Objective: To examine the utility of a novel sexual risk index (SRI) to better use National College Health Assessment (NCHA) sexual health-related questions. Methods: The first phase included discussions, testing, and recoding of the initial set of items. In the second phase, a correlation analysis was run; items were systematically removed to…

Objective: Playing drinking games (DGs) is a common, socially-interactive risky drinking activity. During the pandemic, many students either returned home to live with their parents or remained on campus. Because DGs often require social interaction, playing DGs in-person can increase students' risk for COVID-19 exposure. Thus, we examined whether…

Objective: A drinking game (DG) is a risky social drinking activity that is prevalent among university students and promotes rapid alcohol consumption. We examined university students' DG behaviors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Students (N = 368; M[subscript age]=21.12; women = 72.6%; Hispanic = 44.7%) from seven universities…

Objective: To examine the impact of the pandemic on a sample of college students, and test associations with food security and mental distress. Participants: A convenience sample of 132 students from a diverse U.S. institution. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that utilized online surveys. Data was analyzed using X[superscript 2], binary…

Studies have shown that those high in anxiety were at increased risk for alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tension reduction theory points to anxiety sensitivity (AS) as a potential risk factor. Drinking to cope may further increase this risk. During the pandemic, those high in AS may have experienced increased stress and drank to cope,…

Objective: To evaluate the hypothesis that social problem solving (SPS) moderates strong emotion reactivity (ER) to stressful events in predicting suicide ideation (SI). Participants: 200 college students: mean age = 20.33; 75% women; 58% white. Methods: Participants completed the following self-report inventories: Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation,…

Objectives: This study assessed the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine and factors related to vaccination coverage among college students in a university setting. Methods: A cross-sectional study design included undergraduate and graduate students in a university community as study participants. Survey questions assessed the uptake of the COVID-19…

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test whether COVID impact interacts with genetic risk (polygenic risk score/PRS) to predict alcohol use disorder (AUD) symptoms. Method: Participants were n = 455 college students (79.6% female, 51% European Ancestry/EA, 24% African Ancestry/AFR, 25% Americas Ancestry/AMER) from a longitudinal study…

Objective: This study examined how individual (satisfaction of basic psychological needs), relational (perceived achievement- and dependency-oriented parental psychological control), and cultural (ethnic identity) factors may contribute to Asian American college students' (18-25 years of age) disordered eating. Participants: Asian American college…

Recent focus on the unique mental health needs of transgender and genderqueer (TGQ) individuals has shown an increased risk for mental health disorders, trauma, exposure, and suicide. Initial research highlights that TGQ college students have higher rates of psychological distress, trauma, and suicidal behaviors compared to cisgender peers, though…

Objective: The present study examines self-compassion (SC) as a potential protective factor in the relationship between value-behavior discrepancy guilt (VBDG) and the mental health outcomes of anxiety and suicide risk in a sample of Mexican-descent college students. Method: Participants consisted of 810 college students of Mexican descent.…

Although previous studies have identified the effect of social environment and individual behavior on adolescent obesity in the field of social science, much less is known about the association between adolescent educational expectations and obesity. This article draws on China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) 2013 to 2014 to examine the relationship…

Recently, the World Bank (2023-2024) conducted a comprehensive feasibility study to assess the potential of implementing open school models for adolescents aged 12 to 16 from nomadic, refugee and internally displaced populations from countries on the Fragility, Conflict and Violence (FCV) list, with particular focus on the following five countries…

Physiology education is at the core of biomedical science and medicine. Physiology unites multiple disciplines to explain the mechanisms whereby a risk factor is associated with disease. Race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity are associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Minority stress theory attempts to explain the…

Objective: Identify the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) and compare sociodemographic, mental, physical, behavioral, and environmental risk factors for FI among students at a private university, community college, and historically black college or university (HBCU). Participants: Adult students attending a private university, community college,…