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B K Anderson

Publications and source records attributed to B K Anderson.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Evaluating a brief alcohol intervention with fraternities.

OBJECTIVE: The current study tested the efficacy of a brief intervention designed to reduce drinking and drinking-related consequences among first-year fraternity members. METHOD: Twelve fraternities were randomly assigned to receive either a motivational enhancement intervention with individual and housewide feedback components (n = 6 houses) or a treatment-as-usual control condition (n = 6 houses). Individual feedback was delivered either by peer interviewers or professional research staff. Participants were assessed during their pledge (first) year of house membership and during a follow-up period 1 year later. RESULTS: Of the participants who completed follow-up (N = 120), fraternity members who received the brief intervention reported significant reductions in alcohol use (total average consumption) and typical peak blood alcohol concentrations when compared with fraternity members in the control condition. No differences in drinking-related consequences were observed. Fraternity members who received their individualized feedback from peer interviewers and professional members of the research staff reported similar outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Results provide support for the efficacy of a brief motivational enhancement intervention in reducing drinking within this high-risk population. The cost-effective use of peer interviewers appears to be a promising strategy for delivering individualized prevention programming in college populations.

Adolescent↗

An individual in context: predictors of alcohol use and drinking problems among Greek and residence hall students.

Fraternity, sorority, and residence hall residents were compared on drinking rates and patterns, drinking-related problems, family history of alcohol problems, alcohol outcome expectancies, and high school drinking patterns. Results indicated residence in a fraternity was related to more frequent alcohol consumption and greater negative consequences even after accounting for family history, expectancies, and high school drinking rates. Family history of alcohol problems was only related to negative consequences for men. Only high school drinking rates were related to amount of alcohol consumed per occasion, for both men and women. Fraternity residence was found to be related to more negative consequences even after accounting for current drinking habits. However, sorority residence was found to moderate the relationship between current drinking and negative consequences. Both high and low drinkers in sororities indicated similar rates of alcohol-related negative consequences, whereas high frequency female drinkers in the residence hall sample reported significantly more problems.

Adolescent↗

Thirst and salt appetite elicited by hypovolemia in rats with chronic lesions of the nucleus of the solitary tract.

Cardiac vagal afferents terminating in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) are believed to participate in stimulating neurohypophysial secretion of vasopressin as well as increased ingestion of water and NaCl solution in response to decreased blood volume. However, we recently reported that chronic lesions of NTS, which eliminate neural input from cardiac and arterial baroreceptors, do not impair hypovolemia-induced vasopressin secretion in rats. In the present investigation we sought to determine whether those sensory signals were necessary for hypovolemia-induced thirst and salt appetite. Rats with chronic lesions of the NTS increased consumption of water and NaCl solution normally when plasma volume was reduced isosmotically by subcutaneous injection of polyethylene glycol solution. These results were obtained whether rats were allowed to drink water or 0.15 M NaCl in one-bottle tests or water and 0.5 M NaCl in two-bottle tests. The induction of thirst and salt appetite by hypovolemia despite the apparent loss of neural input to the brain from cardiac volume-sensitive receptors indicates that other signals generated by plasma volume deficits can stimulate these behavioral responses in rats.

Animals↗