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Background Problematic alcohol use is a common occurrence among college students. While empirically supported interventions exist, their access is typically limited to those with greater resources. There has been an expansion of services provided via telehealth to increase client access to treatment in the health care field. However, the evidence is mixed regarding the effectiveness of face-to-face versus telehealth interventions and there is a gap in the literature regarding brief alcohol interventions delivered via telehealth. As such, the purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a well-validated brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (BASICS) when conducted face-to-face or through a videoconferencing system. Method Participants included 51 college students who engaged in heavy episodic drinking (5+ drinks for males and 4+ drinks for females over a two hour period) over the last two weeks. They were randomly assigned to receive the face-to-face or telehealth intervention and completed a variety of questionnaires throughout. Follow up data on the participant's alcohol use and alcohol-related problems was collected at 1-, 2-, and 3-months. Multilevel modeling in SAS was utilized for analyses, which included the modeling of treatment outcome trajectories and the influence of predictors on the trajectory of change for each outcome. Results Results indicated that the intervention significantly reduced alcohol consumption and related problems regardless of condition. Both conditions saw an increase in treatment satisfaction and therapeutic alliance between the two sessions. Increased therapeutic alliance resulted in greater decreases in alcohol use and related harm across both conditions. Additionally, those with a mental health diagnosis showed greater improvement related to risk reduction for both treatment modalities. Conclusion In sum, the results of this study suggest that telehealth services should be further implemented and the BASICS intervention can be effectively delivered via telehealth for college students.

This article documents the development of a community-based drug intervention for low- to mild-risk drug users who surrendered as part of the Philippine government's anti-drug campaign. It highlights the importance of developing evidence-informed drug recovery interventions that are appropriate to the Asian culture and to developing economies. Interviews and consultations with users and community stakeholders reveal the need for an intervention that would improve the drug recovery skills and life skills of users. Evidence-based interventions were adapted using McKleroy and colleagues’ (2006) Map of Adaptation Process (MAP) framework. The resulting intervention reflected the country's collectivist culture, relational values, propensity for indirect and non-verbal communication, and interdependent self-construal. The use of small groups, interactive and creative methodologies, and the incorporation of music and prayer also recognised the importance of these in the Philippine culture.

The Toronto Alexithymia Scale–20 is arguably the most utilized measure of alexithymia. Although a three-factor solution has been found by numerous studies, these findings are not universal. This article examined and compared 18 competing factor structures for the Toronto Alexithymia Scale–20, which included between one and four correlated latent factor structures, common methods models that accounts for negatively worded items, and bifactor models. Although the two-factor bifactor model with a common methods factor had the better model fit compared with the other 17 models examined, it still did not achieve the requisites of a good model fit across all model fit indices. Issues stemmed primarily from the externally oriented thinking factor and the negatively worded items. Post hoc analyses indicated that a two-factor bifactor model with the negatively worded items dropped achieved the requisites of a good model fit and can be treated as a unidimensional measure despite the presence of multidimensionality. Multiple-group analysis indicated that the factor loadings were invariant across U.S. and Philippines samples. After controlling for noninvariance at the item intercept level, the Philippines sample had a higher alexithymia general score compared with the U.S. sample.

Cramer's model of help-seeking behavior posited that self-concealment, social support, attitudes toward counseling, and problem severity are essential in understanding individuals' intent to seek counseling. Path analysis results from 359 Filipino university students indicated that the original Cramer's model did not achieve the requisites of good model fit and that social support was not associated with problem severity. After adding loss of face to Cramer's model, we found positive associations with self-concealment and intent to seek counseling and a negative association with attitudes toward counseling. Multiple group analysis of the expanded Cramer's model indicated that, apart from social support and problem severity intercept differences, path coefficients, intercepts, and residual variances were invariant across gender. The previously nonsignificant social support to problem severity path is now significant. The addition of loss of face and accounting for gender differences in social support and problem severity improved the model fit of Cramer's model.

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This study examined the factors that influence the intent to seek online counseling among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). A survey among 365 OFWs revealed that problem severity and technology adoption predict intent to use online counseling. Among the three factors of technology adoption, perceived ease in the use of technology and perceived presence of organization and technological infrastructure to support use predicted intent to use online counseling. Our hypothesis about the presence of interaction between problem severity and facilitating conditions was supported. Among individuals with low problem severity, those who perceive the presence of organization and technological infrastructure to support use have a higher intent to use online counseling. However, at higher levels of problem severity, the effect of facilitating conditions seems to disappear. These findings highlight the crucial role of preventive online mental health services. The study contributes to theory by integrating the stage model of help-seeking behaviors and technology adoption theory in predicting intent to use online counseling. Specifically, that intent to seek online counseling is affected by the existence and perceived gravity of a problem, moderated by technology adoption factors, particularly facilitating conditions. These have implications on the need to educate potential users on the advantages of counseling and ensure that migrant workers have access to technology and that the technology is easy to use.

Background and Objectives Extant research shows a strong relationship between alcohol use problems and sexual aggression. However, less is known about the effect of intermediary factors (eg, alcohol expectations) that may increase the likelihood of and/or explain sexual aggression during alcohol‐related incidents. The present study examined alcohol outcome expectancies' (OE) mediating and/or moderating influence on the relationship between problematic alcohol use severity and sexual aggression among male college students. Methods and Results One hundred and forty eight (n = 148) male college students volunteered for the study. Seventy‐seven males self‐reported committing at least one act of sexual aggression in their lifetime. Among those who sexually aggressed, 74% also reported symptoms of problematic drinking. Results show that sexuality‐related alcohol OE fully mediated the relationship between problematic alcohol use severity and sexual aggression. Results also showed that aggression‐related alcohol OE moderated the relationship between problematic alcohol use severity and sexual aggression. Specifically, aggression‐related alcohol OE only influenced the relationship between problematic alcohol use and sexual aggression when alcohol problems were less severe. Conclusions and Scientific Significance Discussion implicates the possible role alcohol prevention may play in reducing sexual aggression on college campuses, particularly as it relates to adjusting alcohol OE among those most likely to perpetrate. (Am J Addict 2014;23:321–328)