No abstract

This study used momentary sampling to characterize marijuana events among young frequent users and determine contextual and individual predictors of use severity. Medical clinic outpatients aged 15–24 who used marijuana at least twice a week completed a baseline assessment, then used a handheld computer to report marijuana use at 4–6 signal-prompted times per day and before/after use for two weeks. Reports assessed event characteristics (when, with whom, where, how, why, how much, how high). Timestamps identified time, weekend, and duration for each event. Generalized estimating equations tested associations of individual and event-specific contextual characteristics with hits/event, duration, and high. Forty-one youth completed 3868 momentary reports; 40 (98%) reported at least one marijuana use event (N=432 events; M=10.5/participant) and thus provided data for these analyses. Marijuana was most commonly used with other people (74% of events), at home (58%), via blunt (66%), and for social or enhancement reasons (86%). Most events (62%) occurred on weekdays; use was least likely in the morning (8%). Most events involved 6 or more hits (81%). Mean high was 5.2 (out of 8). Of events with start and end times (n=250), mean duration was 46.8 minutes. Poor mental health and use with a blunt or a bong, in the morning or evening, and on the weekend were associated with 6 or more hits/event. Female gender was associated with greater event duration. Poor mental health predicted higher high. Among youth who used frequently, marijuana was used in a variety of contexts, with diversity in method, dose, and duration. Contextual factors appeared to predict marijuana dose for a given event, while individual characteristics were more predictive of high and duration.

Previous interventions for marijuana use have been administered out of the real-life contexts in which use occurs. In 2010, we interviewed youth aged 15-24 years who use marijuana frequently (n = 8) and providers who treat them (n = 6) on the acceptability and utility of a mobile intervention involving momentary self-monitoring of use-related contexts and responsive motivational messaging following clinic-based brief motivational enhancement therapy. Thematic analysis was used to examine youth and provider perspectives on the mobile intervention. Results suggest that mobile technology is a promising tool for brief interventions to reduce youth marijuana use and warrants further development.

In two studies, we examined 99 3-to 5-year-old American children's concepts of age, aging, and birthdays. Previous research has shown that preschool-age children understand that all living beings grow, and that growth is a biological process. Humans, however, are distinct from other living things in that we attach great significance to the aging process. Specifically, in Western cultures, we have an annual ritual to celebrate the day we were born-the birthday party. Thus, although the biological mechanism of aging is continuous and invisible, it is marked by discrete yearly celebrations. We examine the proposal that, in part due to its salience as a cultural ritual, children interpret the birthday party as playing a causal role in the aging process. Results indicate that young children understand certain important biological aspects of the aging process but exhibit confusion regarding others, including the causal role of the annual birthday party.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract