB individuals, as well as the U.S. population more broadly (Borgogna et al., 2019; James et al., 2016; Su et al., 2016). This study tested part of the recently introduced Transgender Resilience Intervention Model (TRIM; Matsuno & Israel, 2018) to examine the moderation effects of identity pride on the relationships between two TGD minority stressors (rejection, negative expectations for the future) and mental health outcomes with a sample of 514 TGD adults in the United States. Originally, I tested a moderated mediation path model using PROCESS syntax in MPlus wherein rejection predicted depression and anxiety through negative expectations for the future, with identity pride moderating the relationship between negative expectations for the future and mental health outcomes. However, the model was not interpretable due to poor model fit indices. Post-hoc model revisions revealed a model wherein rejection predicted greater negative expectations for the future through increased depression and anxiety. In contrast with hypotheses, conditional indirect effects revealed a trend in which TGD individuals high in identity pride were more negatively impacted by experiences of rejection. These results suggest that identity pride, although important for promoting wellness among TGD individuals (Singh et al., 2013), may render TGD adults more vulnerable for developing depression and anxiety following gender-identity-based rejection. Given the relatively small sample size in the current study for detecting moderation effects, future research should examine these relationships in larger studies of TGD individuals in the United States to further understand the impact of identity pride on minority stress in TGD communities.Item Open Access The influence of mentor relationship quality and youth's sense of belonging on adolescent substance use(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2022) Fredrickson, Gereon J., author; Prince, Mark, advisor; Henry, Kimberly, advisor; Krafchick, Jen, committee member; Tompkins, Sara Anne, committee memberObjective: Adolescent substance use (alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine) is a public health concern that negatively impacts youth and their ability to successfully navigate through life. Mentoring is an intervention tool used to reduce problem behaviors in adolescents, and research suggests that the mentoring relationship quality and a youth's sense of belonging within a mentoring program may be crucial to its effectiveness. The proposed study seeks to examine mentorship quality and youths' sense of belonging as they relate to adolescent substance use in a secondary data analysis of Campus Connections and explore sustained abstinence in substance use between mentee and mentor reports of mentor alliance. Method: 680 adolescent mentees participated in Campus Connections and completed a survey at the beginning and end of the program which assessed for substance use, mentor alliance, and their sense of belonging in the program. To account for abstinence, the data was subsetted to only include mentees that reported no substance use at baseline. 526 mentees were used in analyses. Firth logistic regression models were used to address the study's hypotheses. Results: A high-quality mentee reported relationship was associated with decreased odds of using substances at follow-up. Similarly, as a mentee's reported sense of belonging increased, the odds of them using substances at follow-up decreased. Lastly, there was a significant difference between the mentee and mentor reported relationship quality where the mentee report was a stronger predictor of sustained abstinence at study end. Conclusion: This study established a relationship between mentor alliance and youth's sense of belonging as a preventative method for continued abstinence. Understanding the factors within mentoring that contribute to positive outcomes for youth can help further develop mentoring as an intervention and improve techniques to maximize effectiveness. In addition, these findings may inform intervention and treatment recommendations that include mentoring and encourage future researchers to explore additional factors that contribute to mentoring successfulness in positively impacting adolescent substance use.